Done, done, done, done...............!!

All the Christmas shopping is done. Finally!! Took the oldest out tonight to get for hubby and his brother. Whew! Now, the wrapping part :(

Actually, the youngest helped me wrap some of the gifts that we are giving last night. So tomorrow night, I'm hoping, I'll be able to have him help me wrap hubby's gifts. That will leave me with his gifts to wrap. I'm thinking on Thursday when the oldest is working we will wrap his. I have to stop by a friends house tomorrow after work to drop gifts for the family and day old, unsold bagels for the chickens. I wanted to do it tonight, but she wasn't home most of the day. I pass her house on the way to and from work. After we were shopping she was home and her husband had left, but I know she doesn't open the door after it gets dark. If I tell her I haven't been home yet, I should be out of there quickly. Last time I went for a visit I was there like 3 hours. She just loves to talk, lol!!

Everything is in my parents box and ready to be sent. I have the cousin in Canada's gifts for the new baby almost done. Hat half way done and one more pair of booties. Hoping to be done by the weekend.

I looked at the calender the other day, really looked at it and I realized Christmas is next Friday! I know it's coming, just didn't realize how close it really is.

Time to put my feet up because they really ache. Lately it seems they ache all the time. Hubby has to rub my feet for me when he gets home otherwise I'll have achy feet all week. Seems like all my shoes and boots aren't comfortable anymore. Don't know what's up with that.

Pot Luck

Finally made it to church this morning. All I really wanted to do was stay in bed and relax, but the cat was making such noise, I got up. As soon as I'm up she gets quiet. We've nicknamed the cat the "four legged alarm clock." Every morning she just crys and crys, loudly sometimes, until I get up, or one of the kids on the weekends. Then she's quiet. By the time I'm dressed and awake, she's snuggled up somewhere asleep. Now, that's the life!

We had our annual pot luck and white elephant today. I knew about the pot luck, but not the white elephant. Not until I walked in and saw the wrapped gifts under the tree, then I knew. But, I haven't been to Church in a few weeks so that's why I didn't know. This pot luck was finger foods. Glad I brought meatballs because 2 people brought egg salad sandwiches and one person premade cold cut sandwiches. I did meatballs because in case there were a lot left over, I could always freeze them. Can't do that with the other

stuff. I only brought home a few meatballs. The others had a lot of sandwiches left. Two kinds of soups, but they also freeze well. The white elephant was cancelled because of the snow. We were supposed to get snow this afternoon and we did. It started right after the service was over, and accumulated fast. The snow was large flakes. Hubby didn't come with me this morning because he had to work early. His cousin spent the night at their aunts place and is coming back later today. So, early day for hubby. I never got home until after 1:30, hubby was supposed to be at work at 1. Oh well, I had these plans first and I'm not changing them just because someone made plans yesterday and I'm supposed to accommodate. Tired of doing that. I am glad I left when I did though because the roads were bad. As I was sitting at the end of the church driveway, there was a white suv coming down the road. The youngest was in the front with me and he tells me that person is sliding. They were going slow, but the closer they got to the turn they wanted to make, yup, they were sliding all right. Slid right past the turn. Slowly backed up a little and slid and made the turn. I had the pick up and had put it in 4 wheel just for the traction down the driveway. The church sits up on a hill, so it's up to get into the parking lot and down to get back out to the road. Winter you have the snow and ice and slush. But come Spring, it's mud. Mud, mud and more mud. The kind of mud that just sucks you in. Many a times in the Spring I've just floored it up the driveway hopping not to get stuck. Of course, the car looks like I've gone muddin, but I got up, lol!!

Anyway, it takes 10 minutes to get to church from my house. Took 20 today. On the way home saw 2 vans that had slid off the road in a ditch. Could only go about 35 and then I could feel the back end of the truck starting to slide, so nice and easy all the way home. As I was driving the snow was starting to turn to rain, but with the snow already on the roads, the rain was just making slush, and that can be slick to. By the time hubby got to work, the trucks were out salting and sanding. Had I waited a little longer, it probably would have been better driving. But, I'm home and hubby is at work, so that's what counts.

The white elephant was cancelled until a later time. There are a lot of elderly, mostly women who had to drive themselves home. Most don't live close either. This gives me time to get something under the tree for the white elephant to.

Break Time!!

Why is it the weekends go so darn fast and it takes forever for the work week to move??

