My favorite Christmas gift

So about 9 months or so ago my cd wallet was in the door of my POS van and it fell out someplace I was very sad! Crushed is a better word, most of the CD's were from the 80's and 90's and I just knew I would never have good music in my car again.

Well my sweet Michael for Christmas went out and did what he could to replace them for me. No they aren't the same albums but a lot of the same artists and it was so thoughtful of him.
I give him hard time about Christmas gifts and birthday gifts (the man bought me a rice steamer one time) but this one was spot on!

Thank you my love!

Slacker blogger update...

Sorry I have been a total slacker blogger!
Updates lets see...
Grandma is still with us she has good days and bad but over all is about the same as she has been since she got to the hospice place.

My sister update she just found out she is pregnant! Woo hoo I get to make baby quilts!

Christmas update Santa found our house and left the kids (okay me) a Wii I have been bowling on it and am having a blast.

Snow update we have about 2 feet and the snow plows haven't been out so its scary even to go get milk down the hill to the store. Its currently 10° Fahrenheit outside(-12.22° Celsius) and that it damn (opps excuse my mouth!) cold!

Carin the injury prone update I hurt my back shoveling snow on Monday then Thursday as I was starting to feel better I fell down the stairs and hurt it again. GEEES I am I a loser or what!

Hope your Christmas was grand and you have a wonderful New Year!

Merry Christmas

Its early I know but life is still crazy here I am running back and forth between taking care of kids and Christmas and going to the hopice center to see my grandma I hope you all have a great one.

Sad day

My grandma went to a hospice center (pictured above) its very nice but it means the end is near.

New member of our family

This is Bella (she came with that name) Wade had his 5 year old allergy tests and he has out grown his dog allergy. WOO HOO!

On the grandma front they are talking about a permanent feeding tube. They finally gave her an IV she was so dehydrated and we had to ask the Dr to put one in I am distressed at the care she is getting. GRRR! I will let you know when I know anything new.

My poor grandma

This is a diagram of nasal feeding with a tube. This is what they are putting in my grandma right now. She had a stroke but that was in October and she has been choking on the food and liquids she is trying to eat. Finally after 5 trips to the emergency room they admitted her and are evaluating what is going on. The Dr said that its not the stroke that is causing the problems he is running some tests but he said its about a 33% chance its ALS (lou gehrig's disease)that has no cure and she will just get worse. We are praying it is the other disease he mentioned that can be treated but he is leaning toward ALS. I know that most of the people that read my blog are of different religions but I also believe that no matter God listens to prayers. So if you wouldn't mind remembering her in your prayers I would be thankful to you.
HUGS!


UPDATE...
They sedated grandma to put in the tube and that tiny tube cut off her airway so something is really wrong in her throat. They were unable to place the tube. They are weighing the options at this point. SIGH!!
HUGS to all!

This made me laugh

So I got this from a friend today I thought it was hysterical, I hope it doesn't offend anyone.



Finkelstein and Jesus


Jesus was wandering around Jerusalem when he decided that he really needed a new robe.

After looking around for a while, he saw a sign for Finkelstein, the Tailor.


So, he went in and made the necessary arrangements to have Finkelstein prepare a new robe for him. A few days later, when the robe was finished, Jesus tried it on -- and it was a perfect fit!

He asked how much he owed.

Finkelstein brushed him off: "No, no, no, for the Son of God there's no charge!

However, may I ask for a small favor. Whenever you give a sermon, perhaps you could just mention that your nice new robe was made by Finkelstein, the Tailor?"

Jesus readily agreed and as promised, extolled the virtues of his Finkelstein robe whenever he spoke to the masses.

A few months later, while Jesus was again walking through Jerusalem , he happened to walk past Finkelstein's shop and noted a huge line of people waiting for Finkelstein's robes.

He pushed his way through the crowd to speak to him and as soon as Finkelstein spotted him he said: "Jesus, Jesus, look what you've done for my business!

Would you consider a partnership?"

"Certainly," replied Jesus.

"Jesus & Finkelstein it is."

"Oh, no, no," said Finkelstein.

"Finkelstein & Jesus.

After all, I am the craftsman."

The two of them debated this for some time.

