2007

2007 time square ball


2007

In the last few days as we get ready to
welcome the new year of 2008
I have been kind of reflecting about
what the year had brought in and out of my life
this past year.

It started off last January on a sad note for
at the beginning of the year I was attending one
of my uncles funerals and as most of you
know in Nov I was doing that same thing
for my aunt.

I was always raised for every death there is
a birth and in my family we were blessed
twice by the birth of my great nephew in April
and my great niece in August.

I also went through some moments of uncertainty
about many things in my life some that affected me and
some that affected my family the main one was what my eldest
sister went through with her 7 heart bypass which she
is still in the recovery process but I am blessed that she
is doing well. and I thank my sisters who took good care
of her during this time.

the other was being my nephew was sent overseas and
it was hard on the family but thank the Lord he returned
home safe and sound.

I was introduced to the world of blogging and have
learned to enjoy expressing my "expressions"
and must say thanks to those who take the time
to read (some of my craziness at times!!)

I reconnected with my brother's two daughters and
their children and I am so blessed to have done so
we have been having some fun times that I know will
continue and it feels so good to have them in our life.
I know my brother and mother would be
so pleased about this. it is a connection that I plan on
having stay constant throughout my life time. ( I hope the girls
want it too!)

My husband and I have kind of reconnected in some ways
(not that we were ever disconnected) but sometimes with
the constant of daily living, couples tend to get a bit side tracked
and this year we made it a priority to not get so side tracked
from each other which has been wonderful cause we have taken
a few little "mini road trips" A.K.A. "weekend getaways" and
we are closer and still enjoy each other's company( good thing to
know cause in a few years the kids will be out of the house!)

I tried to go back to school, math not my best subject but
I still one day plan on returning. so until then I am
taking craft classes and fun things like that.

I returned to the work force and was blessed to end up
with a job I love and work with wonderful women.

I turned 45 and seemed to be alright with it
I am starting to be comfortable with the skin I am in
(so to speak, I just need to be more diligent in getting
there)

2007 taught me so many things and I am glad
I hope that 2008 will do the same.

2008

What I know for sure:

I will become a great aunt again very soon in the new year
I will be celebrating 25 years of marriage to my best guy friend
I will watch my son graduate from high school and then off to college in fall
I will see my daughter get her Driver's license!
I will see one of my sisters retire from teaching after 30 + years

what I hope to accomplish in 2008
make more time for myself ( physically and emotionally)
family togetherness
have fun
enjoy life.
keeping in touch with my friends
keep on sharing my expressions

so I am looking forward to what 2008 will bring
and my wish for everyone who reads this is that
2008 will bring them all they wish for.
and for a happy and blessed new year.


HAPPY NEW YEAR

We Gather Together

Like most families we have been busy with the
business and gatherings of family, loved ones, and
friends celebrating Christmas, and we have had a
wonderful time doing so.

I was blessed to have one of my sisters and her
family stay with me for two days, My nephew came
home from Japan to spend the holiday with the family
it was wonderful for he gave all of us a special gift by
announcing the name of his child that will be making
it's debut sometime in the new year. we were all
very excited to learn the name and I think it
will suit the child well.

It was great to spend time with my sister
then on Christmas day we spent the day
with all my sisters and our families together
then we all ended up at one of my cousins house
where other cousins and uncles attended and we
embraced each other and we learned some family
history that I never learned before. ( I thought that
to be a gift in itself , for I am a nut about family history!)

when I got home I decided that I was going to write it
down and perhaps start a project of a journal with it
for my knowledge or just to have our family history


now we are kind of getting ready to ring in the
new year normally we are always just myself, kids
and husband this year kids are having a little party
at the house so guess who is the caterer for this party?!

oh well at least I know it will be fun ( at least I hope so!!)

