Another work day...

Yep, today is another day to go to work, but my last until next Monday--YEAH!! I'm attempting to get some laundry in before I leave this morning, so far I've done one load and a second one is ready to go in.
Can't believe tomorrow is the last day of 2008, where has this year gone? Our two grandsons, 10 & 8 will be here at noon tomorrow and we'll have them until Saturday, then it's back home to Ohio and school. My DH is still 90% laid up with his hand (had the carpel tunnel surgery), but he is attempting to use the hand a little bit--just can't do any gripping yet. It's killing him not to be able to do stuff when the boys are here..like working on things in his wood shop, he had planned on building little butterfly houses with them, but that's not going to happen this visit. We all hope that he'll be 100% healed the next visit they make to our house.
Other than this news, not much else is going on here...we still haven't taken down our tree and decorations (again, with my hubbies' hand problem it's a big chore) but they'll slowly come down next week sometime. We just had our last friend visit who we celebrate Christmas with, so things can be put away now...just going to take some time to do it since hubby can't lift the containers to put them in the attic. Anyway, the holidays are officially over at our house!
Better finish getting ready for work, will post more later.

It's back to work day....

Well, for the most part the Christmas holiday is over (boo-hoo) and things are slowly getting back to as normal as normal can be at my house. The grandkids are at their father's now but will be back here on New Years Eve for a couple more days then we will take them home to start back to school. We had a great time at my MIL's on Christmas Eve--good food too thanks to my SIL's hard work, oh and my DH making his delicious chicken & noodles. Christmas morning was really nice with our grandchildren--I think they really liked their presents from Santa! Of course, Ashley is only 9 mos old, so she wasn't into the present opening thing..but liked her new push toy that Grandpa made for her---it had bells inside, and she liked looking at all the lights on the tree. The only thing that would have made the day better was if my son from Arizona had been home with his daughter and wife, but alas, they couldn't make it this year...no one could afford the ticket prices...and it's warmer in Tucson!! My stepson, who we haven't heard from in three years decided to make an appearance Christmas Eve at my MIL--no one was quite sure how to react---however, my DH had spoke to him earlier that day and told him it wouldn't be a good idea to show up--but as usual, he didn't listen. Only a couple people talked to him and I grinned a beared it for my DH sake....you see my SS was/is (who knows) an alcoholic and addicted to all drugs--and at 35 has no direction at all!! We have attempted to get him straight for years and each time, he has more or less told his dad to F off, so we wrote him off...now all of a sudden he's shown up again, but I honestly don't want to be around him anymore due to the way he has treated his dad all these years and I still don't trust him. My DH is willing to at least talk to him, but even he's leary of getting too close and his sister and my son want nothing to do with him! He's just not been good to any of our family...he's crapped on everyone and really ticked alot of them off by his actions...so I'll just stand on the side lines and see what comes next. He lives with his mother, so I doubt we hear or see much of him in the near future, as they are 2.5 hours away from here...thank God!! Other than that the holiday was busy but great.
Now I go tomorrow to do Christmas with my mom and spend the day there...but today, it was back to work as usual....the holidays just don't last at all, do they?
I do have some cute pictures of our little granddaughter to scrap and I'm hoping to get some Christmas pics from my DIL of my 3.5 yr old granddaughter in Arizona, but that is probably not going to happen since she doesn't like me scrapping her daughter (long story and I won't go there right now). I still have pics of the kids here though so I have some things to do.
Well, I better get back to work--it's what I'm getting paid to do so will post more later.

