I love my husband

So Thursday night I had a multiple hour communte to go 9 miles by the time I got home I was fit to be tied, BUT I walked in the house to Jim saying "Hunny I bought all the ingredients to make cookies" It was even cuter because the ingredients were pre-made cookie dough and powdered sugar and then sugars and beads for the top. We had such a good time rolling out the dough and cutting shapes it really was a nice peaceful evening after a hectic commute!

Here are few pictures:

cutting out angels

Ready for the oven

Decorating

Posed eating photo by the tree

He likes it!!!

Angels we have heard on high!!!

Stars and snowflakes

Sugar cookie men

white chocolate ginger brownies made by me!!!!

I am so lucky!

I have wonderful friends and family...

I just want to give you an example of my friends this week:

- Dinners dropped off that lasted the whole week
- Daily e-cards that brought me smiles
- Coming over to put up my Christmas tree
- Emails making sure I am okay!
- Nephews who carry (bridle style) a grammy having seizures
- Coming over to celebrate mom's birthday mid-week
- Celebrating Hannukah with mom during more seizures and not making her feel bad about it!
- Phone calls to make sure I am okay with Hospice (I am not - we'll fix that)

I am so very very lucky to have such wonderful people in my life and I am so very very grateful to all of you! You each make the weeks seem so very much more good than bad!

Thank you!

The things you don’t talk about

+++sorry if this is depressing, it certainly isn't meant to be it really is just a rambling curious brain+++

And with whom?
Do you have things that you just don’t talk about with certain people? Like I know most people don’t talk about sex with their mom’s, and the opening of jobs with their bosses, and tampons with men… You know it is that social or comfort barrier thing, but are there other things you don’t talk about? Or other things you just don’t talk about with some people?

I have noticed this in myself lately and I am not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad or just a thing, you know? Part of it is I am certain that I am on a different plane than some of my friends right now and who knows if we can relate with one another and then if you can’t there is that whole awkward silence and (for me at least) you realize you once again are just odd person out. I know that this is really just a rambling post about nothingness but I was just thinking about it.

But it seems to me that I have segregated myself into the person I am (I know that doesn’t make sense but follow me for a minute here) everyone that I know (are there others I don’t know about probably and I wish they would comment so I could make new friends) of who reads this is someone I know (and probably love) but with some of you I talk about crafts, and with a few I talk about my mom, and there is one person I feel like I can talk to about my house, some that I talk about marriage to and some that I chatter endlessly about jewelry to, and none that really want to hear about my horses (those people don’t read my blog), many I complain about my job to and I am sure many other facets of my life that I have separated like oil and water and I wonder why that is? Does everyone do that?

I am not complaining in the least – I am overall very happy with my life and my friendships but it occurs to me that when I die and my friends get together for a funeral (although I think I have decided to forgo) they would be like ahhh yes remember how Joy thought so much about her house before putting in the pellet stove (or appliances or whatever) and others would look at that person like really? And then they may talk about the sadness my mom getting sicker was causing me and there are some who would say “really she dealt with it so easily” and more and more I am sure – odd huh?

I am thinking if I went over to XYZ’s friends house (let’s say a friend with whom I talk about crafts – since this started as a craft blog) and said yeah so THIS is going on in my life they would probably sit and listen and be the wonderful friends that you all are but I guess that it would never occur to me.

Do you do this?
Am I alone in it?
Is there a reason we (yes I am assuming we all do this) do this?
Is it a form of self preservation?

Heck I have friends who I never told mom was sick because then I had someone to call just to chat and not think about it? You know How’s the family? Same old same old, did you see the sales that Macy’s is having on shoes? So weird…

Anyway hugs to all of you and thanks for being a facet!

Random photo post

So here is a little of what is going on in my life ;-)
They say a picture is worth a thousand words - so here's a few grand worth of pics.

Cuddling with Tiki - this is one of my favorite things to do. How could I not with a face like that?

I am SO proud of these little presents - I always try to send my technicians a little Christmas present and I loved the look of the tower gifts this year but they were all so expensive so I made my own. I filled the bottoms with smarties and the top boxes with "candy cane" Hershey's kisses - the total cost was 2.75 each so much better than the $20 each for pre-mades.

And who says I can't cook?

Well certainly not Needles - who ate this and it was the first thing that she would eat in almost a week - she is certainly not out of the woods but will be here long enough for me to wrap my head around the fact that she needs to go!

And lastly a happy thought - this is my favorite Christmas tradition - checking out this house because every year it is such a cute little town they create!

