It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

Yesterday was Turkey day and we all got together at my daughters house. While we ate I gave thanks to God that we are all blessed. I give thanks to God everyday. Times are so hard for so many families out there. We are blessed to have our families and a Thanksgiving feast on the table. We complain about so much all year long. Money problems, things that are wrong in the world and our country. We don't like this or don't like that. Do we really have the right to complain all the time. We have each other when times are bad and we are down. We have jobs, love in our lives. A roof over our heads and gas in the cars. Food in the pantry and our pets that wait for our return home each day. Love of our grandchildren, family and friends.
Clothes on our back and beautiful places to live. We are so lucky, we really are. I have lived the hard life as a child. I know what hare times are. Not to have much to eat or heat to keep you warm on a cold winter's night. No money in your hand and no one to say I love you. So believe me give thanks for what you have and let everything else go. What you worry about today , you won't remember in five years. You'll have new problems to deal with. Unless you budget and plan. Save and what you desire will come then. If not you will always be behind and chase that money game. Be happy and love your family, want to share the moments you have together.
Give thanks each and every day. Be at peace with yourself and that's the greatest gift you can give. Have a wonderful and joyful Holiday.

Time goes so fast

Sorry, I haven't written in so long. Really nothing to write about, just busy with my daily routine.
I had hope for alot more when my son's girlfriend created this blog for me. I wished for followers, that would think I was interesting enough to read.
I wanted to write about my life and my interest but never really did so.

I love my family and my son's girlfriend.
My son is a beautiful and kind soul and has been a delight in my life since birth. It took him years to go through different adventures to find his calling and I rode them out with him. He's now a grown man, which I am very proud of and he as accomplished so much in his young life.
He works hard at his job and I know this job is not his calling. He just hasn't found that yet. He is a published writer and a professional musician. His girlfriend is fun and creative, a good artist. Her beauty is natural and she is a people person. She is all about the girlie things and so much fun to shop for. I love her like a daughter. They only live a few minutes away and we hardly see them because of their busy schedules.
My daughter is a mother and a wife and excellent at both. Plus she and my son-in-law own their own business and work hard to be successful. I see them when we can arrange to together. My daughter has been with me through thck and thin. A few up and down here also. She is very dear to me and our love is very strong for each other.
My granddaughter's are both a blessing and beautiful. Word can't even describe how my heart feels when I am around them. Both can sure make me laugh and cry when I miss my little girls. I call every day and look forward to talking to them.
My husband is a friend and a wonderful man. He has put up with me for the last 33 years. He deserves a metal for that alone. He's retiring soon and will be able to do what he wants, when he wants and that is good enough. Our little dog Beasley is perfect little critter.
He is housebroken and understands a few of my words when I talk to him. He keeps me company and is always by my side. He a good little friend who has alot of hair.
So I know that only my son and his girlfriend will read this but that's ok. I wrote this for my family anyway..... I love you.

Blessing at Easter

Gosh, I can't believe this weekend is Easter already. I'm so happy to be heading into summer soon. We have decided not to take a vacation this summer. The cost of gas will keep us close to home. We have a nice pool to swim in and just purchased a new grill. looking forward to beer can chicken and steaks with butter and garlic salt on them. Spending time with our family and friends. Sitting out side on the patio, just sitting and talking on a warm summer night with cold beer and delicious food is just the best.
Here where we live they have outdoor concerts in the park and we will definitely will be enjoying that this summer. We also have a few wonderful fireworks shows to attend also. This Easter weekend I will be serving Honey baked ham with potato salad, broccoli and cheese quiche. Also cold slaw and have to serve deviled eggs. Delicious deserts and fruit salad. For my granddaughters of course the Easter bunny will come bringing baskets filled with candy and special treats. I hope to attend church this weekend and give thanks to God for the many blessings that are in my life and worship him on this Easter weekend. So have a Happy Easter with family and friends.

