Here are some pictures of the Biltmore estate, It was raining so some of the pictures did not come out that well.

Thanks all for the Birthday wishes! We had a wonderful time at Biltmore, such a place to see. I will get some pics posted. You can't take pictures inside but we took a few outside. It was so nice to get to do something I have wanted to do for over ten years and to top it off it was my birthday.
Love all the Christmas pictures Trish took. Really missing the family...

Birthday girl!

Hard to believe it's 14 years ago! She is a very sweet kid and we are very proud of her. Happy birthday! Also Happy Birthday to Carol, belated to Brian and Kayla. We are headed to Asheville NC tomorrow and will return on Sunday evening can't wait to see Biltmore!

Christmas!

Well the big day came and went and I am tired of cooking and cleaning. I sit here on the day after at 11:00am still in pj's, very nice! We really had a nice day but I was really missing Brad, Mary Catherine, Jen and Chris and sorry about this guys really really missing Avery and Matilda. I am feeling more and more jealous of the people that live close to their Grandchildren. I am missing our on so much, but I really do have to come to grips with it. I am ever so grateful for the technology we have I can get an image of the girls in an instant. Here are some pics of the day!

Couldn't resist

Here is a picture of Ted hanging out with old Pops! He just stayed in that position when Alex put him on the couch.

Here are the finished produts and the picture of them all together.

Alex and her friends!

Here are some pictures of Alex and her friends at the Mckeagues house making their frames. I think they had fun and they sure loved using the paper punches. Jeanne put on a nice party for the girls and then they had a nice dirty Santa exchange. It is truly amazing to see the girls who for the most part are the same girls we have known since moving here almost six years ago so grown up. Real live teens!
Of course for the most part I see a lot of eye rolling when the parents are in the room.

Still crafting

Sorry I have been so short on posts. I am almost down to the wire for Christmas creativity.
Gloria got here last night and all is well, she looks well and is fighting a little cold. Spirited as ever she is enjoying Ted and I am sure will undo all the training I have done thus far(not much)!
He actually took a piece of toast right off her plate this morning and she never noticed. Don't worry, he did get scolded. I don't really have a chance with Kev and his Mom here, both Reilly and now Ted will be spoiled with PB toast. Alex and I do not share our meals, because once we start we will have four eyes staring at us.
Anyway, I have been busy putting together a project for a little get together Alex is having tomorrow at the Mckeague's. The girls are going to make altered picture frames. I will get some pics of the event so you can see.
Here are some tags I have made for gifts. Hope you are all taking to time to enjoy, I am actually looking forward to the day after Christmas, when I have done all the cooking, baking, wrapping
and cleaning up. But after all, that is what the holiday's are all about.

{hugs}

This is a picture of Jen, probably 1997, a junior in High school sitting in front of Brad's lap top. I have gone through some old pics and I am loving all of these. I will have fun if Jen and Brad decide they want to share these with their spouses. Lots of pics with Brad and his pink clothes and Jen of course with her 80's look! Feel free to comment!

I am very excited that I will have visitors next month and I can be a Grandma to the most beautiful girls in our home!

Time for this Grandma to get to bed.

{hugs}

Help!

I need help locating these children! Last seen, many years ago and happy happy memories!
Seriously, when you think a day will never end or you just need a little sleep, looked what happened...all grown up!

I am oh so proud of our kids, great people with huge hearts. Sometimes I can not believe this many years has passed.

lots of
{hugs}

It's beginning to resemble Christmas!

This is sadly the only tree we have up right now. I have not decided if I will wait until Kevin gets home next week to put a real one up or do it myself this week. We have been very busy of late and the effort into decorating has been somewhat lame. I am not feeling the whole Christmas thing right now. It used to be a favorite time of year but but that has changed. I am trying to get excited and I will keep working on it.







I think it is time to retire the reindeer, I know two people that might like him, so I guess I might have to think of a number of one to ten and the one that gets the closest, you know how it's played. I am pretty sure I see Mary Catherine and Chris just shaking their heads in protest over wanting this thing in their homes. I will apologize in advance!
We might just want to take turns, sort of like the families that mail the fruit cake back and forth for years. Anyway, I put him up and this will be the last year in my home, I have a hard time remembering how long we have had him. I think I made this guy way back in Bayport! So early 80's, do you see a mullet!!
I will be better at posting, I am just glad I finally got my Christmas cards in the mail!

Brrr!

Our first snow, which looks a little like powdered sugar on the grass! I think Brad and Jen would say I was smoking some good dope, just ask them about trees that look like fruit loops! I must equate nature with food products... Issues!!! Anyway enjoy the frosty look!

