Whew! What a week! Perhaps you've missed me...or, maybe not. I've missed you, my readers, when I've had an instant to think...which wasn't often, to be honest!
We started last Saturday, by heading to Georgia for the gathering of the four daughters and six grandkids and the two old folks, aka US! We left our house thinking we'd be later than the NY girls would in their arrival. Apparently they called us when they neared the exit off of I85, thinking they might stop for a potty break at our place, but we'd already left. So they went to a gas station convenience store, and continued on their way. Well, not long after, they spotted our van, which they call 'the Wonder Bread mobile', and they sped up so they could ride behind us, waving some sort of clothing like flags from their windows. Moments later, they passed us, waving, laughing and beeping the car horn (that sounds like 'the Chipmunks' according to the new car owner)....and they left us in the dust. We were going 70 mph...the speed limit, and before long, they were far out of sight. I told Mike that I hoped a policeman would stop them for speeding.
As luck would have it, no speed traps got them, but slow and steady won the race. Driving daughter, who used to live in the area of Georgia to which we were going, trusted a GPS to give her the correct exit off the highway. While she wondered around some country roads, we continued on, arriving at her sister's house without a problem....about a half hour before the NYers pulled in. That was an on-going joke all week long. Don't you know, they insist that they 'let us win'.
After a weekend of food,family and fun, we returned to our home. We walked in to the decorated and clean house, and within minutes, I was wondering why I'd spent two weeks trying to make it perfectly clean and neat! This house was soon rocking! My daughters and two granddaughters kept us hopping! There were conversations, questions, and laughs flowing freely. My gosh...the coffee we went through....with the new Peppermint Mocha flavored Coffeemate added!
On Friday afternoon, my nephew arrived. He will be featured in a later blog. Just after dark, one of the Georgia girls came for the weekend. On Saturday, nephew returned for more time with his cousins. Soon after his exwife/still-friend showed up with their two daughters. All got reacquainted quickly, the younger second cousins hitting it off nicely, while the older cousins carried on as if it was a big party. Well, I guess it was!
Suffice it to say that our normally quiet and normal life was changed during the last week.... we didn't mind a bit, though we were, without a doubt, plagued with fatigue! All the girls left yesterday, they were showered with hugs, warnings not to speed and to be safe, and with many tears.
They updated us on Facebook throughout the day and evening yesterday, as they traveled north. I was accused of paying people to drive slowly in front of them so that they couldn't drive faster than what I deemed 'safe.' When they got to Virginia, they were stopped by a state trooper...and then I was accused of bribing him to give them a ticket. I PROMISE I did not/would not do that....but I was grateful that they were ticketed for driving too fast, and that they were forced to ease up on that gas peddle, to at least the speed limit. I'm sorry for their 'extra Christmas gift', but glad that they learned a lesson....at least for that minute. (Forgive me, kids, for hoping you'd get stopped. I just LOVE you and want you to be safe....and to obey the law!)
Monday, December 19, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Under Control....
I think I've got things under control for the big day. I was running behind for a bit, but finally I determined that I'd do what I could, taking every day as it came, and slow and steady would win the race.
With the coming of my NYers, I was pushed to do it sooner than usual, but I think it's all done, but for the cards, now. This week I'll concentrate on the girls, spending time focusing on them and our time together. Next week I can really put my feet up and enjoy the days before Christmas, instead of having them zoom past me without any time to reflect on anything.
We went to Georgia for the weekend, to daughter #2's house. The four daughters and their assortment of kids, from 18 years old to 6years old, gathered for photos and food and fun. And FUN it was! Some of the comedy was fit for the stage...some was not fit for human ears! But that's generally true in this bunch. What's a mother to do? Put in ear plugs, I guess...or just deal with what conversation she doesn't appreciate.