Had a lot to do today so was up and out the door by 10 am. Unusual for me, but busy day. Got all the shopping in town done and dropped my time sheet at work so no more in town for me this weekend. Talk about traffic!! Geez, I think everyone in the county was out today! Bumper to bumper. Did a lot of the shopping for baking stuff local because I just wanted to do it and get it over and get home. Had to go into town anyway, so got what I couldn't get local. I know the local supermarket is expensive, just never realized how expensive. While I was in town I saw some of the same stuff I bought local and on one thing I paid $2.20 more!! Everything in town was a lot cheaper. Told hubby that we have to shop in town more and to only use the local supermarket when we have to. My excuse today was I was just lazy, tired, and not in the mood. Stayed up to late last night knitting! I paid for it!

Get all my stuff home and hubby is making his bread. No room in the kitchen or the stove for me. Puts me behind on what I need to make for tomorrow. Hubby tells me his cousin needs our car because he's taking his family to see their aunt and possibly spending the night. Oh goodie, I get to drive the truck tomorrow!! NOT!!!!!!!! Anyway, his cousin has been having trouble with his wife and kids. He went and rented a house before he left and his wife refuses to stay there. She spends all day in the appt upstairs at the station. The few times he did leave his wife and kids at the house, they called every few minutes complaining about how he needed to come home because they are to afraid to be their alone. I'm going to keep my opinion to myself on this one. Anyway, hubby was telling me this morning that his cousin is looking for something else to rent. He already signed a 6 month lease for the place he has. He might not be able to get out of it and if he does, I doubt he will get his deposit back. He got this place through a friend of his, hubby told him to be careful because it might damage the friendship. His cousin has been looking at houses to buy but everything he looks at his wife doesn't like and says she won't live in it. I've lived in rentals I wasn't crazy about, but I kept my mouth shut and made do. After all, a rental is only temporary. When I first moved up here hubby plopped me in the middle of the woods. All alone, no neighbors close by. Wasn't crazy about it, but I didn't give him a hard time about it either. He says his cousins wife keeps telling him she wants us to move in with them at the rental house. Hubby says no. I asked hubby why and he says me and his cousins wife wouldn't get along very well. I asked him why and he said she's very lazy. She stays all day upstairs in the station appt, but doesn't do anything. No cleaning or nothing. His cousin had a local woman come in and clean up their yesterday. His cousin takes the laundry over to the station to do because she's terrified to go in the basement, where the laundry room is, at the house. He doesn't know how to work that machine, so he carts is with him. Hubby, and the oldest showed them how to work the machines. Again, I'm keeping my opinion to myself.

The cookies for tomorrow are baked and cooling. Gave the boys each one. Now I have to make the meatballs for tomorrow. While they are baking I'm just going to throw together some soup for dinner and call it a night. I've played catch-up with my laundry all day. Last load in washer, one drying and a pile on the bed waiting to be put away. I'm determined to get all this done tonight so tomorrow all I have to do is just make dinner. And relax. Monday will be a long day because of a meeting and Tuesday I have to battle the stores again to take the oldest Christmas shopping. Then the rest of the week should go rather well. I'm hoping!

Back to work!!

All I wanted to do is relax

Bitterly cold and very windy here today. The wind chills made it feel colder than it really was.

Got home from work and decided I wasn't tackling the long list of errands I had to do. Would save the running in town for the weekend. Since Sunday we are having a pot luck after the service, I decided I would shop local for just what I needed for that. And hit the bank and post office while out. Well, got home and the boys were working on rearranging the sun room and living room. Decided to help them by vacuuming before they put the furniture back because that part is lost on them. I decided to put the new sofa in the living room because it went in that room better than the one we have in there now. Took the living room sofa in the sun room. The boys were in the process of bringing the new sofa in the living room when all of a sudden the oldest starts screaming. I thought maybe he dropped the sofa on his foot or something. There was a bag of finishing nails on the floor by the boot rack that nobody moved. Didn't really think much if it actually. Well, he managed to step on one. Got it in the back part of his heel. I'm trying to find it because it went in through his jeans and sock. He's screaming like crazy which is just making me panic. So, I called hubby and told him I needed him home now and I'm taking H to the ER. He had me so upset with his screaming I just went blank, like I didn't know what to do. Hubby shows up as I'm getting H out the door and I'm trying to explain and get H in the car. Hubby was just as scared as I was because he was pale. He did go with me which I'm so glad he did because I probably would have lost it on the way there. All I kept telling myself was he's not bleeding, not pale, and no pain. These are all good signs. For the first time ever, we were in and out of the ER within an hour. It was just the tip of the nail that went in and the PA just pulled it out. She asked H if he wanted 3 needles to numb it or just to give it a good pull. He said just yank and she did. He was so busy talking to me he didn't know she did it. When we saw it wasn't deep hubby was like we could have done it at home, but you just never know. It's a puncture wound after all. So he has to stay off his foot for the next day or two, so no Christmas shopping for him this weekend. Maybe next weekend. I thought I was tired before, well, I'm exhausted now! The kid pulls out his cell phone and tells me to take a pic of his heel, and "to make it a good one." I'm sure that's been plastered all over his myspace and facebook page, lol!