Their discussion was long and spirited, but ultimately fruitful -- and they finally came up with a mutually acceptable compromise. A few days later, the new sign went up over Finkelstein's shop:


LORD AND TAYLOR...........

not much to say just need to talk to stay sane

So I have a 4 (almost 5) year old that is making me crazy today. His birthday is right after Christmas and so I have the double fun of him counting down to both. Every couple minutes he tells me its Christmas or his birthday. I know he is excited and I will be sad when he doesn't care anymore but right now I am pulling my hair out.
I could swear he is 14 not 4 he is being mouthy and throwing tantrums he didn't do this when he was 2 or even 3 it started about a month ago maybe a bit longer, about the time he started pre-school. I a starting to wonder if he is with other kids that get away with being naughty. He has spent so much time in the corner it is going to have a permanent groove from his nose.
I have threatened that Santa doesn't bring gifts to little boys that do naughty things. No effect he just cries and ends up throwing a fit that ends him back in the corner.
I am thinking I could probably sew a straight jacket with a gag but that could take me out of the mother of the year running and you know how much that award means to me.
I hope I can help him out of this "faze" before I am totally bald.
Until next time Hugs to all,

Check out this great new quilt pattern

>Click here to discover more details about this beautiful quilt

So much to be thankful for...

I am thankful for:
my family
-my sweet eternal companion
-my 13 year old that is a good girl and rarely acts like a teen
-my 10 year old that has the biggest heart
-and my 5 year old that makes me laugh every day
the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life
a warm home
good friends
better health
our free country
the men and woman who are willing to serve to keep it that way
all my sweet "online" friends who help me in so many ways.

I hope to everyone the reads my blog that you can take a day to remember you are blessed, To those of you in the USA enjoy your Thanksgiving and have a piece of pecan pie for me HUGS!!

Swamp Smoothies

So I promised to post a picture of my green smoothies, Wade calls them my swamp smoothies. This one has about a cup of water, two large handfuls of spinach, about 1/2 c of parsley, 1/2 c frozen blueberries and a banana. Its a bit brown from the blueberries instead of green but hey Wade loves them.

drowning under a pile of laundry

I am so sick of laundry I could scream, you just get everything done and more shows up. BLECH!
What if we had biodegradable clothes, stuff you could wear once and then it just melted.
I see issues with sweaty people that could be bad cause really if you are extra sweaty do we really want to see you walking around with the armpits of your shirt melted?
In the summer under your boobs would melt. That could be dang frightening if you happen to be shopping at Wal-Mart. EEWWWW!!

HMMM!

Okay so biodegradable/melting clothes aren't the greatest idea let me keep thinking on this one, I know I can come up with something to get out of folding 5 peoples socks and underwear aside from asking them to stop wearing them or wear them dirty.
SIGH!

So I have jumped into the raw food thing

I will post a picture of one of my green smoothies as soon as I take one. I have started eating raw for breakfast and lunch. That is the easiest cause I only have to worry about what I am eating at those meals.
I feel more energy, I feel less run down I even made it to the gym today and I am not dead.
I am hopeful that this is a sign of things to come and that I will feel better than my old self in no time.
(I even put some hemp seeds on my salad today I am such a hippy)

Parent teacher conferances

I think that they plan these just to make my life a pain in the bum!
It means that for the next two days I have to remember to go get the kids at 11:15 not 11:00 not 11:30 no that would have made sense, 11:15!
Not only that but it also means the kids will be home and in my space and invading my me time. LOL!
I sound like the worst parent in the world, I have to remember my kids and have them around. Boy its no wonder I never get to ride in the parade on the fourth of July as Mother of the Year!
The kids have been doing well at the new school and they really like it so PTC shouldn't be to bad, I don't expect them to tell me my children have a great future in the fast food industry or that they are future serial killers. That's always a bonus.
I guess I better get my tooshie in gear if I don't want to be the only mom picking up her kids still in her PJ's ;O)

Raw food diet???

Has anyone heard of this? Its not so much of a "diet" as a lifestyle, like being vegan or vegetarian, You only eat things that are raw or dehydrated. Nothing heated to over 116 degrees. I find this very interesting, I am not a huge meat fan and I like my veggies raw. I have to wonder about how you get enough protein in your diet, I believe tofu is cooked so you would be down to nuts and raw beans. That sounds really hard on your digestive tract.
The biggest down side I can see to this is no sugar, no chocolate, and no CF diet coke. Now I know I can hear you all saying "Carin your diabetic you shouldn't be eating sugar and chocolate anyway." I know I know I am working on it. Not very hard I admit but I am trying a little.
Anyone with thoughts or experience with this "lifestyle" I would love to hear it.

