Good Morning!

Jane and Cristi - thank you for the cards...they are so sweet - gonna get off my butt and send some back....I got a card from Shanna! Thank you Shanna if you are lurking...hope you have some time to post soon.
Jane - hope Dale is ok...keep us posted
Oh - can't forget - congrats on your loss!

Susan- betcha Rocky sends more airline tickets sweet man, probably want to sweep you off yor feet and take you away from it all. Yay on the news about the amended petition...no peeing in cups any time soon, lol! for your change of venue.....

Marti - I hope you can get a copy of the eulogy. That Titanic story is great! OMSI had a Titanic exhibit here a few months ago with real artifacts. It was very good. when you went into the exhibit, you received a ticket resembling a real ticket from the Titanic with a name of a real passenger. At the end of the exhibit you could check the passenger list for survivors to see if "you" lived or not. It made a big impression on my son. The first time we all received third class tickets - and all perished. James said "I need to come back again and try to live this time!"
OT - I found this website focused on women and weight training. www.stumptuous.com Has a kind of "in your face" attitude, but the info is good and I thought of you 'cause you said you were going to start going to the gym.. I work out with handweights at home and I got some good information here.

Angie - WB - don't try to do indivduals - we "talk" too fast around here. lol just glad to see you hope you haven't been too swamped with work

Ellen - hope the gloomy weather isn't bringing you down. My Gma tells me to go through the house and turn on all the lights when the weather gets wet and gloomy. That tends to happen in Oregon. the weather, I mean. About the light, tho', I do think Grandma is onto something


Time to get moving. I think I may have mentioned that we are having two big poplar trees removed. Well, phase one happened this week and now i have a driveway full of chips. We asked to keep what they shredded because it makes for wonderful mulch in the yard. We are going to have enough to mulch the entire neighborhood I think. The driveway is full and the trees aren't even half done. We'll see what it looks like next week when they finish the job DH is going to be workng on spreading what we have.. and I've lined up some neighbors who would like the excess. If all else fails, the grade school has several gardens that need mulch, so I could alway donate the rest.

The kids have rehearsal for the Christmas program this morning then it's hanging out at home for today. I hope to work on some cards and my holiday website. My DD woke up at 5 am, so she will be napping at some point and I'll be able to get on the stepper without her "helping" me.

DH and I started watching The Fog of War last night. It is a documentary that is mostly an interview with Robert MacNamara, the part I saw was mainly about the Cuban Missile Crisis. It is really good, but I fell asleep just past my bedtime...so sad.... can't stay up late like I used to... Now I get up about the time I used to go to bed Like they say, youth is wasted on the young!

Have a great day everyone

Jane~hoping Dale is fine. As Katy said, keep us posted. And CONGRAT'S on another loss. Getting closer and closer to that goal lady.

Katy~you are very welcome for the card. I almost said "What card?" Busy week what can I say? I forgot I mailed them already. That would have been so cool to see. I am fascinated by the Titanic.

Just to let you know there was to be a little something added in the cards but what I ordered didn't come in in time and I am still waiting. Hoping to get them next and mailed.

Marti~isn't it cool to learn about your relatives? DS#1 got into geneaology a few years ago and found all kinds of cool stuff about our family. Mostly on my mothers side. Came from Germany, England & Ireland (what a mix) and apparently were wealthy people. Once over here they distinguished how wealthy you were by how many slaves you owned. Isn't that terrible? Supposedly we are related to George Washington. Fascinating stuff. Anywho...would love to hear the story. I have always been fascinated by the Titanic and watch everything about it, also have read a lot of books about it. It's terrible that so many had to die.

Ellen~hope you are feeling fine and the weather is better for ya today.

Angie~girly, take a breather when you can. We'll be here waiting.

Susan~hmmmm, a big card huh? I bet it is something good.

I was up bright and early this morning for some reason. Decided to run to Wal-Mart and pick up a few things before it got crowded. Figure this weekend will be a busy shopping one for everyone. Going to straighten the house a little and get some laundry done. Did get the pics back yesterday and already have them scanned and in a yahoo album. So I am headed on over to the Christmas thread to put a link so you ladies can take a look. Hope everyone has a wonderful day today. See ya

Hello everyone!!