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS
MERRY CHRISTMAS

Traditions Part 2

There are traditions that we keep in our family
some from when I was a girl and the others from
my husband's family that have been handed down
the photo above is from my husbands side of the family
it is Date candy. I used to think it was awful but it is
actually very good it is an old family tradition that
goes way back on my husbands side it is one of the
first things I learned to make from Granny when I
we were first married.










the other is a sweet bread that my mother
used to make to give as Christmas gifts
I am not an expert at it as she was but I
don't do so bad at it, one of my sisters can
make it better but I think it is fun to try and
I am glad that one of my sister's found mom's
old recipe we called it Papatiza!

so this week I will be baking these two yummy things
along with a few others that are on my family's gotta
have goody list.

Oh Christmas Tree

This year I decided to only put up one of my Christmas Trees
( I usually put up two) anyway I wanted something a little
different and I thought about doing kind of a memory tree
I ran out of time and so I did not get it done as I liked but
next year I plan on having one of the trees just dedicated
to that so at least by this time next year it will be complete!

so for this year this tree is still an unfinished work in progress
and well I must say I enjoyed trying to find the right photos
to match up with the ornament frames. anyway as stated
earlier it is still a work in progress and next year will be complete.

Christmas Hoopla

Oh I have been tagged for Christmas Hoopla
I have never been tagged before so if I do this
incorrectly forgive me for I am still kind of new
at this blog thing.
being tagged I am supposed to list 12 random things
about myself that have to do with Christmas
well here they are

1. I enjoy watching Christmas movies My favorite is
THE CHRISTMAS STORY

2. I love the smell of Cinnamon pine cones and
and pine scent in the house at Christmas time

3. when I was younger I once had a tamale eating contest
with a family member till I got sick to my stomach on Christmas
eve.

4. I enjoy looking at all my old photos as a young girl sitting on
Santa's lap and looking at my children's photos with Santa as well.

5. I enjoy decorating the house for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving
and I start listening to Christmas music that day, everyday until Christmas.

6. I like family Traditions and the three that I keep are making tamales and my
mother's sweetbread and my husband's grandmas date candy.

7. I save my Christmas cards and some I use as Name tags
others I make a collage or use as Christmas Ornaments

8. I am a snowman Freak! I love collecting snowman ornaments, anything
snowmen.

9. I buy my Christmas cards for the next year the day after Christmas

10 I love baking Christmas cookies and candy for my kids

11. I can never decide what it is I want for Christmas.

12 The craziest of all I somehow always end up Christmas shopping the last
few days before Christmas. ( I guess in some strange way I enjoy the
rush of it weird I know!!!)

alright I am suppose to choose someone else to be tagged
I really don't know that many people so I will choose

Dee Dee Girl @ Desires

The Christmas Ornaments

Here are the Christmas ornaments that I have been blessed to receive at the cookie and ornament exchanges I have attended or hosted I still have one more to attend next week ( I can't wait I have been getting pretty good ones don't you think?)

(the date is wrong on the photos cause it was wrong on the camera)

the ornament in the first photo is the one I received this past Tuesday.




the second photo is one I got today at the exchange that I hosted upon opening I noticed the fence came unglued well I will mend it this evening







and the last one I also got today it was disguised by my breakfast club
buddies as a belated birthday gift
so may your days be

MERRY & BRIGHT

Cookie & Ornaments

Every year my friend and I have held a
little cookie & Christmas ornament exchange
for some ladies ( in past post I called the Breakfast Club).

we have a great time and I seem to end up with some
beautiful and interesting Christmas Ornaments.

This year I also have attended a few. this past Tues
I attended one with the ladies I went on Church retreat with
it was so beautiful and elegant. I really had a great time
I got some great ideas for the one we are hosting.

I enjoy this (and it has become a kind of tradition ) because
I love to see the joy in my elderly lady friends faces.
it is such a wonderful time to have fellowship & laugh & have a little fun.

I guess it is becoming a little tradition on it's own

Traditions part 1

As far in my childhood as I can recall
my family like every Hispanic family
has the tradition of making Tamales for
Christmas, it is a lot of work but it is
a tradition that I enjoy to do and will continue
to keep in my family.

whenever we make them I feel my mother's
presence (she made pretty good tamales)
it brings back a lot of fun memories that
I will cherish forever.

we made our tamales this past Saturday
so now one tradition done and a few more
to do before the holidays.