Went to knit last night. Last one until the end of January. Got there late so it just didn't feel like I got enough time in. Hubby calls me 30 minutes before I have to leave and tells me we have to go and get the new sofa now. I'm like NOW? He says it will only take a few minutes. Oh well, it's done and I can do what I need to do this weekend. Was hoping for nothing, not to be. But, I can spend the rest of the night snuggled on the sofa with my knitting, lol!!

Howling winds and snow flakes

There's certainly enough snow on the ground to make one of these! Early this morning I'm sort of waking up and I keep thinking I'm hearing wind and sleet hitting the bedroom window. Decide not to check because the alarm will go off soon enough. After I do get up I look out the window and sure enough, wind blown snow. Gonna be a great ride to work today.

As I'm getting ready I hear the snow plow coming down the driveway. This guy never fails to plow my car in. Is it really so hard to knock on the door and ask me to move it instead of piling snow in front of it?? Since the boys were off from school I got the oldest up to shovel the steps, around my car, and clean the car itself off. Hey, I got two teenagers, why should I do it? So, he shovels from the walkway to the car and that's it. Had to tell him again to shovel around the front of the car. It sits lower in the front than the back and I'm notorious for getting stuck in the snow anyway. Also had to tell him to clean the car off. He tells me to give him the keys so he can move the car. I ask him how he's going to move the car when it's covered in snow???? This car has a remote starter. I use that to at least get it warmed up a little, hopping some of the snow would start to melt off a little. Oldest takes the keys and puts them in the car because otherwise, it turns itself off after a few minutes. A while later he comes in with the keys in his hand and says the car won't turn off. I ask him what he's talking about. He says he has the keys and the car is still running. Personally, I think the kid is joking with me so I grab the keys and go outside, in my slippers to see what's going on. Well, he was right. I put the key in the ignition, turn it, take the key out and it's still running. Again, same thing. Finally, I leave the key out and try to put it in gear. Then the car turns off. I start the car with the key and by remote and it's working fine after that. Really strange though. Something must have been stuck or something.............

As I'm getting ready to leave I hear someone honking their horn. Long and loud. I get to the end of the driveway and this tractor trailer is speeding down the road just laying on the horn. My first thought was he's going way to fast on this snowy road. Sure hope he could stop and wasn't sliding. Don't know what he was blowing his horn at.

My drive to work is normally 30 minutes. Today it was 50 minutes. Some roads were really bad and others so-so. By the time I left, it wasn't as windy but a sleet and rain mix. When I left to come home, all the roads were clear and the rain/sleet mix had ended. Glad it did. Someone from the Church had called and said Bible study for tonight was cancelled. When I drove past on my way home, the driveways hadn't been cleared. Guess nobody could get to it until later.

This isn't my road, but it sure could have passed for it this morning. Except the sky was grey, not this bright blue. Saturday the trees looked more like this. Just imagine huge, fluffy snow flakes falling, lol.

I know this is late, but me and hubby on Thanksgiving. Why everyone wants to snap my pic at the end of the day when I'm exhausted, I'll never understand!

First snow fall of the season

I just love it when it snows. I like to sit home in the sun room and watch the flakes fall. It's even better when I can see the pine trees with snow laying on their branches. Something very calming about watching the snow.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't get to sit home and watch the snow fall today. I was out shopping in the snow. When I realized it was supposed to snow today I almost told hubby we would do the shopping tomorrow, but didn't. I kind of expected the snow to start later than it did.

We finished the Christmas shopping today. I have 2 more things to get hubby and one more stocking stuffer to get the boys and then I'm done to. We bought for the relatives today to. Hubby says we are done with them, I sure hope so. Found some really great buys on stuff for hubby to take with him when he goes next month. Told him to grab the stuff now because it won't be there later.