Today is my "catch up on everything" day. I have to head up to Eugene and get some kind of Christmas gift for James. I've bought him nothing yet and that just isn't settling w/me very well, especially since the tree is full of gifts for me and Jhanai right now. Then....I need to come home do some laundry, clean my kitchen, and possibly make some cookies. Maybe I should make cookies first then clean the kitchen and do the laundry.....

Oh...and I can't forget, I need to send out my cards. Just so you all know, yuou may receive my card closer to Christmas than I had wanted...but it will be there!

Jane, Congrats on more weightloss!! What an accomplishment. I really need to get my butt in gear this next year. (so lazy that I can't start now.) Hope Dale starts feeling better! Does he have a kidney stone maybe? Or is it just prostate problems? I hope he feels better.

Katy, Jhanai went to OMSI for a school field trip and she was first class. I think that is such a neat idea to have! We plan on taking Jhanai there for her birthday next year. Such a fun place and you learn so much!

Cristi, I would love to find out more on my family history on both my dad's and my mom's side. What little I know about my mom is that she lived in the Phillipines and was on the poverty side of the island. I wish I had pictures or something of my grandparents and Uncles. I guess I had some Uncles (no Aunts) and a God Mother over there. It would be very interesting to learn more.

Susan, Sure hope you get the card from Rocky today! I was thinking the same as Katy...plane tickets to "home"!

Ellen, Our weather here, which is typical for Oregon, is wet and gloomy also. Such nasty stuff to drive in when it's just pouring out! Come back and share with us your wonderful humor when you have time!

Angie, Well there you are!! Hurry and catch up and then chat a little bit. Hope things start to slow down for you soon!!


Morning (or afternoon by the time I finish this!) to everyone!!!

Ok....off to try and tackle some of the things on my to do list.

Take Care!!

Just a quick note -

Shanna - thanks for the card! Hope you can pop in and post some while you're on vacation.

Cristi - was Walmart a mad house when you were there? We need pop for the party tonight, and I hope to get in and back out quickly. Yeah, right!!

Katy - I was a 9 y/o kid when the Cuban missile crisis was going on, and after overhearing the grown-ups talk, I was very, very scared about what would happen to the US! Btw, I'll take some of that mulch, lol!

Marti - do you have something in mind for James? Guys are so much harder to buy for than women, imho! What kind of cookies are you making?

Thanks also for the bravos on the weight loss! Makes me feel good. Regarding Dale, he does have some problems w/his prostate. They sent him home from the ER with a catheter, and an appt. with a urologist for Wednesday. Seems he needs reamed out, which they said is very unusual in a man his age.

Running out of time.... see you tomorrow!

Hello everyone…..how are you all doing?

Well, we are starting to get the snow. It isn’t that much, but we are getting it.

Last night, as well as the nights to come, were eventful. Brandon went to bed last night at 2am, and got back up at about 3:30am. I brought him into our bed, and I woke up at 6:56am to switch arms because my one went to sleep. We fell back asleep and got up at 11am. At that time, I noticed that Brandon was sounding like a barking seal. Tommy woke up at the same time, and heard it as well. We gave him some saline drops in his nose, that seemed to help. We also gave him some Tylenol for his cough.

Fast forward to some hours later, and we have given him some Little Noses cold medicine. We talked to our buddy Joe, who is an EMT, and he told us to watch him and call his pediatrician. Brandon fell asleep earlier and sounded like a coffee pot percolating, so we elevated his head and he was fine, but then woke up with that nasty old cough still. Joe told us to like I mentioned, call his pediatrician and see what they say. Brandon’s pediatrician’s office is closed already, so we are keeping an eye on him. I am going to set up his humidifier in his room in a couple minutes and get that thing started.

Jane~ Yup he lets me rock him. Well, he lets me hold him until he falls asleep. He is out in no time if his Eagles DVD is on or country music. I hope Dale is okay. WTG on the weight loss!

Marti~ That is a cool story. (((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))

Jane & Cristi~ Thanks ladies for the Christmas cards!

I thought I would pop back on while my curling iron is warming up.

Jane, Really hope Dale starts feeling better and that getting reamed out helps! (poor guy!)

Let's see...there was something that I wanted to say earlier and now I have forgotten! Why does that happen??