Alice in wonderland

Last night I got to be taken to
a kind of dark place in watching the
high school production of Alice in wonderland
my son was the Cheshire Cat he did a wonderful
job with a small part. the whole cast and crew did
a great job.

This was not the Alice from the Walt Disney movie
the kids in the play made it their own with some
humor and song, and set, but yet still on the dark side
some scenes kind of creepy like but not devilish.

I am always amazed to see such talent these high
school kids have and I am glad that my son is
apart of it and that the performing arts can
still be apart of the school system.

I don't know if my son will perform in the spring
play I hope he does.

The Birthday

The last week of November
I had a birthday I really did not
celebrate it like I would normally
have done due to the passing of my aunt
but my daughter baked me a cake and so
I celebrated a little. and my family called and
gave me birthday greetings which made the
day not so sad.

we decided that after the holidays we
will do our family birthday ritual that we
always do and go out to dinner somewhere
of my choosing.

bless my children's heart for the thought.

Gone Home

it has been a week since my last entry
a week of sadness and of fond memories
a week of seeing family you only get to see
when someone you love leaves this earth.


Last week my aunt left this earth and went home
to heaven. I am so blessed to have spent the time
I did to tell her goodbye and I loved her I will always
treasure that gift.

one of my loved ones was asked to do the eulogy and
she did a remarkable job. after that I visited with realitives
I have not seen in a while and we had a good visit
under the circumstances.
I know my aunt would have loved it.

for the last two days I have had this thought going through
my head when my time comes to pass I wonder if I would be
so Adorn by my nieces, nephews, cousins, etc I hope that I will be
that somewhere along my life time I gave some sage advice or
gave them some special memory of me to make a lasting memory.

well I carry my aunt in my heart with a few special memories
of visits we had together from me being a little girl and into the
very last days of her life. she will be truly missed.

Welcome to My Morning

Welcome to my morning
Welcome to my day
I'm the one responsible
I made it just this way
To make myself some pictures
See what they might bring
I think I made it perfectly
I wouldn't change a thing

Welcome to my happiness
You know it makes me smile
And it pleases me to have you here
For just a little while
While we open up the spaces
Try to break some chains
And if the truth is told
They will never come again

Welcome to my evening
The closing of the day
I could try a million times
Never find a better way
To tell you that I love you
And all the songs I play
Are to thank you for allowing me
Inside this lovely day

Welcome to my morning
Welcome to my day
I'm the one responsible
I made it just this way
To make myself some pictures
And see what they might bring
I think I made it perfectly
I wouldn't change a thing



just another one of my favorite John Denver
songs.

waiting

I just returned from our holiday with family in Az
only to get a call while I was there that My Aunt had
taken a turn for the worst and was taken back to her house
and waiting to start her journey to Heaven.

upon my return I was blessed to have gone to see her
before her journey begins. we all have known this
day was coming and is coming sooner than we liked. we
hoped for a miracle but I think the miracle is that she is not
in any pain and is at peace and is ready to start her
journey. I spent a good few hours with my cousins and my aunt
just talking she would open her eyes now and then, I sat and noticed
how much she looked like her mother. I have never been one who
was good at accepting death, I was always taught it was a part of life
which is true but it always kind of seemed to me to be kind of a harsh
reality especially when it is the loss of someone you love, there is no answer
it is something that happens.

but tonight as I sat with my cousins and we talked and watched my aunt
I realized something my aunt taught me there can be a peacefulness to dying
she is weak, she is waiting to go home to Heaven.
we are not sure how long we will have her she could pass at any moment
but I have felt blessed tonight to be able to tell her I love her.

Abundance

Yesterday I spent a few hours
picking a bunch of tangerines from
our tree in our backyard, funny while
I was picking tangerines my husband
was picking oranges off the tree on the
other end. as I was sorting them I ended up with 5 bags !
and there is still a great deal
of abundance of tangerines on the tree
that will need to be picked.

so while I was looking at the trees I just
thought what a beautiful color and what
an abundance this tree fruited and produced.

and then I began to think about this week
being thanksgiving and last night I kept
pondering all this as I was looking at all the
tangerines and I reflected it to my life.