We talked...a lot. We laughed more. We played a word game called "Tabu" and we shared time and love and meals and Christmas gifts with the NYers. Some of us came home to our house yesterday, some will be here tonight...and the Georgia ones will be here on Friday night. So...we'll have more ruckus and laughs coming up soon.
Other than that, we hope to see some Christmas lights in the area, bake some cookies together, sing a little....and even shop for a possible home for the NYers to move to. (Mom hopes this will happen!! I long so for them to be closer so this family time can be spent more often.)
Meanwhile, whatever the future holds is out of my hands. The rest of the week may be too, but it will be shared, come what may, with my loved ones, and nothing makes this Mama happier than that.
With the coming of my NYers, I was pushed to do it sooner than usual, but I think it's all done, but for the cards, now. This week I'll concentrate on the girls, spending time focusing on them and our time together. Next week I can really put my feet up and enjoy the days before Christmas, instead of having them zoom past me without any time to reflect on anything.
We went to Georgia for the weekend, to daughter #2's house. The four daughters and their assortment of kids, from 18 years old to 6years old, gathered for photos and food and fun. And FUN it was! Some of the comedy was fit for the stage...some was not fit for human ears! But that's generally true in this bunch. What's a mother to do? Put in ear plugs, I guess...or just deal with what conversation she doesn't appreciate.
We talked...a lot. We laughed more. We played a word game called "Tabu" and we shared time and love and meals and Christmas gifts with the NYers. Some of us came home to our house yesterday, some will be here tonight...and the Georgia ones will be here on Friday night. So...we'll have more ruckus and laughs coming up soon.
Other than that, we hope to see some Christmas lights in the area, bake some cookies together, sing a little....and even shop for a possible home for the NYers to move to. (Mom hopes this will happen!! I long so for them to be closer so this family time can be spent more often.)
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Still Plodding Along...
Three days 'til the gang arrives from NY. Things to do:
1) Finish the decorating in sunroom
2) Make beds in grandkids room
3) Clean bathrooms
4) Final vacuuming
5) Grocery shop for picky eaters!
6) LOCK door to master bedroom...it's unfit for human eye! (stuff has to go someplace, doesn't it?!)
7) Fresh table cloths on dining and sunroom tables
8) Extra TV to Mom's ...her's quit working.
Things done:
1) Some cards made...waiting for addresses
2) Major cleaning
3) Gifts all wrapped
4) Meals planned (tough job...some don't eat pork, or pork products, some only eat mac and cheese from a BOX, some won't eat tomatoes in anything, some won't eat veggies except corn, some don't like meat with fruit, ie: orange chicken or pork with cranberry/orange sauce, some survive only on carbs, some won't eat carbs at all. Some love my homemade soups, others don't like soup at all... Siiiiigh)
5) Laundry done
Charrrrrrrrrrrrrge!!! on to the top list....something will be finished by the end of the day.
1) Finish the decorating in sunroom
2) Make beds in grandkids room
3) Clean bathrooms
4) Final vacuuming
5) Grocery shop for picky eaters!
6) LOCK door to master bedroom...it's unfit for human eye! (stuff has to go someplace, doesn't it?!)
7) Fresh table cloths on dining and sunroom tables
8) Extra TV to Mom's ...her's quit working.
Things done:
1) Some cards made...waiting for addresses
2) Major cleaning
3) Gifts all wrapped
4) Meals planned (tough job...some don't eat pork, or pork products, some only eat mac and cheese from a BOX, some won't eat tomatoes in anything, some won't eat veggies except corn, some don't like meat with fruit, ie: orange chicken or pork with cranberry/orange sauce, some survive only on carbs, some won't eat carbs at all. Some love my homemade soups, others don't like soup at all... Siiiiigh)
5) Laundry done
Charrrrrrrrrrrrrge!!! on to the top list....something will be finished by the end of the day.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
WHEW! I'm Tired....
Four days 'til my New York kids get here! We've got a busy few days ahead, and next week even busier.....but it's so much fun to look forward to.