Gifts for James......that's hard because he has all that he wants really. If something catches his eye, he'll get it. And if something catches my eye....he'll get it for me later! (that man, needs to learn self control!)

But I'm thinking of getting some stuff for Sushi making. We went to World Market the other day and he pointed out some stuff he would like to have. I'm just not really in the mood to go to Eugene...but if I don't, I'll never get anything done!

Oh here is what I wanted to say earlier. During the Eulogy, they had a time when people can say a few words about James grandpa and they passed around the microphone (most of the guest were elderly and couldn't hear) and one of James' brother stood up and started telling the story of when his grandpa slipped on the sidewalk and fell. Talking away like it was a memory he'll never forget, saying he just drove up as he had fallen and then took him to the hospital. Later on, we were sitting at the Church having coffee and cookies talking to James Uncle when a sweet little old lady sat down with us and started chatting. James Uncle looked at her and said "I thought you were w/Mac when he fell, wasn't it you who took him to the hospital?" She said "Yes, (while she had this look on her face) he was getting out of my car when it happened and we just put him back in" That's when James piped in and said how his brother likes to tell stories (saying w/this disgusted look on his face)

Now......why on earth would his brother stand there and tell a bold face lie to all these people?! I knew he wasn't telling the truth as he was telling it....you can just tell when someone is making it up as they go along you know. Very irritating. This is the same brother I went to school with and last year he was trying to tell me how he remembers in Jr. High we (me & him) made out in class. Excuse me?! I had to remind him that, for one, we had no classes together in Jr. High, and....I didn't have my first kiss until I was a freshman, and I would never have kissed him if my life depended on it. (ok, so I was rude, but I was mad)

That's one reason why I don't like James' brothers company. James has ONE brother I like and he lives in California!!

Ok....enough venting on all that. Just makes me mad.

I'll be back later on.

Hi, it's me again!

Just got back home from my trip to Eugene. Traffic is crazy and I thought I would head home before it got dark. (which it has been getting dark around 4:30-5:00)

Got James his Sushi stuff. Now, to figure out how to wrap it!! I need to find some boxes to put them in so it's not so obvious. That man is hard to buy for! Things are just too expensive now a days and I need to try and find things that he'll want w/out hurting the checkbook. (oh...too late for that!)

Anyway, I'll come back later and see if anyone has popped in.


Oh...Mindee, sure hope little Brandon starts to feeling better! Poor baby. Keep him warm and snug and give him plenty of hugs from us all here!

back for a quick hi!

Marti - your post about J's brother really brought back some memories for me, as something similar happened to me 15 years ago. I had lost a dear dear friend in a car accident, and of course we all were in shock. Our mutual friend ( and maid of honor at my wedding, I might add) was her roommate at the time and took charge of many funeral arrangements. Well, she was asked by the sister of the deceased to ask me and the deceased's former fiance to give eulogies at the funeral. My MOH blew it off and wrote the eulogy herself, and gave it. The sister came up to me later and said, " I just wanted you and -----, but I understand that it's just too hard right now" Can you imagine what I felt? Needless to say, the MOH is a FORMER friend and I learned a lesson about toxic people who have to be the center of attention at all times. Your BIL reminded of this person. Hard to believe that someone would take such an occasion to bolster their lack of self-esteem.... some people are really sick.

Mindee - that barking cough could mean croup. Croup can be helped by getting him out breathing the cold night air... Also can be helped by going into the bathroom and turning on a hot shower full blast. Check out www.drgreene.com. this is the best pediatric web site and I used it all the time when my kids were babies. If it's severe - he'll need to go to the emergency room, so watch his symptoms and take care! Hope you all can get some sleep tonight...