I am blessed in abundance for my husband & best friend
of 25 years, for my children, my husband's family, my sisters, & brother,
my nephews, nieces.(for the reconnection with two of them that I hope will always continue)
to my niece and nephew I am beginning to know. for the new family members that married or
that were born into the family this year. for the memories of those that have passed
for true friends, for the folks that read my blog! and don't think I am crazy!
and for myself that I will be turning 45 next week.

I feel profoundly and abundantly blessed
we are off to the desert to spend the Thanksgiving
holiday with my husband's family it gives us a chance
to spend time with them. but it also gives me the chance
to take a breath and recharge and ponder many things
in the stillness of the desert a time just to sit still.

note: those who know me and read this, that live near me
if you would like some tangerines let me know there is
plenty!

so I wish everyone who reads this a Happy Thanksgiving
and hope that you are all blessed with much abundance .

An Evening with Mr. Black

Last night I took my hubby out on a date
to celebrate our anniversary of knowing and
being each other's best friend for 25 years anniversary
which was on Nov 1st.

we started off by having dinner at joint we always wanted
to try in a town then we headed for
the special part of our date I bought him tickets to see
one of his favorite country singers

CLINT BLACK

back to the concert, we had such a great time
if any of you ever get the chance to see him and
like his music I highly recommend it.
he played for and hour and half straight
he is such a talented musician and song writer
he sang all is hits and few new ones.

he does a great impression of Willie Nelson!

he closed his encore by playing his version of the
great song DESPERADO which he recorded many
years ago.

we had such a wonderful time and my husband
enjoyed our date which was great because we
have both been under stress and have not
been able to take our mini road trips or as we
call them our breakaways, due to the upcoming
holidays. and we are hopefully going to be taking
a family one this summer to celebrate our 25th wedding
anniversary and our son graduating high school.

On our drive home we were talking and came to
the conclusion that out of our summer concert series this
year we enjoyed them all but for my hubby he enjoyed
two of them the most which was Clint Black and Keith Urban
for me it was Keith Urban,Clint Black and Brad Paisley.

oh, yes I did enjoy getting my photo with Taylor Swift(who some how
I saw three times this summer)
and seeing Tim McGraw and Faith Hill wasn't half bad
either!

update to last blog

My sister that I wrote about
yesterday was not Mary and

this sister is home now
her tests came back normal
but she will have to take a stress test
and some other tests in a few days

concern

Yesterday my sister who
has the smile like a big sunflower
was taken by ambulance to the
ER after she had chest pain and
keeled over at her work which
ironically she is a medical assistant
so she was in the right place at the
right time. anyway she was kept
over night so that tests can be
run to see if she had a heart attack

to be honest it would not surprise me
if this was the case after-all Heart disease
and diabetes runs deep in my family and
then she has been under a deal of stress
and she has other health issues.

I will know more later today
and hope that it was not a heart
attack and that all will be well

funny

I love the character "Maxine" I get a kick
out of her whip wisdom.
lately, I can relate to this particular one
(not that I am making light of Global Warming,
I am not) but I can seriously relate to the Hot Flash
part. since I have been experiencing them for sometime
now. It is natural I realize I can't recall my mother ever
having hot flashes ( I am sure she did!) although there are
some lucky ladies that don't. anyway, I am one of the ones
that have the pleasure of having hot flashes!!!

if Global Warming is Mother Nature having a
Hot flash then ladies we are in serious need of something
to keep us cool!!!

like a tree

another one of my favorite Psalms
I have many of them but this one is how I
am feeling today.

Psalm 18:2

These words are hitting close to home for me today
for so many reasons. as many of you who read my blog
know that one of my aunt's was diagnosed with pancreatic
cancer. I finally had the chance to call her yesterday
and she sounded so tired and the tone of her voice
was like she is giving up the fight. ( I pray that she
is not and that God will give her the strength ) I tried to
stay positive and then I thought what right do I have to tell her
to keep up the fight if she does not want to? I have always
told myself and my immediate family that if I am ever
diagnosed (depending ) on what stage it is found I would
rather live what time I had on earth with my family then
to be sick with all the poison like chemo and not enjoy
each day of life with my family.