I found myself in the middle of a muddle. Due to the fact that the NYers want to see their sisters in Georgia, we'll go there for a mini Christmas over the weekend. All of our special church activities for Christmas...a dinner, 2 house parties, a pageant, are taking place over the sanm weekend, so we had to make a choice. Church stuff....or family? Should be an easy choice, right? Not so much. That is because Mom won't travel, and it's up to us to get her to church, so if we don't go, she doesn't either. Well, I felt pulled in two directions, and finally decided that we'll go to Friday night's party, go to Georgia on Sat. and skip the other three functions. After all, we don't see our NY family that often, and we've always attended the church things in other years.
So, it's hi ho,hi ho...off to Georgia we will go. We'll return on Monday, and spend the rest of the week here with the girls. On Friday night, one of the Ga. girls and her two girls will come for the weekend. On Saturday, my nephew from Ga. and my neice and her two girls from NC will arrive for a visit with cousins and 2nd cousins and Aunt, Uncle and Grandma. These walls will be straining at the seams, the estrogen will be here in massive quantities (3 daughters, 4 granddaughters, 1 neice and 2 grand neices and me) Nephew and hubby will probably slip off to some hiding place!
What to cook for such a mob that will allow us time to visit? Something easy.... maybe a big pot of soup or chili, a good salad, a hot, crusty bread and a cake. Sounds good to me....and easy! Yes....that's it!
I found myself in the middle of a muddle. Due to the fact that the NYers want to see their sisters in Georgia, we'll go there for a mini Christmas over the weekend. All of our special church activities for Christmas...a dinner, 2 house parties, a pageant, are taking place over the sanm weekend, so we had to make a choice. Church stuff....or family? Should be an easy choice, right? Not so much. That is because Mom won't travel, and it's up to us to get her to church, so if we don't go, she doesn't either. Well, I felt pulled in two directions, and finally decided that we'll go to Friday night's party, go to Georgia on Sat. and skip the other three functions. After all, we don't see our NY family that often, and we've always attended the church things in other years.
So, it's hi ho,hi ho...off to Georgia we will go. We'll return on Monday, and spend the rest of the week here with the girls. On Friday night, one of the Ga. girls and her two girls will come for the weekend. On Saturday, my nephew from Ga. and my neice and her two girls from NC will arrive for a visit with cousins and 2nd cousins and Aunt, Uncle and Grandma. These walls will be straining at the seams, the estrogen will be here in massive quantities (3 daughters, 4 granddaughters, 1 neice and 2 grand neices and me) Nephew and hubby will probably slip off to some hiding place!
What to cook for such a mob that will allow us time to visit? Something easy.... maybe a big pot of soup or chili, a good salad, a hot, crusty bread and a cake. Sounds good to me....and easy! Yes....that's it!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Dec 1...
This morning, I find myself singing..."On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me......" I don't know if he's got anything in mind, but I do! I need a good, swift kick in the pants to get my motor running. As the saying goes, "I'm so far behind, I just passed myself going backwards."
I haven't got my usual stash of Christmas cards done...I mean, made, not addressed! I've got a few, but since I generally need some to mail and some to hand out at church and to friends that I see, I will need to have about 100 of them. I can do it, if I get at it, but they will be very simple ones this year in order to meet the deadline.
I've got all my presents half of them on the living room floor so it might inspire me to get crackin' and wrap them up! The rest are upstairs, waiting for the same job. I still need to take Mom out to finish her shopping. I've managed to get some of them for her while I was doing my shpping, but she's still missing a few. The tree still stands empty in the corner, but I did manage to nudge Mike hard enough yesterday to get him to the shed for the boxes of lights and ornaments. He's pretty fussy about the tree lights, so I leave that to him, and then I can do the tree. Great hope fills me that today will be the tree lighting in our house! The 3ft tree is lit and stands with its ornaments, gathered from the primitive ornament exchanges I've taken part in this year. I'm going to have to transfer them, I think, to the 5 ft tree, and maybe I'll move the small tree to the dining area, and decorate it with old cookie cutters and wooden spoons painted with snowmen faces.
