friend....again

Again, last night, a horn honked from the driveway - it was Barb. This time she just stopped to chat for awhile. Friends are the best, aren't they? But, what I love most of all is that she knows she can stop by whenever she feels like it!

Is it Saturday?

I've had such a hard time remembering what day it is! Having Christmas on a Monday mixed me up.

Today has been a relaxing day - actually, most of these days off have been! Didn't get dressed until almost noon. Fred left around 2:00 for his first of 3 ballgames and I dusted and vacuumed and Christmas decorations are all put away - oh, except for the stocking that I saw hanging on the front door when I went out after the mail. :-) Started my "not going to eat so much" plan tonight. Had poached eggs for supper - well, I did have a candy bar, but I will use the treadmill and walk off those calories later this evening. (that's what I told myself) My goal is 10 lbs., but if I have lost 5 by the time we go to California I will be happy. Barb and I are going to have weekly weigh-ins at school, so that should help to motivate me.

Fred opened a CD this morning that officially started the "Home for Christmas" fund! :-)

Now I am going to go use the treadmill then just watch TV tonight!

Friday

It is a lazy morning....staying in the pajamas for a long time today.
We went to Columbus yesterday. Talked to a counselor at the State Teacher Retirement center. She was really nice and explained things very clearly. We just have to decide which package best suits our needs. Our appointment was at 3:00 and we were in the car and leaving by 3:00!
So, we headed to Easton - went to Trader Joe's and got another jar of More like Pnut Butter and some other things. Then headed to Golfsmith and they had the clubs that Fred wanted to try out - so now he knows exactly which clubs he wants to order and he found a pair of golf shoes he liked that were on sale.
From there we went to Reid and Jasmine's. When Reid got home we went to Max and Erma's then went back to their house and played a couple games of Blokus. It was a nice day. Didn't get home until almost midnight, which was WAY past our bedtime! :-)
Fred is taking down the outside decorations right now and I think I am going to start on the indoor ones pretty soon. Tinora has a holiday bball tournament at the college tonight/tomorrow night and Fred is running the clock/scoreboard so I will have some quiet alone time those nights!

Quiet

Kami and Eric got back this afternoon and decided to head home after supper. Alex and Elizabeth were so good. Alex said he wished he could stay here for a thousand years! :-)

Day after

We have had a fun day! Kami and Eric went on a "trip" (that is what Elizabeth is telling everyone) to Maumee Bay State Lodge and Alex and Elizabeth have been with us. They have been so good. We went to Great Grandma Darr's then came home and tried out Alex's rocket. He sure could make it go high! But, it was cold, so we couldn't stay out too long. Tonight we played games, watched Rudolph's New Year, then they went to bed. We love having the grandkids for a visit - well, the kids too! :-) Kami is so good about coming to visit and we really appreciate that.

Christmas Day

What a nice day it was - only thing missing was Todd and Ann and the girls, but Todd called soon after Kami's got here so it was kind of like having them here! Kami's got here first and Reid and Jasmine came awhile after. I don't know how I got so lucky to have such thoughtful kids......I'm so proud of all of them!

The Haircut Saga

So, my hair was absolutely driving me NUTS! I thought I wanted to grow it out, but I realized I'm just a short hair person! I thought Gayle was leaving for Florida on Tuesday so I called someone else to get my hair trimmed (she does about 4 people from school and their hair is cute so why not?) I tell her I need a good trim - well, it was a trim-plus! I looked on the floor and said, "Whoa - there's a lot of hair there!" I looked in the mirror and I had wings on the side (looked like the flying nun). I had to go back to school and I was mortified! When I walked in the office Barb doubled over laughing at me! I tried to stay out of sight as much as possible. Some of the kids looked at me like I was an alien - some of the girls told me they liked my hair. I just looked at them and told them it wasn't nice to lie! When I walked in the door at home Fred laughed at me! I went straight to the shampoo and did a wash - still didn't look very good. Got up Thursday morning and the first thing I did was head for the shampoo. Looked a little better - at least people could look at me without bursting out laughing! Yesterday morning it actually looked okay without washing it. So, maybe today it will look even better. I am being punished for going to someone other than Gayle! Oh - and here is the worst part! On Wednesday when I am feeling SO ugly and SOOOOO guilty for not going to Gayle the phone rings at 9:30 and it was Gayle! She had a computer problem and needed help. I say, "I thought you were in Florida!!!!" She said they weren't leaving until Thursday. Then after I help her fix her computer she goes on and on about how much she loves me. Talk about a guilt trip!!!!!! I have an appointment with Gayle on January 3 and I will call her earlier in the day and 'fess up so she won't kill me when I walk in the door. Aaaarrrggghhhh.....why does hair freak us out so much!