I am finally posting the birthday card I made our sweet Matilda! I thought it was cute.

Too much bball already!

Gosh it has only been a couple of weeks and I am already tired of running around for bball.
Yesterday I was the designated parent to supply dinner for the team and coaches. I made baked ziti, salad and garlic toast. Pretty easy, but then there was transporting it all, setting up cleaning up and then transporting all back to the car in time to drive to Appomattox ,a 45 minute drive from here. Game at 6, of course watch a period of Varsity and drive home.
I seem to spend a lot of time waiting to pick up or take to the high school lately. I really am not complaining(I know what else would one call it). However, this is just the beginning of the season. I will have some pictures to post soon, I just have to remember to take the camera out the purse at the games.

I have had some interest in my coffee cake of late, Brad says he would like that as a Christmas gift!
Peter, Elise and their kids liked it also. I will post the recipe tomorrow.

I am so far behind on making my Christmas cards, I have quite a few made but just can't get the inspiration to make the rest. I will of course, I have never been one to do it all in the last minute. Oh well time for bed and yes more basketball tomorrow!

{hugs}

We are back to reality, almost! Alex went back to school today and Kev leaves Wed am for his trek back to Richland. He will only be gone for about two weeks, I guess I can cope with that. Basketball gets into full swing this week. Games on Tues, Thurs and Sat, on Sunday we continue with indoor soccer. I will get some pictures of that sport. The girls really seem to enjoy playing, maybe because it really is just playing and having fun!

I need to start some Christmas shopping and finally getting all my cards done. I am also thinking about baking some, although I think it will be a very quiet holiday season. Gloria will be here for Christmas, my bunco group seems to have disbanded and of course with Kev out of town no holiday parties to attend. I have asked to go to Biltmore estate in Asheville NC for my birthday. So I am hoping a certain someone can make that happen. That is a place I have wanted to go since our Knoxville days, I am excited at the thought that it might actually happen.

Oh well off to clean the car, it is just gross.

{hugs}

PS: Happy December!!

Thanksgiving

I am so very thankful for the wonderful dinner we just got home from. Ellen, David, Elise, Peter and Kathleen made our day special. We also were honored with David's cousin Marie from France but now resides in NY. We taught her some great words, lets see...redneck, white trash and cougar!! We were glad to meet her and hope to see her again. The children of course were a joy, they are truly very well behaved children and oh so cute!! Jack is just so happy to be well to be!!
We really enjoyed our Thanksgiving. I will get back to posting more regularly,

{hugs}

Done in Ten!

I was recently wanting to change some things around here. Kevin and I are so used moving every 4 to 5 years, so usually we are doing something different in a new house. I researched some pendant lights and was thrilled to find these. Just screw them into existing recessed lighting and presto, pendant lighting. I just love a little something new sometimes without breaking the bank.
So here some pics of what they look like.

{hugs}

sirius/xm

The two have merged, and now we actually have a Margaritaville station, Siriusly Sinatra and lots more. I was listening to the Sinatra station and found myself really enjoying the music. I guess it must be my age but I really felt calm. It is not just Sinatra just many artists from the time and some like Bette M singing his songs. I also listened to Jimmy Buffett which quite honestly except for being at Mary's house I can say I rarely think to listen to him. Lets just say when I am in the car with Alex we listen to her music. I remember when traveling in our family car Dad owned the radio. Well, not so much in our car, thank goodness for ipods!

So if you have XM check out the new stuff!


{hugs}

Here is a picture of our good friends from Kennewick,WA. Tracy and Bill decided to do a Thanksgiving card this year instead of the traditional Christmas card. A big reason for that was all they as a family went through with Jessi. She was very sick and in fact did die was coded and brought back twice. Jessi is a fighter all the way and an inspiration to all. She was left blind because of a stroke and in this picture some months later you would never know it.
This family, one that is blended is truly a family all who pull for Jessi. We love them like family and they have also made Kevin one of their own while he is without his own. There is the famous saying"Friends are the family you choose". We have been truly rewarded with this family.

{hugs}

Weekend of Soccer

We spent the weekend in Statesville, NC for a soccer tournament. Our last of the season. We played really well. However, we lost two games but we did win our first game. Alex was in goal and was heavily pounced upon with goal shots. She managed to save a ton. The second team we played were just a better team, They were a premier team and it showed. I think they shot on goal every 20 seconds! Alex worked hard the first half with a score of 0-0. The coach kept Alex in goal the second half, usually he switches out with our other goalie. Our girls were just very tired and we ended up losing 5-1. Disappointing, but lots more work and we be the same kind of team.

