Happy New Year ......

For some of you the new year has already arrived but we still have 20 minutes of 2007 left. What a wild ride it has been. Another year of laughter, tears, and memories to dream about while we rock away the hours of the future sitting in our sturdy rocking chair sitting in front of the fire..... or at least I hope that's the way my life ends.... LOL

To all my blogging friends and my non- blogging friends..... Happy 2008 !! May your walk on Mother Earth this coming year be filled with love, laughter, peace, and prosperity. You all have a little place in my heart and I am honored to call you friend. Love, Hugs, and Blessings to you and yours.

Here is a poem I found to start your year off..... Enjoy !

Time for New Beginnings. . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Addison, Blue Mountain Arts, 1989

"This is a time for reflection as well as celebration.
As you look back on the past year and all that has taken place in your life,
Remember each experience for the good that has come of it and for the knowledge you have gained.
Remember the efforts you have made and the goals you have reached.
Remember the love you have shared and the happiness you have brought.
Remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work, and the tears.
And as you reflect on the past year, also be thinking of the new one to come.
Because most importantly, this is a time of new beginnings and the celebration of life."

Auld Lang Syne Fireplace

To warm your hearts...

My Best Friend.....

This is my sweet husband Eddie. He's a Special Education teacher and yes, he is Special. He has a booming voice when it's needed but he has a heart of gold. My sister and I call him the marshmellow man behind his back..... LOL .... because he is such a soft touch for people and animals. He cries at movies too.

We had both been married before and when we met, we turned each others life around. We are both better people than we were before. We've been married 25 years and it seems like yesterday. I can't imagine my life without him in it.
He's my best friend.

Singular Saturday......

PATIENCE

My Chico Love.....

This is Chico. He is just a few months younger than Pookie. He was given to us by a family that didn't treat him just right. He is such a love.

Well, the tree is all packed away until next year. The new vaccum works great and I'm glad it's all done. Now I can really relax and concentrate on our upcoming surgery. The doc said we are fit and ready to go.

I've had fun today reading all the blogs. It's nice to see some of you back at your keyboard. I've missed you. I told WB that I was going through blogger withdrawals...... LOL

Until tomorrow and Singular Saturday.... Night all. Sweet Dreams !

Jan

Shiloh the Innocent......

This Cody's brother Shiloh. Shiloh is just the opposite of Cody. Although he can get rowdy, he is also the most loving of the two. He never tries to get out the door and he will snuggle with you at times.

I have been reading some blogs and I see that there is a Thursday Thirteen. You pick a subject and list thirteen things about it. Most of the one's I read today were for New Year resolutions. It sounds like it could be fun though. what do you all think?

I was kind of lazy today. I didn't get the tree down. We had our surgery pre-op appt. with our primary doc today and we went to WalMart. The vaccum Ed bought had a broken handle so we exchanged it. Of course we had to get a more expensive one than the one we returned... LOL The one we bought is rated #1 by Consumer Choice so it must be the best eh?? Besides, it's Purple !!! Now, that has to make it the best. I love purple ! We'll try it out tomorrow because the tree Is Coming Down !

New Years Eve will be here in a few days. Barb has to work so it will be quiet here. What are you all going to do?

Jan

My Cody Boy......

This is my ADDHD Cody...... Isn't he sweet? He looks so innocent doesn't he? LOL

Well, I think tomorrow the tree will come down. That will help some. Between him and Shiloh, his brother, we have had to replug the lights in several times. Part of the blinking strand doesn't work now. One of the bulbs is completely gone. I think it got eaten. I don't know how many ornaments we'll find after everything is put away. I'm just glad I thought ahead and bought shatterproof ones this year. I know they have had a ball with them. I've found them in the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, livingroom...... well, every room in the house so far. I'll put a picture of Shiloh on tomorrow evening.

I'm just having a ball with my new toy...... can you tell? LOL

Jan

Wordless Wednesday.....

My Pookie baby........

Santa Came To My House.....

I guess I am the only one blogging tonight..... LOL Old diehard here. But I just had to tell you how good Santa was to me. I got my digital camera !!! Yippee !!!! I had borrowed one from school for the Christmas break but hubby got me one of my own. I just love new toys ! Oh boy, can I play now.... LOL I also got a new vaccum, a new purse, some tea, a sweater, house slippers and candy. I have collected Angel statues for years and I got a beautiful Angel to add to my collection too. What a haul eh? And I'm not done. Tomorrow we celebrate with Barb, Glenn & the kids so I'll get a few more things then too. Guess I was really good this year.... LOL

We all had a good Christmas here at my house. I hope you all had a wonderful day too and I look forward to hearing all about it. Blessings to all.