The baking and spiced pecans will be done when the girls are here in a little over a week. We'll go to see our Georgia family for the weekend next week, and return to do the cookies. Things will get done by Christmas day, for sure, but I'm not sure I'll be totally ready for that day weeks earlier than normal. Well, I'll do my best...it's all I can do!
How about you? Are you making any headway?
I haven't got my usual stash of Christmas cards done...I mean, made, not addressed! I've got a few, but since I generally need some to mail and some to hand out at church and to friends that I see, I will need to have about 100 of them. I can do it, if I get at it, but they will be very simple ones this year in order to meet the deadline.
I've got all my presents half of them on the living room floor so it might inspire me to get crackin' and wrap them up! The rest are upstairs, waiting for the same job. I still need to take Mom out to finish her shopping. I've managed to get some of them for her while I was doing my shpping, but she's still missing a few. The tree still stands empty in the corner, but I did manage to nudge Mike hard enough yesterday to get him to the shed for the boxes of lights and ornaments. He's pretty fussy about the tree lights, so I leave that to him, and then I can do the tree. Great hope fills me that today will be the tree lighting in our house! The 3ft tree is lit and stands with its ornaments, gathered from the primitive ornament exchanges I've taken part in this year. I'm going to have to transfer them, I think, to the 5 ft tree, and maybe I'll move the small tree to the dining area, and decorate it with old cookie cutters and wooden spoons painted with snowmen faces.
The baking and spiced pecans will be done when the girls are here in a little over a week. We'll go to see our Georgia family for the weekend next week, and return to do the cookies. Things will get done by Christmas day, for sure, but I'm not sure I'll be totally ready for that day weeks earlier than normal. Well, I'll do my best...it's all I can do!
How about you? Are you making any headway?
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Another Character...
When I was a youngster, every now and then a humorous story would be told about someone my parents knew, and invariably the tale ended with 'what a character!' This morning's offering will be about a 'character' who lives nearby to us now.
When we first moved here, we met Bob before we met his wife, who he called "Edith." It turns out that her real name is something else, but he called her 'Edith' because her voice and New York accent sounds exactly like Edith Bunker. She's a fun lady who likes to laugh and talented a painter/craftsperson. I liked her on the spot.
One year we were invited to a casual supper at their house during the Christmas season. During the evening, we heard a number of stories that had us laughing, but I'll share only this one for today. It must be read, thinking of the way Edith Bunker spoke, with her heavy accent and her high pitched voice.
Marilyn said, "When Bawb and oy lived in Floorida, Kath-a-leen, we built our own home, royte from the ground up. We built the wawls, we did it awl, but when we gowt to the roof, I said, "Bawb, don't ya think we awt t' hoyah somebuddy to do the roof?" Bawb said, 'no honey...we can do it. So, we cloymed up to the roof. " Her eyes got big and her brows raised up. "Oy thowt oy had awn good sneakahs, but oy didn't! I stahted t'slip! When I gowt to the cawnah, my jeans cawt awn a nail, and thayah oy was, Kath-a-leen! Hangin' thayah on the cawnah of the roof, with moy feet danglin'...yellin' "Bawb! Bawb!" She moved in closer to finish her story....'But Bawd didn't come! He fell awff the othah soide!"
I laugh every time I think of Marilyn and that story! 'What a character!'
When we first moved here, we met Bob before we met his wife, who he called "Edith." It turns out that her real name is something else, but he called her 'Edith' because her voice and New York accent sounds exactly like Edith Bunker. She's a fun lady who likes to laugh and talented a painter/craftsperson. I liked her on the spot.