Saturday Morning

It's been a busy morning! Baked a sugar cream pie and made more Goodie Nut bars! :-) Been giving candy away and was afraid there wouldn't be any left for Christmas Day! Kami called and asked if we got Eric something for Christmas that would have been delivered.....the coffee of the month club that was to be delivered the last week of December was delivered today. :-) So, Merry Christmas to Eric! He still has something under the tree to open - not to worry. :-) Then Reid called and said they wouldn't get here until this afternoon. They are dropping the dog off at Jasmine's parents on their way here. Now I'm going to clean the kitchen - I think it is safe to do without messing it up too much more.

Friend

It's Thursday. Today was Goodie Nut Bars and Caramels - that's all. No cleaning, no fixing a meal, nothing but Goodie Nut Bars and Caramels. Diane brought the annual plate of cookies - and I sampled a couple - they were good! Fred had a ballgame at the college. He no more left than the phone rang - it was my sister and we talked a long time. Soon after I hung up the doorbell rang and there, dripping wet, stood my friend, Barb. She knew I have had it in my sinuses all week so she came to tell me to use a warm washcloth and gave me a nose strip to wear to bed. Then she massaged my sinuses and I feel so much better! What a nice friend to take the time to come make me feel better when she has company coming tomorrow. (Although, I think there was a little guilt about laughing at my haircut yesterday - that's a whole other blog in itself!) Anyway we had a really good talk and it was a perfect evening. Now it's time to go to bed. Tomorrow I really have to get up and focus and get something accomplished!!!! Night!

School's Out!

Ah, school is out until January 3! Yeah! No baking or candy making tonight. Just enjoying the start of Christmas Break! We did drive around and look at lights on the south end tonight - a bunch of bah humbugs!

Cookies

Tonight was cutout cookies. Snowmen, Christmas trees, stars, bells, and gingerbread men. Yum! Made me think of Christmas in California last year.

green Christmas

So, they are saying no white Christmas in Ohio this year. Just rain. :-( I'm trying real hard not to catch a cold right now. So, I am staying home from the ballgame tonight and doing nothing! Last night I made party mix - good, cashew crunch - a little scorched in spots, and pralines - bad because they didn't set up. But, they sure taste good when I scoop them up with a spoon! :-) May have to put them in a bowl. Ha! I might make cut out cookie dough tonight to keep in the fridge until I am ready to bake cookies.

Big Box

There was a big box on the front porch when I got home from school yesterday! Now there are lots of presents under the tree! Oh how we wish we could be in California for Christmas again this year and bring everyone else with us!!! :-)
Reid called tonight - he was on his way home from hunting with Jasmine's dad today. So sad - no deer. Todd called this afternoon on his way to Costco - I love that my boys call so often while they are on the road!
Today I worked on a menu for Christmas. Not a big meal. Reid requested veggie pizza and cream puffs - so they are on the menu. Going to try chicken wings this year, too. And lots of other goodies - too much, I'm sure!
School is out at 2:45 on Wednesday! Yay!!! I'm not scheduled to work this week - but am going in to help make up days I will be missing when we go to California in February - can't wait!
I was just thinking the other day - what would we do if we didn't have our computers to stay in touch? Would make it really hard, wouldn't it? And I put the videos from the girls on my iPod so I can take them with me everywhere I go and show everyone!
A boring television night so I'm watching the Food Network. Everyone is together having a Christmas party and sharing recipes - so it's actually kind of fun to watch tonight.

Tuesday night in Ohio

It is a warm November night in Ohio. 57 right now and we could go out without a coat - I am just picturing you California people with winter coats and scarves if you were here! :-)

So, I thought I would just try this and put a picture of Alex's birthday cake on. He wanted a robot this year and he said he guessed this cake was okay. We took it to Indiana with us on Thursday. I held it on my lap and it did real good until we were almost there and the head rolled off! Kind of funny. They said it didn't change the taste.

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