(((HUGS)))
Jan

Christmas Eve......

The stockings are hung,
The presents I did wrap...
Now I'm so tired,
I'm ready for a long,peaceful nap.

My blogger friends are quiet,
Not a peep do I hear....
Everyone's dreaming,
Of Christmas and the New Year.

So it's time for me to go,
On my own personal dream flight...
Merry Christmas to all,
And to all a goodnight.

So this is Christmas - CELINE DION

Hi ! Just wanted to show you a picture of our tree and see if I did this picture loading thing right..... LOL

Jan

what Is Love ?

UNCONDITIONAL

One More Day......

Tomorrow is our last day before Christmas break at school. The kids have been wound up all week. On Monday we decorated baby food jars to use as candle holders. Today we made wreaths and note pads. The kids can give them to their parents as presents. Tomorrow afternoon we'll have our little party. We'll have Santa Claus 3 on the tv and the kids will get their little presents from me and the teacher. Each child is getting a book this year plus a little bag of treats. We are big on promoting reading in my room. It will be great fun.

We did Secret Santa again this year. My best present was a stuffed penguin on a tall coil so that it bobs arounds. It is just precious. The kittens like it too... LOL

Needless to say, it will be a busy, fun day tomorrow and we'll all heave a sigh of relief when the buses pull away. LOL Happy Christmas break to us.

Jan

A Christmas Gift.......

I'm not going to get into the why or what for.... just say that my husband's youngest son has been out of our lives for several years It was a "Tough Love" decision on our part to make, but It had to be done. Kevin lived with us most of our young marriage and he became the son I had lost many years ago. Kevin has caused us so much heartbreak, but my love for him runs deep. This 40 year old child man has his own little boy now... Dominic. Kevin sent us his picture and he is sooooo cute !!!

I broke down and wrote Kevin a letter saying that if he truely wants us in his life he was going to have to admit to his own mistakes.... blah, blah, blah..... Well, last evening Kevin called. We talked and then he talked to his dad. He took responsibility for his own actions. They talked for quite a long time and there were tears and laughter. Maybe the "Tough Love", and having a son of his own now, has caused him to grow up, to realize that people make their own mistakes and must be accountable for those mistakes. Whatever the reason, I now have my son back and a grandson in my life. Merry Christmas To Me !!

Jan

Christmas Canon (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

A little late but I just learned how to do this. TY WB ! This is my favorite song. Enjoy !

Is It Christmas Yet????

My sister and I got the tree up on Friday. We had to rearrange furniture to do it. Why, you ask? Well, because I have this kitten named Cody.... yes, the ADDHD one. We just knew we were going to have to empty the water bottle daily keeping him out of the tree.... and since my hubby has been running low on patience lately, we decided the best place for the tree was in the back room where my sister and I spend most of our time. So, the futon went into the living room and the tree went up.

We did real well until it came to the lights. Does anyone have a pre-lit tree? Well, let me tell ya.... it takes a person with a high IQ ( or we're really dumb ) to get the lights hooked up. It took us a couple hours to figure it out. Once we did though we put the shatterproof ornaments on and it looks beautiful. Cody has only tried to climb it one time so far.

I went shopping today and finished up most of what I needed. I still need a few stocking stuffers and something for our friend Glenn. He's so hard to buy for. Every year I ask him what he wants and every year I get the same answer....... "I don't know." I really hate that. (even though I have done the same.. LOL ) I treated myself to a haircut, a new book, and bought my powdered vitamins that I will have to take after the surgery.

So, it ended up a pretty good day..... productive. That would be a good word for Singular Saturday. Later all.......

Jan

Singular Saturday.....

My first ever word for Singular Saturday is : Disheartened

Birthday Day.......

Today is my husband's and sister's birthday. The phone has been steadily ringing tonight with voices singing happy birthday. Hubby turned 65 and sister turned 53. Poor sister Mary... on her birthday she fixed Ed his birthday supper of fried chicken, boiled potatoes, steamed califlower with cheese sauce and pineapple upsidedown cake. What kind of birthday is that eh? It was mighty good though. I'm going to fix her a special dinner this week-end when she decides whether she wants potato soup or ham, beans and cornbread. Both sound good to me. Which would you like??

Jan

This And That......

I was approved !!! The hospital called today and told me that the insurance approved my surgery. So...... Hubby and I will go in on Jan 3 to have it done.

Yes, in the summer we have bear in our backyard. They can be very destructive too when they are hungry. We lost many bird feeders to them until we started feeding them. We feed them sunflower seeds mixed with dry dog food and day old bread from the thrift store. Now we have no problem with them. We don't have a lot. Only a couple and sometimes a couple cubs. No cubs this year though. Our main visitor only has 3 legs but she gets around fine.... LOL We also feed the racoons too. We have little property damage this way. We also have deer in the winter We love to watch our furry friends.