Then this morning I came across this poem in our
city newspaper

FOR TODAY

OH FOR THE GIFT OF LIVING
FOR TODAY

ENJOYING LIFE WITHOUT IT GETTING
IN THE WAY

TO SEE THE WONDERS THAT
EACH DAY PROVIDES

TO SHARE THE EMOTIONS WE
TOO OFTEN HIDE

TO SAY THE WORDS WE HESITATE TO STATE
TO RISK , TO LIVE IT'S NEVER TO LATE
TO GO AHEAD AND DO JUMP IN
INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR LIFE TO BEGIN

TO FULLY LIVE, NOT JUST BE LIVING
TO SHARE OUR LOVE TO BE FREE GIVING

LET US NOT FOR HESITATION LATER PAY
THE LESSON IS TO LIVE FOR TODAY

(WRITTEN BY DIANE INGRAM)

I pondered this poem all day and thought
of many things. this time of year is always
full of emotions sad and happy and always
melancholy at the same time

it is always remembering the two brothers
and grandfather my family lost, it is always
full of joy for the family birthdays that are this
month including me! it is being thankful for
the blessings I have in my life, past, present
and future.

I believe that my aunt will continue her fight and
give her the strength she needs. and even give
strength to her family.

after all the Lord is my Rock, my strength, and
it is him I trust.

Psalm 24:1-2

The Earth is the Lord's and everything in it, The World
and all who dwell in it, for he founded it upon the seas and
established it upon the waters.

Sometimes I wonder what the Lord thinks of
his creation of the world the way it is today
with all the craziness in it.

then I look at the mountains, or the ocean or look
at simple things and see the beauty in all that
the Lord created for a reason and the blessings
he bestows on us even if we must journey through
this craziness and sometimes stop believing.

weather we believe it or not he guides us every step of the way

there is a line from a Garth Brooks song I love
it goes like this

"Some of God's Greatest gifts are unanswered prayers""

cap & gown

This Past Tuesday we had to
place the order for our son's
cap & gown and announcements
for his up coming high- school graduation in the
spring.
we went through photos of him being
a toddler for his year book and
Later this week we will help
him apply for colleges

I have known this was coming
it is the next step in his life
then all of a sudden it hit me
my son, my little boy, my only boy
is grown up he will be 18 in a few months
and then graduate and start his journey

I could not get to sleep
I keep having thoughts racing
through my mind. thoughts
of, have I done a good job with
my son? did I and my husband
teach him everything he needs
to know about heading out on his
own?. I think we did, I hope we did.

I am sure we did. ( at least I think and pray so) I guess we will find
out.
this week in particular made me
very emotional because of all the thoughts
going through my mind and to see my son
kind of feeling the pressure of completing
scholarship applications and the college applications
and rehearsing for his school play at the end of the month

he is feeling the stress quite a bit and tonight he
kind of had a bit of a melt down( a natural thing) we
talked and I hugged him and comforted him like mom's do
for that brief bit he clung to me like he was two years old
and wanted mom to make the boo boo better. again I think
I did, I hope I did.

I know in the next few months he will still be a bit stressed
and then he will be alright but one thing he knows is I am
here for him always no matter how old he is to give him a hug
and try to make the boo-boo feel better.

psalms

just one of my many favorite prayers.

retreat

This past Friday and Saturday my Daughter and I
went to Twain Harte for a woman's retreat with a
new church we recently started attending.
one of the ladies of the church was kind enough
to be host in her family cabin.
there were about 20 of us not all stayed at the
cabin a few stayed in a hotel.

I was not sure how I would do at this retreat
a little bit nervous but something kept telling
me inside myself that I should go and then
I kind of asked my daughter to tag along
which was fine cause her friend from church
was there too.

I guess I was nervous because I'm fairly new to
the church and did not know anyone but it
was more about this being my first retreat since
I was a teenager. of course my thoughts were silly these
ladies made everyone feel right at home!