time passes

The winter months have been cold and long. It's seems like everyone you talk to is ready for this winter to be over. At lease you can see spring flowers for sale in the local grocery store. Also the ground hog in Pennsylvania didn't see his shadow this year. So maybe spring is almost upon us. This summer I am planning to spent a lot more time outside and enjoy the warm sun. Grill out some good summer food and spent the weekends with my family.
I'm so excited about my son and his girlfriend they are moving this weekend and will only be about ten minutes from us. No, I'm not one of those over protective mother's who will be at there door every night. But maybe I will get to spent more time with them.
My granddaughters are just delightful to me and I love having them visit also. So I am looking forward to enjoying my family a lot more this summer.
After 32 years of working my husband has decided to retire this summer. Finally, I will believe it when he has punch the clock for the last time. I sure won't miss packing his lunch or washing his dirty work clothes. I can't wait to throw away his lunch cooler and work boots. I know he will have to find something to keep him busy and he will. He stays pretty active when he is here. I just want him to enjoy his retirement. Take time to go places and take time to be with the family. He is always tired because he works long hours and I will be glad when he can finally breath deep and know his time belongs to him.
He has sacrificed for us all of these years and we don't give him thanks enough. He has always carried this family and provide for and protected us in every way. That's why I love him so much. He deserves to have a life of this own and not belong to a company that doesn't appreciate him like I do.
It will take me some getting used to having him home all day. I'll just have to adjust to having him around. I won't lose my cool when ever he watches every wood working, home building, handyman show on TV every Saturday. I'm sure I will have to cook more because he likes to eat. I can get used to having him around all day. His my best friend and who better than my best friend to hang out with all day. We have made it work for over thirty years together, so I think I can speak with experience. I've learn to except him for who he is and not to try to change him. I never put him down or ask him to do more than he can. I know he is a kind and gentle soul. No one could every replace him in my heart. We give each other space when it is needed and we don't always share the same interest. Some day's we don't have a lot of conversations. That's because I already know what he is thinking. We finish each other's sentence's sometimes.
We share the housework. He cleans up his mess and I clean up mine. So the house stay's clean.
I guess that's why I am so sure that's having him home all day will be just fine........

Saint Valentine's Day

The month of January is way too long and the snow needs to seriously go someplace else. I am starting to see the store's putting out Valentine candy and cards for the children to hand out to their friends.
Remember Valentine day parties in elementary school? I looked forward to Valentines day. It was like a little break after Christmas and an afternoon without classwork was just what I needed. I think back to when I was in the fifth grade and I had a major crush on this boy named Butch. He was so cute and really didn't even notice me or any other girl much at that age. I did everything I could just to get his attention. Silly girl with a large imagination about romance. Sweet and Innocent, simple and pure that's was puppy love was for me.
The day before the party our teacher would pass out to each student a brown lunch bag and give us a few minutes to decorated the bag any way we wished. I would use my best hand writing to fancy my name and draw a big pretty heart in the middle. Then we would tape them along the coat closet in the back of the classroom. My mom would take me to the drug store to purchase a big box of valentines making sure I had enough for each student.
I couldn't wait to get home where I would spent the rest of the evening in my room picking out who I wanted to give each card to. I always would hunt for that perfect card to say I love you just for Butch. Once I hand pick his card. I would get my mother perfume and spray the card and careful write his name on the front and lick it closed.
The next day I would watch the clock all day long. Waiting for the door to open and mother's
caring in our Valentine treats. A cookies or maybe a cup cake, I didn't care it was all about those cards. Then the teacher would allow each row to fill up the paper bags hanging like little mail boxes. I couldn't wait to place Butch's card in his bag, knowing that he will get the message that I like him.
After school I would run home and pour all of my cards on my bed waiting to open my card from him. When I did I was so surprised it said " To my special Valentine." then he signed it on the back in pencil.
I will keep it forever and he did know that I cared for him. He knows and he like me too. I was his special Valentine. I bet no other girl got a card like I did from Butch.
The next day when we went to school I thanked him for the card and he didn't even react he just ran by me on the playground to be with the other boys. I realized I wasn't anything special to him. I was just a silly girl in his class who was in love really with Valentines Day.....