About my adoption.... I was never told I was adopted. I found out when i was 18 years old from a friend who was adopted also. We went out on a date and he said "Well, at least we have one thing in common." I asked what and he said, "We're both adopted." Growing up some of the kids in the neighborhood teased me about being adopted but when I asked my mom, she didn't say yes or no. She just said "Why would you ask such a thing !" Needless to say, it put a strain on our relationship when I did find out, but it worked out ok. The loving daughter just dropped the subject. After my folks had both crossed over, I watched a show where a family was reunited so I picked up the phone and made a call to the police dept in the town I was born. ( I had found my adoption papers after my parents died and they had my birth parents name and where I was born.) After explaining what I wanted and why, I asked them if they had any record of my mom or dad. They did. I asked for addresses and phone numbers. They gave me addresses and wished me luck. I called information. No luck on mom. Bingo on dad. I called the number and a little girl answered. I asked to talk to Mr. Smith... yea, Smith.... LOL The little girl yelled, "Dad, some lady wants to talk to Mr. Smith." ( I just knew I had the wrong number with a little girl in the house. ) Mr. Smith got on the phone and I said, "My name is Janet and I'm looking for a William Fredrick Smith who was married to Beulah Smith." He said, "That's me." I said, "Did you have a daughter named Janet Marie born on Sept. 7, 1951?" He said, "I sure did but her mama adopted her to some people in Indiana." WELL..... I was stunned for a minute and then I said, "I'm Janet Marie." I ended up with parents, grandparents, a full sister, and a half sister from mom and dad, and two half sisters and 2 half brothers from dad and his wife. It was so simple to find them. I was lucky. It was a mind blowing experience and a wild ride but we became a family. Many questions were answered and many weren't..... but that's ok. It's worked out. The loving daughter dropped the subject......

That's enough for tonight. Hope this satisfies the inquiring minds. Feel free to ask questions though.... I really don't mind .

Jan

Mariposa's Meme.....

Another thinker post.... ok, here I go !

(1) Make a list of eight random facts/habits about themselves.(2) Tag eight other people to do this meme and list their names.(3) Leave a comment on each of the Tagged People's websites to inform them about the meme which they're tagged to do (enjoined to participate!).

1. I was adopted at 18 months of age and found my birth family when I was 39.

2. My first job was a church secretary.

3. I have a phobia about snakes. I think it stems from the boys in the neighborhood chasing us girls with them. It used to be so bad that if i saw one on the TV I would wake at night to check my bed, but it's gotten better as I've gotten older.

4. I was in nursing for 14 years. Sad to say, but I miss the adrenaline rushes. Nothing else though. It taught me a lot about my feelings about death.

5. I am amazed at how I have changed as I've gotten older. I wear my feelings on my heart sleeve. I never thought about getting old. Now my morning is spent taking my meds..... thank god for Effexor !!! LOL

6. I hate having to go to bed early at night. I'm a night person. I love naps !

7. I was born in Ohio, raised in Indiana, and we always spent 4-6 wks vacation in Minnesota. It was always a second home to me and now I live here..... in the cold ! Yuck !!!

8. I'm a nose cleaner. Yep, the nose has to be clean. You either blow it or pick it but it has to be clean of all those nasty little boogers.

I still don't know a lot of people so I'm with WB. I'm tagging two people..... Anno and Leslie. Have fun !!

Jan

Our Medieval Big Adventure.....

Well I have to say that our trip to the Madrigal Dinner with 60 6th graders was a success. The kids were so good and they really enjoyed the show. There was the king and queen and their royal court. There were jesters, beggers, commoners and trumpeters. No music except for the trumpets. All the singing was accupelo. The singing was wonderful !! When the actors spoke, they used the old English way of speaking and of course they were in full costume.

We started our meal with a salad and fresh baked sourdough bread with soft creamy butter and a vinagrette dressing. Next came the wild rice soup followed by the main meal. Cordon Bleu chicken, green beans with almonds, and red roasted potatoes. Last came a flaming bread pudding with rum sauce. We had wassail to drink which was a hot cinnamon tea. They came to our tables selling bottles of "wine" for $6.00, which was actually apple cider. Of course all the adults had to buy a bottle for the kids to sample. They gave us plastic wine goblets to drink from and the kids thought they were really grown up. They took the plastic glasses home as souveniers..... LOL

Now, I have to tell you that this event can be a splashy thing. Some of the women wear the long gowns and the men wear their suits and ties. We told the kids this and told them that they had to wear their good clothes. No holey jeans, no stained shirts...... and if clothes was a problem to let us know. Well, let me tell you...... some of the kids went all out. Some of the boys wore suits. Some wore shirts with ties, some just wore clean jeans and shirts. Which was fine. The girls wore their nice clothes too but a few came in their long dresses with their fake diamond earrings and necklaces.. LOL It was so cute. All the kids behaved very well !!! Not an accident, swear word, or any behavior that required a serious look or word from us. We were soooo proud of them.