BURRRRRRRR...

it's really cold out today!! We are under a wind chill advisory and the wind is so strong I can hear the house creak. The temp is around 0 but the wind chill is like -15. I had planned to take my two GS out shopping for small gifts for their mom, her boyfriend, and little baby sister, but due to the extreme cold I decided it would be better to put it off until tomorrow. It's still going to be cold but the wind isn't supposed to be this bad...and maybe because it's a weekday, we'll miss the crowds if we go early enough. I also wanted to go to Michael's tonight with my 15% off entire purchase coupon, but I think I'll just stay inside where it's warm and cozy--and do some scrapping after supper instead. I have an 8x8 recipe book to work on for my niece (not a xmas gift though) and I really need to get it started since I promised her last Christmas that I would make her a copy of the one I did for her Dad---it's all my parent's favorite recipes (mostly my deceased dad's favorites) and she wanted them too, so I'll work on it tonight, who knows I might even get it done before Christmas (LOL)!!?? It's either that or wrap up in a nice warm fleece throw and one of my favorite books--hard choice!
There isn't much going on around here today--the boys are watching movies with Grandpa--that's all Grandpa can do right now since his hand is still all bandaged up and not supposed to be used. He will get the stitches and bandages off Christmas Eve and he can't wait---he's going stir crazy not being able to do stuff and he hates being behind on his projects down in his workshop, but his surgery was more important because without it, he would have lost use of that hand and then there wouldn't have been any projects!!! Anyway, everyone is basically bored today not being able to go out or do anything fun (the boys like to go to the workshop and use Grandpa's tools to build things--like birdhouses, etc.).
Life is just not alot of fun today!!

Yucky Day....

I haven't posted for a few days since I've been working all week up to today....I just finished cleaning my downstairs and now I'm getting stuff together for a scrapbook class I'm taking tonight at our LSS--a really cute recipe album. Don't know what I'm going to do with it yet, but since I was supposed to make one for my niece of my parent's favorite recipes, I'll probably do this one for her. I was supposed to go to my mother's in Illinois today and take her shopping but since we're under an ice storm warning through early Friday morning, she decided that I shouldn't come over---she's afraid that the storm would come in while I was there and I'd be driving home on icy roads. I feel bad about not going because she doesn't drive and about the only time she gets anywhere is when I do my bi-monthly visit...and her hair appointments every six weeks.
My husband and I are also supposed to drive tomorrow to Cinncinati to pick up our grandsons when they get out of school, but that my be delayed till Sunday if we truly get the ice they're saying we could get tonight. I won't drive on icy highways for three hours there and then another three plus hours home---and in the dark too boot on the return trip!! I know they won't be happy about this, but we told our daughter that we'd come Sunday if we can't make it Friday---I work Saturday, which is why we had to wait till Sunday if not Friday. I hate winter it just ruins all of our plans when bad weather is predicted and/or comes in....not to mention, it's freezing cold here, which I also hate.
I guess if we don't make the trip tomorrow, then I might get some scrapping time in. I can finish the recipe album or I can work on some of our old vacation pictures. I have four years of Arizona trips to complete and several trips to Civil War battlefields that my husband wants me to scrap about. Otherwise, they'll be done in the next few months as I get time to work on them.
Guess, I better get busy and finish the laundry, then I have to fix an early supper so I can make my 6:00 pm class.
More to come later.

Mother in Law's tonight...