"Oh, if it be to choose
and call thee mine,
love,thou art every
day "My Valentine"
By Thomas Hood

The New year

Did you have fun last year or were you consumed with stress and worry? I bet most of you worried was about money. Hey it's just paper, really the more you have the bigger and more stuff you want. Then you create more bills and the less of your check is yours to keep. It now belongs to that credit company. Stop letting the credit company run your life.
I have spent all my life with stress and worry, really I have. Why because I felt like if I don't worry I wasn't being responsible. Think about that, being responsible for what you created. So I would worry if things didn't go my way. The way I had planned it. I spent all of this time and figured all of this out before I did this.
But things happen always to under mind what we planned. How to change is by a budget. Write down everything you spend money on for one week. I mean everything. So how did you do. Bad, most of us do. How can you change it. Remember to pay yourself first. Take just ten dollars a week and put it in a saving account. Then at the end of the month you have $40.00 that you didn't have 4 weeks ago. See what I mean and try to leave it along each month and let it build for you. That's how you pay yourself first. Tell the credit card company your need a hardship program. They all have such a program. The company will lower your payment and interest. It will stop the calls and won't hurt your credit. They will tell you that it will. But it won't. Look around at all the stuff you have purchased in the last year. Did you really need it?
Do you even use it? Weekly or daily? Use coupons like mad to save on groceries. I use coupon mom.com. It's free and print them right on your computer.
Stop worrying about everything you feel you should have it come with time and I think if you save and plan for the stuff you wish to buy. You'll love it more.
I have spent my whole life worrying about everything. I really have. I worried about my weight, my hair, the kids, my husband. This letter says final notice. Final notice or what they would come a hang me in the public square. Right.... Worry and stay up all night so I was a zombie the next day at work. Then go home and worry another night about what I did wrong at work. I worry about the weather. Is it going to snow and the roads will be bad. Oh they said a tornado was just spotted in the next county over. Were all going to die. Get in the basement.
The dog didn't eat his food today. So we was sick and needs to go to the vet and there is another big bill. ON and On and ON.
Why did I waste so much energy about what I had no control over. I didn't have a money tree to pick from. A vet as a neighbor or mother-nature's phone number. One I could call and find out what she was stress about. Most of the time if I could finally get asleep the next day there was no snow on the road and the dog dish was empty. I still weight the same and my hair still sucked but everyone was OK and the bill would get paid when I could pay it.
If you would have asked me on a Friday what I was worried about on a Monday. I couldn't tell you. Now I had a whole new set of things to stress over. I would beat myself up so bad about everything that I had no control over. REALLY take it from me please. Stop the stress it will all come out in the laundry. Do the best you can and let it go.
This new year let's try and take control of our money then your take control of your life.
Remember and think like you did as a child. Saturday morning cartoons and a big bowl of cereal. Then play outside. It was simple and stress free. Remember. Each Saturday of the new year do this make it a habit with the one you love. You'll both feel better for it .....

Until next year.

The day after Christmas. Now I can relax, sort of. The work is not over just yet. the decorations have to come down and be pack away. What to do with all the left over food and I bet there are a million calories on the kitchen counter laying around in zipped locked bags. Cookies and candy which I made enought to feed an army.
Garbage bags filled with torn scrapes of paper and ripped boxes. Opened gifts everywhere new clothing that has to be laundered and hung up. So I still have a few hours of chores ahead of me in the few days.
My husband is on vacation this week and I'll have extra meals to fix and have to work around him asleep in his lazy boy chair. But it's alright.... I had a blast this Christmas...
I got some wonderful gifts from everyone, new boots, new bedding soaps, cd , a topaz stone which i bought for myself to set into a necklace at a later date.
My son Chad and Kayla bought me these beautiful chocolates from the Golden Turtle in Lebanon, Ohio which they should be varnished and placed on a shelf to keep forever. they are hand painted with little designed . Beautiful, how can I eat them. anyway I got everything thing I wanted and I got a art table so now I can spend the rest of the winter inside and get serious about painting.
We have been in our apartment for almost a year now and I still love it here. Our apartment is super nice and large and it feel's like home. I would like to get a three bedroom ranch here but it's about $500.00 more a month. So maybe down the road. If it's meant to be it will happen for us. Also in the new year I not making any resolutions. I break them anyway, then I feel depressed because I didn't stick to them. I just want my husband to retire, I want to see my grand daughter more. My children more and have lot's of parties and fun this summer.
I wish the best for both my children and wish for all their dreams to come true. I don't want much do I. Hope your holidays were filled with love, happiness and joy.. Mine sure was.