Celebrating and Honoring our Veterans (USA)

Celebrate Veterans' Day
The History and Origin of Veterans' Day



In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. The "war to end all wars" was over.

November 11, 1919 was set aside as Armistice Day in the United States, to remember the sacrifices that men and women made during World War I in order to ensure a lasting peace. On Armistice Day, soldiers who survived the war marched in a parade through their home towns. Politicians and veteran officers gave speeches and held ceremonies of thanks for the peace they had won.

Congress voted Armistice Day a federal holiday in 1938, 20 years after the war ended. But Americans realized that the previous war would not be the last one. World War II began the following year and nations great and small again participated in a bloody struggle. After the Second World War, Armistice Day continued to be observed on November 11.

In 1953 townspeople in Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veterans' Day in gratitude to the veterans in their town. Soon after, Congress passed a bill introduced by a Kansas congressman renaming the federal holiday to Veterans' Day. 1971 President Nixon declared it a federal holiday on the second Monday in November.

Americans still give thanks for peace on Veterans' Day. There are ceremonies and speeches and at 11:00 in the morning, most Americans observe a moment of silence, remembering those who fought for peace.

After the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, the emphasis on holiday activities has shifted. There are fewer military parades and ceremonies. Veterans gather at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. to place gifts and stand quiet vigil at the names of their friends and relatives who fell in the Vietnam War. Families who have lost sons and daughters in wars turn their thoughts more toward peace and the avoidance of future wars.

Veterans of military service have organized support groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. On Veterans' Day and Memorial Day, these groups raise funds for their charitable activities by selling paper poppies made by disabled veterans. This bright red wildflower became a symbol of World War I after a bloody battle in a field of poppies called Flanders Field in Belgium.

I am proud of the veterans in my family, my grandfather was at pearl harbor when it was attacked then went to the Philippines, my other grandfather helped work on the a-bomb, My father is a Vietnam vet and I have several cousins that have served in different branches during peace as well as in Iraq most recently.

Thank a Vet today, remember Freedom is not free, it has been paid for by these brave men and women.

I admit it I am an addict

I am addicted to Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew. This is a great interview with Dennis Miller.Dr Drew

Representing my state (hope I did okay)

I am part of a swap with some online friends from across the country, we each had to make a block that represented something from our state. I picked Arches, Delicate Arch because it is so recognisable as part of Utah and I found some way cool fabric in the oranges. I will post the rest when they arrive next week some time.

A scary dose of reality

49 days, 7 hours, 29 minutes, and 30 seconds left until Christmas!

for all of you here in the US!

Fun with printer ink.

This is why one's husband should throw away the old printer ink cartridges immediately. I also had the fun of cleaning ink of the computer desk and I don't think the 3 small spots that got on carpet will ever come out. SIGH!! Its no wonder I am tempted to sell him ;O) Good thing he's cute (both of them)

My favorite holiday!

Hope your day is full of M&M's and Smarties and its "spooktacular"

Turkeys!

I took part in a really fun swap of turkey blocks, the one above is what mine looked like. I now have 9 different turkeys including one of mine. I am trying to decide if I should make a wall hanging, a table runner, place mats or what. Any ideas? I think they probably have to be put on point otherwise the turkeys kinda lay on there side and look drunk or something. SO suggestions?

Mary Kay in the news

Mary Kay is making the news!!! Please watch this very short video and if you want to hear more, leave me a message or e-mail me and I will get right back to you. With the economy and job market the way it is, you or someone you know may like to hear more.

This is why I am so proud of what I do!!





Channel 33 Interview
http://www.the33tv.com/pages/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3039259

Pre-school visits the firestation

We went this morning to visit the firestation with Wade's preschool. He had a blast! They watched a cute video with "Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers" about fire saftey, then they got to go out and climb on the firetrucks and the ambulance. While we were there they even got called out on a call so the kids got to see them jump into the firetruck and ambulance and take off with lights and sirens. In the end the gave them all plastic firefighter hats. It was a lot of fun for the kids. Please excuse the poor quality of the picture they were taken with my cell phone (as I am mother of the year I managed to forget BOTH digital cameras we have at home.) Until next time, HUGS TO ALL!!!