The cabin was wonderful it was a loft and then a basement
type sleep area. ( one of my dreams is to own a family cabin
probably happen when we win the lotto!!!)
anyway we all ate, worshiped, ate, had great lessons
taught and it was so tranquil

we tried new things I had never tried and love have some great
new recipes I spent time pondering things and Saturday we
went into town and shopped most of the group went
to the knit shop since I am a beginner ( and not quite good)
my daughter and I went to the clothing shop!

my daughter and I decided that we would leave early
this Morning cause we wanted to get home and get things
ready for our week. (plus she missed her brother and I missed
both of my guys)

before we got out the door the elderly ladies that put on the
retreat gave us a gift bag a special one for my daughter ( her friend
got one as well,) it was a handmade white bag that one of the women
who was a missionary got from Bosnia it is known as a "outreach" bag
and the story behind it, is when the girls in the village go out to preach
the only ones who can receive a bag are the ones who accept the Lord.
the lady who gave the girls these gifts said she could not have put them
in better hands then my daughter and her friend. as she knows how these
girls are outreaching now. in fact my daughter shared that at her prayer
conference last week her small group she lead was proud to have outreached
to someone and he accepted Jesus.

I opened my bag when I got home and it had some really cute things
in it as well. so again I felt this tranquility in the beauty of my scenery, the love of
my daughter, the spiritual blessings of these women.

I hope one day to rent a cabin and have a great time with my family, sister or nieces and yes the first thing I would buy should
I ever win the lotto , yes a Cabin!.

Turn your clock back

Just wanted to send a friendly reminder
to turn your clock back on Saturday before
you go to bed.

my family is going to be in different places
this weekend my daughter and I are going
to be up in the mountains for a retreat and
my husband and son are off to tour a college
my son is interested in applying for.

I hope each of us has a great bonding time
with each other I know we will but looking
forward to the 4 of us being home together
Sunday night.

will be back with a post for Sunday
until then Remember to turn your clock
back!

25 years of my better half

It was 25 years ago yesterday in
Yosemite National Park that
I met my best friend, the partner that
brings out the best in me! and
I am so blessed by it.

I can not believe how fast the
25 years have passed by
but through all the sorrow
and joy we endured in these
25 years of knowing each other
looking back I would not trade
it for anything in the world.

I have enjoyed this ride in our life
together and can't wait till May
when we celebrate our 25 wedding anniversary!!
but more importantly I am looking forward to
another 25, or more years together.

Imagination

AH Halloween, A time where you can dress up and be
any one or thing you want to be. In my youth I remember
dressing up but in my children's childhood they were many
things this is just one of my favorites of them
a Ballerina and Robin Hood , The Robin Hood outfit
was homemade from a sweatshirt and it also was used one
year as Peter Pan and another year as Tinker Bell.

there were The Red and Pink Power Rangers , we had a
Rag doll one year and then of course a witch, ninja, a scary white
masked guy. Cruella De ville and many others over the years.

but a few years ago as they decided it would be the last time
they dressed for Halloween my son decided to be Charlie Chaplin
and he did look the part!! even portrayed Mr. Chaplin's walk from
his little Tramp movies!! everywhere he walked in the neighborhood
they kept saying wow he is Charlie Chaplin, My Daughter decided
she was ready to give up the candy bit but loved the dress up still
last year she used her imagination and at created a last minute
costume of being all things recyclable for instance she used a
Garbage liner as the main part of her costume and then cut and
glued a bunch of recyclable things to it and won a prize!! she made this
costume in less than an hour!
this year she is just being a fairy of her own creation.

the joy and fun of watching all children letting their imagination
soar to all things on Halloween is fun. watching them use
their imagination on a daily basis is priceless!

Happy Halloween or as I used to tell my kids
when they were young

Happy Imagination Day!!!

Cotton

In my home town around this
time of year all you see are
cotton fields from a distance they
are beautiful yet up close how you
look at it can be beautiful as well
every year it seems as though there is
one less field due to building houses.
but looking at the ones that are around
gets you to think about what this little cotton
flower does , yes it is the lively-hood
of farmers, it produces cotton balls, cotton
swabs, and all the cotton fabrics we use
in our life. and it all started from a little
seed that bloomed to this! this time of year
I really enjoy seeing these beautiful cotton
fields. I once had the experience of picking
one can cut your fingers good if you don't pay
attention. !

still yet they are beautiful to gaze at.