It is officially the Christmas season


HOHOHO everyone :-)

On protons and artwork

Well there is an artist that I have had the opportunity to enjoy the artwork of Tim Murley for the last year. His work is TNMS but I love it... And oddly Jim who likes ABSRACT loves it too - so when I found out that he was going to be at an "affordable artshow" Jim and I decided to go - affordable is 100% debatable but we went anyway. I had decided I would spend up to $150 ---- well we went over budget by 50% BUT we got a steal - another artist commented that we got a $3000 piece and the artist thinks that he mismarked it ;-0 but I am happy - we have a gorgeous piece by the artist of "Rodeo Jones" although it isn't a rodeo jones piece (they start at $8000) it is a similar style and I am SO excited. It is 13" x 56" and I can't wait to hang it in the kitchen.
The show was an experience it was PACKED - like literally we could not walk a step without being stepped on or stepping on someone else. There were 20 artists there and all were amazing and Tim's was highly popular - He was well on his way to selling out Friday night (this was a 3 day show)
Here are a few pictures - let me know what you think?

Moments of greatness @---}--

So, I just got out of bed to write this post (and yes I do realize that this means I have blogged four times in one week - don't get used to it) and it really isn't that significant a post but it was something that came to me in a moment of clarity...

Even in the best thing in all the world it can't be perfect all the time otherwise you wouldn't appreciate it. Not in friendships, families, jobs, animals, cars, houses, or hell even conversations do get truly true perfection. And you know what? That is perfect!!!!!!!!! If you did you'd never appreciate those moments of greatness, I mean when you get your nails done and they are flawless on day one you are oohing and awwing over them but by day three it is just normal and you don't appreciate them. I guess that's how life is. There are moments of greatness, moments of "I mink not" and there are also moment where you are up to your armpits in shit (either literal or not) and if you didn't have those you couldn't and wouldn't appreciate the days when you know that the sun is shining and the birds are singing and well life is happening just for you. And at this moment I am having one of those... A moment of greatness!

I wish you all your moments and that you appreciate them for what they are...

Well it's official

Yup I own the house (and the mortgage that goes with it)
November second Jarred graduated from boot camp with HIGH HONORS - I am so proud! And I bought a house - he called me to congratulate me... Sigh that seemed so wrong!

The funny part of the day (for me) was that it took me almost as long to open a checking account at the bank as it did to transfer the house - - - okay okay okay I didn't have to spend ~ 45 hours in the weeks before getting everything settled so I could open the checking account (ohhhh yeah I will add in here I had to open a checking account with the bank that I got the loan through and get money direct deposited into because of my lacking credit history).

Because the build up was so much for me I assumed that it would be a long drawn out process but in reality it was 45 minutes of paper signing and then back to work, it was all rather anti-climatic I believe.

But anyway here are a few pictures of the day.


Dad selling it - I like this picture because I think he looks happy for me!


I love this picture - after 50 years Dad doesn't even have to ask mom to hold the papers - she just know and reaches a hand out automatically :-)


As John would say (OMG did I just say as John would say?) "Done did it"

*And for some reason the picture of mom signing won't upload - but know she was there and she signed and she was happy for me - actually that night we celebrated over subs (Hey it's what everybody wanted) I said something about it being a good house and mom said "well I have some bad news for you" I asked what truly afraid of the answer her reply? "I sold it today, but the new owner seems really nice maybe she'll let you live here"

And you can look forward to (or dread if you find this boring) more info on the house in posts to come - we are going to be working hard to make it a more "green" house in the months and years to come - the first change happens in November maybe one or two in December - we'll see...

Jim's decorations

A few people asked for them so here they are... Part of Jim's decorations 07...
This year was a more hurried year for Jim decorating because he had "help" from Joey. AND the wind was awful, but overall it was pretty good.

Halloween photo post

Joey was the cutest little chicken head

Alicia and Bekah had so much fun

Joey and Momma Ashley getting ready to go out

Katy in my favorite costume of the night

Mom giving out candy

Alicia is a ham I don't care what she is dressed as

Danielle as a broken Tinkerbell...

Stefanie was a purple witch

And Tyler in his last minute costume when his original costume didn't fit him! (His Daddy wasn't so happy that his son was called a cute little girl all night long)

Abby was cookin'

Halloween Party

I know I am a few days late here but I wanted to show you all some of my favorite pictures from the Halloween party 07... I had a great time and hope everyone else did too - BUT I will tell you there is far too much alcohol left over at my house FAR!!!!!!!!!

Hugh Hefner and one of his girls (Marianne can tell you who)

Joy and Anginettie

Mom holding a baby

Lance Armstrong, I wish I had taken a better picture since this was funny!!!

Bruce and his wife whose world revolves around her (that's her costume NOT a commentary!)

Cowgirl Mom

Laura and the fortune teller

My favorite Sumo Wrestler

Roy, Sharon, and witchy Marianne

Sharon, Marianne and Joy

Kat and Adam

Cheryl

The WORLD'S cutest dog!!

Hope to see you all next year!