My MIL invited my husband and I plus his two sisters and their spouses and his aunt to her house tonight for our annual adult Christmas dinner and gift exchange...we normally go to a restraurant but this year decided to do it at the house and order pizza and salads. We were all to be there at 5:00-5:30...Bruce and I arrived and his younger sister Debbie and her husband,Bob were there already, but not his older sister, Cindy and her husband, Dick. We wondered why Cindy wasn't there, then his mom told us that she had made different plans for the evening before the dinner was planned..we all knew that was a bunch of bull because she knew well in advance that we were going to do this---Cindy is famous for not coming to things unless they are totally in her honor...but to miss her mother's dinner is unexcusable....not to mention that my MIL over the past year has given each of her three kids $6000 from money she inherited from an aunt in Oklahoma and tonight she surprised us again but giving them checks for $1500. She says she wants to see her kids enjoy their inheritance while she's still alive so she gladly gives it to them now. Bruce, me, Debbie, and Bob all fully appreciate this and have used the past money for our homes and for vacations--so we've enjoyed these unexpected gifts. This latest one will buy some new furniture and Bruce wants a rock tumbler--don't ask! But this Cindy thing has us all upset and angry--how can anyone treat their mother like this? What's even worse is that my MIL is going on 86 and who knows how many years she has left so for this to happen really pisses us off, excuse my language. I even made a scrapbook framed page of their grandmother and my MIL at age 3 for both sisters, now I wish I'd not made one for Cindy but I can't take it back (left it at my MIL) because everyone knows that it was meant for Cindy---although Debbie tried to tell me to take it back and give it to someone else--just felt bad for my MIL and told her if Cindy came by later to let her take it. Now, in hindsight, I should have taken it home with me and gave it to my stepdaughter instead because Cindy doesn't deserve it!
Enough venting for tonight...I am just angry that this happened. Anyway, my husband is still recouping and I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I'm making him stuff for lunches that he can easily handle with one hand..I will be so glad when he can use both hands again. I've been nursing him now for 5 days and the bandages don't come off until Dec. 24th, so I have another 10 days to go...I don't know how much more I can do I'm beat now!! Then there will be another 4 weeks of restrictions which hopefully won't be as strict as they are now...I'm doing all his chores now so I hope he'll be able to do some after the stitches come out...at least the little daily things like filling the humidifier, taking the trash out, making his own sandwiches, etc. Sorry, I'm just tired right now and I'm thinking about the snow that they say we might be getting, which means I'll be shoveling instead of him...and it'll be after dark as I work till 6 p.m. and it's dark around 5 here. Not looking forward to this week at all!
Well, I best go check on my "patient" and make sure he's doing okay and doesn't need anything, then I'll watch the news and go to bed. Will post more this week and hopefully I won't be venting anymore.
Goodnight all!!

Layout samples...

Two layouts I did today while my laid up DH slept....the top one is my 3 yr old DGD in Arizona, she does love her Daddy! The lower one is an older picture of my GSs from Christmas 2001 that I found in a box...they are 1 & 3 yrs old then...now they are 8 & 10!! They just grow up way too fast. The layouts are going to the LSS that I work at for store samples...I had to use some new products that we received in the past three weeks to show customers what they can do with the new lines. They are pretty simple layouts since most of our customers do pretty basic scrapping..and I guess so do I, but it's a fun and great hobby, and it's the only hobby I've ever had.. got started late in life(began at 52) scrapbooking and became addicted to it and the shopping part of it. It's been a fun 6 years though and I wouldn't give it up for anything.

Guess, I better go do some cleaning of my house now since I've literally wasted the afternoon doing my layouts and straightening up my scrap space. Now I need to get busy on the bathroom--YUCK!! Oh and I need to get supper started in about 45 minutes, so now is a good time to get busy.

Surgery Day!!

My DH had his surgery earlier today to repair his carpel tunnel..we were in and out in about 3 hours--thought that was really quick. Now comes the hard part---restrictions!! Actually, the hardest part is the surgery was on his right hand--he's right handed--can't use that hand for at least two weeks due to the bandaging, then it's restricted use for up to 6 weeks--no lifting, gripping (like opening a jar), etc. He is not a happy puppy at all and I'm afraid it's going to be a rough 6 weeks..the first 4 days he has to hold the hand so that it is above his heart to prevent severe swelling and he thinks this is the hard part..HA!! Wait till the bandages come off and he can't do his woodworking, etc. for another 4-6 weeks---
And of course, since he's right handed, so he also has problems getting dressed and undressed--man, I thought I was done dressing kids!! It's really funny because I haven't dressed anyone for almost 30 years. Thankfully, I talked him into sweat pants so there's no jeans to button or zip--... he's doing fine with that so far. I guess as long as he doesn't get real whiney or grouchy, then I'll be okay and we'll get along fine---can anyone say, that isn't going to happen?? Anyway, it's over and hopefully there won't be any problems ...other than he is going to be a big pain in the you know what. Thank God, I'm off until Monday, so I can get through the first four days making sure he keeps the hand up and I can do the meals during the day till he's used to using the left hand to do stuff....and if he doesn't do as told, I can get my MIL over here and she'll make sure he does!!! She's a fiesty 85 year old who won't take any guff from him.
Speaking of cooking, I better get moving on dinner now or he'll be yelling up here at me to tell me he's starving...poor guy!!