We also got to have dinner with our good friends Terry and Sherri Whelan. They live in blowing Rock NC. We met about half way for all of us which was Hickory(furniture capital). Brandi their daughter also came with her three beautiful children. It is so funny to see Brandi as a Mom of three! I still think of her as the tween when we met about twenty years ago...
Most importantly they are the reason for many many happy times in my life, Kev and Alex. Their introduction of Kevin took me out of unhappy times, so I am always beholding to the Whelan's for caring enough about the both of us.

So another soccer season behind us and basketball season in front. The pics are from one of the games and the picture of Ted is how he travels, which is nice considering what family he is part of.

Circle card

I saw this card on this site http://stampinpretty.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54f95df928834010535ef6c06970c-pi
I thought the idea is cute and I used a stamp I haven't used in a while. Let me tell you sometimes the process even with inspiration takes a long while. Then add picking Alex up, start preparing dinner and getting ready to take her to bball. One card can take a full day if your not careful!
I do like doing it though, I remember when I started I thought wow I don't have to buy cards again. Little did I know that I probably never would have spent on cards what I have spent on the craft. But that is really what it is all about.

{hugs}

Word verifications

Okay, I was just on Jen's blog and I posted a comment. I had to use a word verification to publish my comment as I do on lots of blogs. Some of these letter combination's are very funny. I think I could make up some pretty funny meanings. The one I just put in Jen's was "shato", just think of the uses!! Anyway, just a silly thought.
We are gearing up for a weekend in Statesville NC for soccer. We have contacted out good friends we have not seen in years and there might be a good possibility of getting together. I hope we can work this out.
Also I might have a card to post if I can get back at my craft table some time today.

{hugs}

I should be ironing!

I had this thought sometime this morning. I got this stamp set with the idea of Christmas gifts of tea and coffee. But sadly I also thought of a beer mug and a great masculine card. What do you think?

She made the JV team!

Well according to the coach the team was decided tonight. Alex made the team, wow playing for the high school. Hard to believe she is gettin all grown up and all(a little Palin for ya). I will truly try and take some pictures of this season. Especially with Kev gone, he will want to see some shots.

I am not the photographer in the family, although my Dad passed that talent around I was not in the line. Probably because we used to try and get away whenever Dad said he would like to try some new technique. But Dad... I would say! I hated it then, but think of all the great pictures we have in our family because of his photography. I think now how amazed he would be with the internet and digital camera's and the ease of instant gratification. I just know he would still be doing as much as he could. He has missed out on so much. We as a family have missed out on so much with his absence. He would be so proud of all his Grandchildren and how they have grown up to be such wonderful people and all the Great Grandchildren, how special they all are.
Okay, sorry a little sappy!
I made Matilda's birthday card today, sooo cute. I can't believe she is going to be a year old.
Waving hi to Matilda!!
Time to say good night.

{hugs}

Our pups

In case you haven't...meet Reilly and Ted

Well another early am for soccer. We left the house at 6, and with a quick stop in Kroger, we got home around 11:00. It was a beautiful morning, the girls scored in the first half twice and the rest of the game was on the defense. We have one more soccer tournament next weekend in Charlotte, NC and that should finish our season.
So now that I feel like it is very late in the afternoon and it is not even lunch time yet, it is going to be a long day! I would love to get some more creative stuff done, we shall see if I can.

{hugs}

Sample Christmas cards

Spent most of the day in Roanoke for Alex's soccer. I came home and Alex played one more game. We have to be in Roanoke for the final game of this tournament at 7am tomorrow.
We are all ready for this season to be over. Basketball tryouts start Monday, she is trying out for the JV team at the high school. We shall see.

I am also trying to get some of my Christmas cards done, a process I am not altogether inspired to do right now. I am not feeling very creative. Ever since Ted has joined the family, I feel as if I have taken on something bigger than I really needed at this time. He was after all supposed to be a "moving bribe". Well that never happened, so guess who has custody of him!

I am looking forward to the day we can live as a family, there are days I find myself very angry at the situation we are in. Economy doldrums have hurt my family, not financially but emotionally.

Wow, what a downer I am!
I will try to write here and figure all this out. I am also really going to try and get some pictures posted.

{hugs}

Well I guess I can jump in and try to keep up with this blog. I need to learn all I can about posting pictures. I will have some time today maybe I can figure it out.

My first time!

Just getting started in the world of blogging. I would like to share family moments, maybe some crafty things as well. I am certainly not a techie but maybe with some help I can actually learn some new things.