One year we were invited to a casual supper at their house during the Christmas season. During the evening, we heard a number of stories that had us laughing, but I'll share only this one for today. It must be read, thinking of the way Edith Bunker spoke, with her heavy accent and her high pitched voice.
Marilyn said, "When Bawb and oy lived in Floorida, Kath-a-leen, we built our own home, royte from the ground up. We built the wawls, we did it awl, but when we gowt to the roof, I said, "Bawb, don't ya think we awt t' hoyah somebuddy to do the roof?" Bawb said, 'no honey...we can do it. So, we cloymed up to the roof. " Her eyes got big and her brows raised up. "Oy thowt oy had awn good sneakahs, but oy didn't! I stahted t'slip! When I gowt to the cawnah, my jeans cawt awn a nail, and thayah oy was, Kath-a-leen! Hangin' thayah on the cawnah of the roof, with moy feet danglin'...yellin' "Bawb! Bawb!" She moved in closer to finish her story....'But Bawd didn't come! He fell awff the othah soide!"
I laugh every time I think of Marilyn and that story! 'What a character!'
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Busy Days...
We have a very active church group, and at this time of year, it seems even moreso. Although many others do, we don't always attend all of the events. We also have other social events to be a part of, family things going on, and sometimes we just need to 'be still'.
The calendar since Nov 14 looked like this:
14th....Church Senior group monthly supper, soup and sandwiches. Bring beverages, sandwiches,
or desserts.
18th....Fellowship supper at Sue's home. Turkey will be provided...bring sides or dessert.
20th....Dessert and coffee after evening service, Preacher appreciation night
22....All church Thanksgiving gathering....soup and sandwiches....bring your favorite soup,sandwiches,or dessert.
27.... Youth benefit spaghetti luncheon. Please bring desserts. Donations will be accepted and used for the youth group's 'adoption' of families for Christmas.
28....Dinner out for my birthday with family.
December hasn't even begun yet, and the calendar is full! There will be a Christmas play, three home parties, carolling, a weekend visit to Georgia, 4 NYers coming for a week, hubby's birthday, some riding around to look at lights (slip in one week of 'feet up', hahaha!!!) Then it's Christmas week and two Georgia families coming, some for a week,some for a day or two! Please take note that these events are all in addition to the normal church activities, and I've not mentioned the decorating of the house, the shopping that needs be finished with Mom, the wrapping, the baking and whatever else comes up!
I'm no Scrooge...not by any means...and I love everything about Christmas, but I'm losing my energy just writing this blog! I have no idea what I can cut out, and I don't want to miss a thing. Well, I guess there's January when I can actually put up my feet and breathe easily!)
The calendar since Nov 14 looked like this:
14th....Church Senior group monthly supper, soup and sandwiches. Bring beverages, sandwiches,
or desserts.
18th....Fellowship supper at Sue's home. Turkey will be provided...bring sides or dessert.
20th....Dessert and coffee after evening service, Preacher appreciation night
22....All church Thanksgiving gathering....soup and sandwiches....bring your favorite soup,sandwiches,or dessert.
27.... Youth benefit spaghetti luncheon. Please bring desserts. Donations will be accepted and used for the youth group's 'adoption' of families for Christmas.
28....Dinner out for my birthday with family.
December hasn't even begun yet, and the calendar is full! There will be a Christmas play, three home parties, carolling, a weekend visit to Georgia, 4 NYers coming for a week, hubby's birthday, some riding around to look at lights (slip in one week of 'feet up', hahaha!!!) Then it's Christmas week and two Georgia families coming, some for a week,some for a day or two! Please take note that these events are all in addition to the normal church activities, and I've not mentioned the decorating of the house, the shopping that needs be finished with Mom, the wrapping, the baking and whatever else comes up!
I'm no Scrooge...not by any means...and I love everything about Christmas, but I'm losing my energy just writing this blog! I have no idea what I can cut out, and I don't want to miss a thing. Well, I guess there's January when I can actually put up my feet and breathe easily!)
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