Hi Everyone
I feel like Angie , so much is going on, what has happened in the last few days, how did everyone get so sick? I have a kidney infection ,to add to the list.
Hi Jane
Sorry to hear about Dales problem ,how is everything ,I sure hope he's feeling a whole lot better,I know that can be very painful,I don't know what the extent of his problems are but I had a kidney stone once and it was once to many times for me. hey he didn't swallow that rock he bought Mary did he ,cause thats a bad place to hide it ,sorry I should'nt joke about it , Give him my best ((((HUGS))))
Hi Mindee
I hear little Brandon is sick as well, poor little guy I think Katy's right about it sounding like croup and her advise is excellent as always , she's one smart cookie ,I wonder of she is peanut butter or chocolate chip I really hope the little sweetie is feeling better soon give him hugs and kisses ,to help him feel better , and I hope you and
Tommy are getting rest to, and put on his favorite cd, hey I fall asleep with country music to, (((Hugs)))
Hi Cristi
I really enjoyed your pictures , your home is beautiful inside and out ,I am still going to try and post some of my outside pictures if you girls can stand one more picture from me , I didn't get to take them the same time because we had such high winds that day,it blew everything over even though the trees were secured in the pots with rocks ,but they went anyways,so I had to set everything back up ,so maybe in a couple of days I will have them.I hope your feeling better than you were ,and thanks again for sharing your wonderful pictures. Have a nice night((HUGS)))
Hi Katy
I think Grandma is right , thats what I do ,I don't take gloomy weather to well it does affect me in a negative way unfortunatley, but the decorations help ,I think thats why I start early,gets me over the hump .Sounds like your going to be a popular neighbour with all that free mulch .Nice to be able to use it in your gardens, I guess hubby will be pretty busy spreading that out hopefully it doesn't snowIts late now get to bed
Hi Marti
So Glad you got home from Eugene Safely the roads are crazy with traffic everywhere , better to be home if you don't have to be out , but I know thats not possible when things need to get done.Sorry about your BIL I think I will come up there and smack him, although I'm not a violent person I still want to. You know I have never tried sushi , never had the nerve is it good ? maybe someday I will , maybe!!!I hope Jhanai and James are well ,thats so interesting about the Titanic connection , Life is full of surprises isn't it.I hope your having a good night((((HUGS))))
Hi Angie
I have searched the country for you, where was you hiding ? Glad your back ,now give us all the details of where you've been, what you been doing and who you saw and just why you were hiding from us ,missy Hope your having a great night.Thankyou for the card Angie, Tanner is so cute.tell him I said handsome though
Hi Susan
ummmm you ate a ding dong little miss, I hope it was good I hope your card comes from Rocky ,maybe it has airline tickets in it, maybe he's in it thats whats taking so long wow wouldn't that be nice .How is little Gaby feeling I hope she's all better by now give her hugs and kisses ,I hope your having a great night I bet your on the phone talking to that fella of yours isn't love wonderful te he he.
Hi Sue I hope everything is going better with your family, are you home yet ?? Hope your doing well .
Hi Kathy
How are you doing ? Have you been able to finish moving yet ,I sure hope so,hitch them horses up please I'm coming for a sleigh ride, you do have a sleigh don't you? , if not I will bring one Hope your having a great night.
Hi to Everyone all the rest of you girls
Hope your having a great night and weekend and your all well.

Well I left out something very important ,IT SNOWED TODAY YAY!!!!!!!!

Ok 24 hours later here I am back,,,it took me that long to read all the posts!

First off Ellen you have a kidney infection? Should be drinking some cranberry juice...
Thank you I will tell him his auntie Ellen thinks hes hot stuff.. Wasn't really hiding out just so busy. Hate when I don't get my JL fix.
Jane, hope Dale gets help...that can't be a comfortable way for him right now,,,I guess its better then not but still...owey! Tell Terry I like his plan.

Marti, I never got to say how sorry I am about James grandpa...
His life story sounds so interesting....

Susan,,,,,arghhh I just don't know how you can put up with the EXs... Glad to know your mom is backing you up. You need that.
So Rocky said he was sending an evelope or a package? Ring?

Mindee,,,both boys have had croup and exactly as Katy said you can help relieve that horrible sound with a cool walk out doors or the hot shower steam.

Katy, no these are mostly not paying gigs...I get a small cheque which pays for my gas to and fro...not much else.

Julie, man do I need my hair done,,,reading about you getting yours done made me think of making an appointment,,,but I don't want to go back to my old stylist, she keeps chopping too much off. I do like my style right now,,,the blood red has faded,,,now its a copperish color,,,with the black and light red...weird I know.

KAthy, Congrats on the new place! Remember to email me if you are ever this way.