Missing my gal

My Beautiful girl is
away at a prayer conference
and the house feels different
just knowing she is not home.

she let me know she arrived safely
and that she is doing many things
one being she was leading a small group
there and they were also going to do
community service.

I have said it many times but
I am truly blessed by my children.
I am in awe of my gals courage
to be as strong in her convictions
as she is and follow a path she loves
when most teenagers today are
not.

she will be back Sunday and I can't
wait for her to share with me
next weekend she and I are off to
a weekend retreat.

Dentist Fear

Thursday I had to
go to the Dentist
a place I truly hate
to visit but I had
to have work done
that I had been putting
off and so I started the
process of "Healing" myself

I don't know why I dislike
going to the dentist
maybe it's because I had
a bad experience once but
I thought i was over it. All I know is, I don't
like getting shots in my gums to numb
me. because sometimes I swear I am not
completely numb, but I hate the feeling after
cause I always feel like I am drooling !

Last night my mouth was so swollen it hurt
and it was hard to drink or have anything soft to eat.
when i was little Mama would give me a chicken pot pie
or a milkshake I did not have either of those around and
I was not in the mood to go out and get one. (yes I could
have sent my hubby or son but I did not even want to do
that! ) I just wanted to get my pj's on and be a couch potato!

well this Morning I treated myself to a pumpkin muffin
(well half of a pumpkin muffin) from Mimi's Cafe

I have two more appointments then all my dental
work will be done!

THANKS

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

I just wanted to say Thank You for all your
prayers and to update you on my family
in San Diego.

They were blessed and able to return to their home
on Wed. their oldest son is a firefighter
so he is working the fires. My sister and her
husband and a whole bunch of their military
friends are helping out at a shelter that was
set up. so for all your continued prayers
my family thanks you.

Old Fashion Fun

When I was a girl the neighbor- hood
kids would gather around and play Chinese jump rope
it was a fun game.

another favorite was hopscotch
and it was such a blast to find the
best marker for the game. I had a
favorite old chain that my mom gave me it
was all knotted up but it was an excellent hopscotch marker


Another fun homemade
game we used to play was
the Bamboo dance game.
we lived by a creek and would
get two bamboo's for the game
it was kind of like Chinese jump rope
only it moved fast and you had to get
your feet out of the middle before it got
caught in the bamboo. the other game
we played with bamboo was of course
the LIMBO and to see " how low could we go"!

other favorites were "Red Rover" "Green Light , Red Light"
telephone, Ghost in the grave yard ( especially this time of year!)
scavenger hunt and raking up big piles of leaves and jumping
into them, crack the whip, and charades, I remember one of my nephews was
a very excellent player he once had to act like a piece of bacon in a
frying pan and no one could guess what he was!!! ( that proved his
acting ability and he did do some plays in school where his talents
showed. and there were many other fun games.

I wonder if children now days even know about any of
these old fashioned fun games which made us use our
imagination and be creative. It gave us fun and exercise
and it was kids being kids. not anything in a kids world today
of everything has to be electronic in order to have fun.

walnuts

When I was a little girl
I remember always going to
my Grandpa's house and
he had huge walnut trees
and he would always
get us to pick up the walnuts
by making a game out of it.

Lastnight my other half
came home with a basket
of walnuts and this memory
of my childhood came rushing!

I liked that game my Grandpa made
us play and I remember how he would
take them and crack the shells and give
us the nut and sometimes placed
sugar on them for us he would also
give us pumpkin seeds or (pepitos)
as he would call them. I was kind of
hesitant to eat the pumpkin seed for
fear just like eating a watermelon seed
that it would grow inside of me
(when your young you believe
stupid things!)
anyway, thanks to Grandpa
I do love walnuts and pumpkins.

prayers

For all that read this blog
I have a request and I hope
you will answer it

I am asking for your prayers
for some friends and family members
who have been evacuated from their
homes due to the fires in the San Diego area.

please pray that their homes remain safe
but should they lose their possessions that
they can find strength in the comfort that family and
friends will be there for them and that
the Lord is and will guide them.

thanks

desert

Kiel at Grandma's

The stillness of the desert has always
made me ponder many things. I love the
sounds of the coyote and the other animals
that live there. the feel of the
wind blowing as it is gentle or strong
and the beauty of the sunrise in
the early morning and the sunset
in the evening.