Well, that was our big night on the town. It was something the kids will talk about for a long time and always remember. For most, it will be a one time experience. For us adults, it was an endeavor that was worth all the work and planning it took just to see the look on thier faces, hear their laughter, and to give them a memory to enjoy.

Jan

This and That.......

Boy, since November is past, the blogs are quieter. W B where are you?????? I miss your humor, your laughter.... I miss you !!!

Did I mention that it was winter here and it has been snowing forever? We got another foot on Tuesday. We have been plowed out twice now. That's more than all last winter !! LOL And it's cold..... I hate the cold. Blah, blah, blah.....

OK.... on to some some exciting news !!! Tomorrow night I am going with my 6th grade class to a Madrigal Dinner at the college. OMG..... I actually paid $34.00 to do this !! We are reading about Medieval England and the teachers thought it would be great to take the kids to this authentic dinner. We will have a 5 course meal, court jesters, and the actors will be in full regalia singing and dancing. There will be 70 of us going. Actually it will be a hoot as long as someone doesn't spill their plate in their lap or accidentally say "Holy shit, Mrs. Himes, look at that !" Keep your fingers crossed...... LOL

Next news flash....... Has anyone heard of or had Lapband surgery? It's a type of gastric surgery where they put a band around the top of the stomach so you won't eat as much and therefore lose weight. It can be tightened or loosened by inflation or deflation with saline through a permanent port. Very non invasive & same day surgery. WELL>> My husband decided to have it done and I, being the ever loving, over weight wife, said i would have it done too. I mean, after 25 years of marriage, where you have done practically everything together, why not this eh? And with our weight and our aches and pains, there's not much left to do .... LOL Anyway, the insurance approved Ed's surgery this week. My info was sent in 4 days after his so mine hasn't come through yet but the doc is expecting it by the first of the week, and he said he expects full approval. SO>>> our surgery date is set for January 3rd. Yes, we are going in on the Buddy Plan. I know W B isn't thrilled about this decision but look at the fun we are going to have. Full liquid diet for 2 weeks after the surgery. Then a soft diet gradually working up to a diet where you only eat 1 cup of food per meal and you can't drink with the meal or for an hour afterward. Doesn't that sound fun?? But the results !!!!!! We are going to look grand !!! We are going to have sooo much energy too. We are going to be new BEings !! And I for one am going to flaunt it. I don't know how yet, because I have never been a size to be able to flaunt anything, but I am going to do it !! LOL Keep your fingers crossed on this one too. I know I'll need your support along the way....

Ok, that's about all the exciting news for now. I don't want to overwelm you, so I'll say good night..... Later !!!

Jan

It's Winter !!!

Yes, the snowing is falling big time here. We have about 8 inches so far and it's still falling. We have a winter storm warning for until 6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. They say the total is going to be 9 inches but we'll get more than that if this keeps up all night. I think I'll sing..... It's beginning to look a lot like christmas...... LOL I just hope our snowplow man gets here tomorrow.

It's only 18 degrees out so that's not bad. The dogs still go out to do their business and my ADDHD kitten Cody thinks it's great. He doesn't stay out long though. His mama and uncle, and his brother Shiloh are happy to stay inside. Mama and Baby, (the uncle) are stray cats that we fed all last winter and let sleep in our shed. Mama repaid our kindness by presenting us with Cody and Shiloh. Of course, the BABY KITTENS were soooo cute, we had to keep them. I already had my Jasper. Jasper was given to me by my sister about 12 years ago and he is my baby. He's not at all pleased with the new babies but he is tolerating them. Pookie, my Chihuahua thinks they are chew toys, and my other Chihuahua, Chico, could care less about them. Needless the say, there's never a dull moment around the house...... Wait til the tree goes up.... LOL

The snowmobilers are in seventh heaven. We haven't had much snow the past few years but this snow is making up for that and they are already out, travelling the trails. I just could never get into that sport. I'd rather be inside where it's warm.

Well, I'm going to fix me a cup of tea and read a while before bed. Do all of you have your holiday decorating done? Your shopping done? How about your Christmas cards..... are they mailed yet? The list never ends does it?

Jan