Haven't been doing much,,,decorating most of the tree,,,not sure why my fake tree is missing lil parts that keep the branches on it,,,but it is so I have so bare spots,,,grrr
Have started working on Steel Magnolia's so far so good
Will be starting the new play Iolanthe in a couple of weeks.
Tanner has a call back from another play, school play.
Ive gotten a call from my PI boss but to be honest I don't want to do that work anymore. So as bad as this sounds Im avoiding her...*sigh I hate that she guilts me into working,,,shes worse then my mom!

Tanner has a buddy sleeping over,,,they just finished distroying the kitchen with a gingerbread house...lol

Brandon is bored out of his tree,,,he fell yesterday and almost gave me a heart attack,,,but he is ok.
My friend Lori and I went to Moxie's for Bellinis yes those slurping yummy drinks. I also had a salad...that is to die for,,,it has jimaca, J sounds like a H.... so anyways Lori and I bounded, she lost her mom last month and needed to talk.
There are times when I feel Christmas is a time of sadness, when family members lose loved ones. Our zoo had a baby elephant die,,,I cried,,,it was on tv and so sad. Im a sucker for animals,,,I think thats why I don't enjoy the zoo,,,hate seeing animals in captivity,,,even thou I know for some its for the best...
Jane, I ran over a gopher once,,,cried. Monte once ran over a big duck,,,not sure if it was the mom or dad,,,but it had babies with them... I bawled...got to the store and had to stay in the van till my eyes weren't so red. I know Monte felt bad,,,and couldn't avoid it.
anyways Im going to go up and watch some movie,,,I bought some previously seen movies form Blockbusters for like 7 bucks and haven't had time till today to watch.

ttfn

Took you 24 hours to catch up Angie??? lol

I watched this show on gingerbread houses, it was a contest thing and it was rather interesting. These ladies spent hours and hours on these master pieces......made you almost wanna move in , they looked so real.
Anyway, I have dibs on the bedroom made out of Hershey kisses!

argh........I am sick tonight. I am going to go to bed,.

CONGRATS Jane on your continued weight loss!!

I still don't have that card from Rocky yet. I did get my packages of Mac Nuts.......we already have Gaby's and mine one way tickets to Hawaii taken care of.......aiming for April. Hope this legal junk is taken care of

best get-

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs To Susan Get Well ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Ok ladies figured you could all use this...enjoy!

http://www.viceking.net/bubblewrap.swf

tHANKS Angie I need that right about now

Angie--Loved that! I put it on manic mode!! As for the PI boss.....tell her your schedule is too darned busy to add that to your plate. Plus, w/Brandon needing his mom and Tanner being busy w/activities....you just don't have the time. AND.........you need to have your JL fixes, and we just can't have Ellen doing a search everyday looking for you. Hmmm....hey, maybe Ellen can take over??? Got your Card in the mail! Thank you!! Hung up my little Magnetic on the fridge.

Ellen--You're not feeling good either? Oh I hope you start feeling better soon. But you know, your house is the perfect place for relaxing....it's so magical that I would think being sick wouldn't be so bad. (of coarse that's not true, being sick is terrible no matter where you're at) Feel free to come on down here and smack some of these brothers for me. I'll let you!

Katy--People amaze me when they're needy for attention. The ones that get me the most are the ones who are always "sick" with something. They try to make you feel sorry for them. Hypercondriacs (sp?) always need the attention in the worst way. My step-mom is terrible! She's had everything!! And my ex MIL (one in Illinois, not here in Oregon) was even worse than that. Sheesh!!

Susan--I saw that show w/the gingerbread house competition. Amazing wasn't it? That takes so much time and patience. I don't think I could ever do that. But they are beautiful to look at. It's very much an artist who creates the beautiful houses!

Jane & Cristi--I got your cards in the mail today too!! Love getting Christmas cards in the mail from you girls!! Monday I will be mailing mine out. I'm so bad at getting things going this year! Wanted to decorate more but too much has been going on. Next year I'll be on top of things.

Got my gifts for James all wrapped up and under the tree. Still need to do some stocking stuffer shopping and then for my parents gifts since we got their names in the family drawing. Not sure what to get my mom. Getting my dad the Star Wars trilogy on DVD. The orignal movies. Told my mom not to go out and buy it for him since we were getting it for him and she said that we were spending too much on him. I don't think so.

Anyway...going to browse.

I'll check in again tomorrow.