I am fortunate that once a year during the
month of November
I get to be in that atmosphere
when we visit my husband's family
in Arizona, yes there is not really a
whole lot to do there but every now and
then a different kind of natural solitude is
worth the long drive!

crazy

Since Friday-night I have been feeling

CRAZY Tired!!!

worked fri got off at 1:00Pm.
waited three hours for my daughter
watched my daughter go on her field trip
drove home , saw my son for 5 sec as he
was headed out the door.

my hubby and I had dinner at taco bell
( to tired to cook!!)
went back to daughter's school and waited
daughter showed up at 11:15 drove home

got 5 hours sleep and back in the car
to daughter's school early this morning
got her Starbucks ( we needed the caffine!)
took her to her school watched her depart.

came back home tried to go back to sleep
can't not that type of person once I am awake
I stay awake. did some errands with my hubby
drove back to pick daughter up.

I hope the good LORD knows what a supportive
parent I am better yet I hope my daughter knows!!
(kidding) she does!!!!

bouncy baby contraptions

child not related to me

what an invention someone made a long time ago
I remember placing my children in this contraption
only to have them laugh and have a good time in it
while giving me the time to enjoy watching them and
also giving me a break from trying to keep them entertained.

and so I hear the tradition has passed on to many other children
but I in particular I am talking about how the new generation in my
related family have found this wonderful contraption for the baby
and just fun to watch the child enjoy themselves. and what
fun it is to video tape them making memories for the remember when
part of the child's life.

bravo to whoever invented this fun jumping device
for it has given many a infant lot's of exercise and just plain
fun!.

Landslide

I have been feeling like a landslide for a while now
today especially and have had the song playing over and
over in my head so here it is.(p.s. it is one
of my favorite songs and it is appropriate for
how I feel today.)

I took my love, I took it down
climbed a mountain and I turned around
I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
till the landslide brought me down.

oh, mirror in the sky what is love
can the child in my heart rise above
can I sail through the changing ocean tides
can I handle the seasons of my life

well I've been afraid of changing
cause I've built my life around you
but time makes you bolder
children get older
I'm getting older too

oh, take my love take it down
climb a mountain and turn around
if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
well the landslide will bring it down

if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
well maybe the landslide will bring it down.

a pubelo indian prayer

Hold on to what is good
even if it's a handful of earth
hold on to what you believe
even if it's a tree that stands
by itself.
Hold on to what you must do
even if it's a long way from here
hold on to your life
even if it's easier to let go
hold on to my hand
even if someday I 'll be gone
away from you.

Fun Saturday

This Past Saturday my daughter and I had a fun day
we went shopping at the outlets with my two older nieces
and one of their daughters. the photos above are just some
of the shops we stopped and shopped in .

first off Pac-Sun where some shopping was done
then we realized it was lunch time so we went to
Mimi's cafe where we all enjoyed a wonderful pumpkin muffin
with our meal.

then we headed for Old Navy where we all came
out with a big bag and then to fossil where we admired many things
including a beautiful brown handbag ( and for those who know me it was
not me who fell in love with this certain handbag. although I saw one
that caught my eye as well but I did not buy it as of yet!!!! yes, I am a
handbag Junkie!!!!) I came out with a little coin purse.

then to J. Jill where my nieces found the bargains they were hoping to find.
then one of my nieces headed home and the four remaining
went to Bath & Body where I splurged a bit and then my gal
found the bargain she was hoping for at Charlotte Russe
then a quick pick me up at Starbuck's and back home we went
we had such a wonderful time and we are hoping to do it again
sometime soon.

Shopping can be so much fun when you have great company to
do it with.

What Lies