Freezing in Lafayette!!

It's Friday and it's absolutely freezing cold outside!! Unfortunately, my DH has decided that today is the day we need to run to the post office and turn in our applications for our passports...ugh!!!! After that, we're going grocery shopping---I hate going out in this freezing cold!! Oh well, if I get this all done today, then tomorrow I can stay inside and veg for the entire weekend!! I might even get some scrapbooking done as my house work is finished with the exception of changing our bedding...so I have the entire weekend to do whatever!! I don't think I've ever had two whole days to do nothing around the house (cleaning wise anyway)...I do have to cook Saturday, but that's no biggie--making white chili so it's just a matter of throwing things in the pot and letting it simmer til hot---Easy!!!
I just finished ordering Christmas gifts requested from online sites, the cards were mailed out yesterday, and I only have one more gift to get and it's for my MIL. She's really easy to do and I already know what I'm getting it's just a matter of running to JC Penney's or Kohls, which I'll probably do today or one day next week...next week more likely since it's too cold today. Then I just have to ship the box to Arizona for my DGD, which will be done next week after I wrap it all...then I can just sit back and take it easy till Christmas. YEAH!
Well, better run so we can get to the PO and grocery.

Christmas Decorating is done...

We got all of our Christmas decorations this past weekend, the tree went up while I was at work on Monday and this afternoon, I finished decorating the family room, living and dining rooms...so we are set for the holidays. The cards are in the mail, so now all we have to do is wrap gifts that are to be shipped to our son and his family in Tucson; then wrap up the gifts that will go under our tree Christmas eve for our grandchildren from Ohio, who will be here sometime on Christmas day. I still have to pick up the gifts for my mother and my MIL but those are easy and will be done by Saturday. I didn't think we'd be done this quickly, because neither one of us is really in the holiday mode yet---just doesn't seem like it should be here so soon not to mention stores have been advertising Christmas since before Halloween, which is crazy in our opinion. Anyway, we're doing what we can to get in the mood..it will all come together eventually as we get closer to the date and get excited about seeing the kids. Well, supper prep is calling so I'll post later.

The Weather outside is Frightful...

What an awful day this had turned out to be..it's been kind of snowing but the snow is real fine and it's freezing to the surfaces, so roads are getting treacherous and the wind is bone chilling. Now if our city would do some salting, my trip to work in the morning should be okay but if it's like last year, our roads will be pretty bad in the morning. We have horrible snow and ice removal anymore and there is no excuse for it...all of a sudden anyway. They used to do a decent job but the past 2 to 3 years have been really bad. Oh well, I'll be driving 5 mph--LOL!!
My Christmas cards are done, addressed, and stamped so they'll be mailed out this coming weekend....my DH didn't want me to mail them today, as he thought it was too early, so I agree to wait till the weekend. He put up our tree today and got down all the house decor, so I'll finish that up tomorrow and Wednesday...then the house is ready the holidays. Now if I could just get the few remaining gifts taken care of this week, we'll be set. I will have to mail the packages to Arizona to my son and his family, so I told my DH to hurry up with the "stockings" so we could get stuff sent out...(he has done pantyhose stockings since our kids were little and they still expect them every year---they are nothing but hose filled with stuff he gets at the $1 spots and $1 stores--but the kids love them). This tradition started when he discovered that the Christmas stockings just aren't big enough for all the "junk" he buys...oh well, the kids (big and small) love them and that's what counts.
I did get some scrapbooking done this past weekend after I finished the cards....I actually have the pages caught up for my grandchildren--that is until Christmas. Now maybe I can get back to some of our old vacation pictures that I want to do books on....these projects will take me a long time to do so I work on them in between the kid's books. I'm off Wednesday through Sunday, so I'll get some scrapping time, maybe a day or two as I have appointments on Wednesday and Thursday...and the housework to do, yuck!! I promised myself that these days would not be wasted so I WILL get some pages completed. I'll update on this later.
Good night all!!