It was cloudy when we went in wally world and it was snowing when we came out. We weren't in there very long either. They just didn't seem to have the variety they have had in the past. We were looking for mens and womans gift sets. I always give the bath and cologne sets, but this year not much to choose from. We did better at Big Lots. We also went to the furniture store looking for a new sofa. Saw a few I really liked, but were some were to big to fit the living room. We have a propane fireplace that takes up about two thirds of one wall. That same wall also has a window and the vent for the ac unit. Ours isn't vented from the ceiling. So wish it was. That leaves very little space for much furniture. The opposite wall has the doorway to the sun room. The third wall, since the living room opens into the kitchen, is the only wall with the most space. Hard when I really wanted a sectional for the living room. Saw one sofa that was a recliner sofa that I really liked. It was a chocolate brown color. Normally not a brown person but there was just something about this shade that I really liked. Also saw a leather sofa that I was originally thinking about getting for the sun room. The whole purpose was to change the sofa in the sun room, not the living room. I like my living room sofa and really don't want it in the sun room. Then hubby tells me he has a friend who has a sofa he wants to give away, so he doesn't want to make any definite decisions until he sees this sofa to. Well, I'm already sold on two, lol! N o matter what we decide, there's going to be some room rearranging in the future. I prefer to wait until after Christmas, that way it won't be so cluttered with the Christmas stuff. The youngest has spent most of this week decorating. That's all fine except when it comes time to take the stuff down and put it all away. He's never in the m ood to do that! He has the tree up, but only some decorations on it. The boxes of decorations are sitting in the hallway. Waiting....................... Waiting for someone to finish the tree. I'll have to tackle that if I want the boxes to go away.

We got about four inches of snow today. Winter has arrived! There is another snow storm coming in the middle of the week again. I was surprised to see the snow laying on the ground. I thought for sure the ground was still to warm. Guess I thought wrong!

Hubby went shopping with me today. I should have left him home. I spent more time backtracking, looking for him than I did shopping. Every time I turned around I lost him. He either got sidetracked or lost me. So many times I turn around and he's not there. I walk back and find him just standing in the walkway, just staring off at something. The eyes were open, the body was moving, but I think he left his brain in the bed. It just wasn't functioning very well today, lol! Started to make me crazy! Finally, I grabbed his arm and pushed the cart just move things along. At least it's done and I don't have to hit a store with him for a while now. I'm beginning to dislike shopping anyway. Don't need another excuse to not want to go, lol!

You are beautiful and wonderfully made

I'm finally starting to feel a peace tonight. The tension is still in my shoulders, but should get better over night. I had hubby rubbing my shoulders for quite a while last night. He rubbed until the skin felt tender. Then this morning, the tension was back, within seconds.

Went to knit tonight since this is the next to last one until the new year. I'm going to miss it already. Anyway, when I came in a friend of mine was already there. She's one of those people who is always bubbly and happy. I'm not that kind of person. Not all the time anyway. She looked at me and asked me if there was anything I needed prayer about. Guess the tension of the week was showing on my face. But, I lied and told her I was fine. She probably really could have helped me, but that just was not the place. But the chatter around me and the knitting did help. Good diversion.

This whole week has gone fast, but been so stressful. Seems like every day there is something going on that just sets me off first thing in the morning. Yesterday we had no water. None of our neighbors had water either. Sent the oldest down the road to the little store for 2 gallons of water and he comes back with 2 liter bottles and a box of cereal. How did you get that out of 2 gallons of water!! Get in the car and drive there only to find they are sold out of the gallons. Why could the kid not have told me this????????? Anyway, we drive down to the station to get the water. Of course, the teapot is empty. The large water bottle I keep in the fridge is empty. The cats water dish and cup (yes, she has her own cup for water) is empty, and my water bottle I carry to work is empty because hubby was supposed to bring one home for me. So I'm trying to find water in my pj' s and Don King hairdo. Get home and hubby tells me there's no water. Really?? That's news to me.............. As I'm getting ready to walk out the door the water is back on. Figures.

Yesterday the boys rearranged the little bedroom. Gave me more working space. Get everything set up and the printer doesn't work. An hour later it's working again. Then the boys discover that their computer isn't working so the oldest comes and does something on my computer to get theirs working. Don't know what he did but he disabled my internet. Finally, after a few hours of my working on it, I got it enabled again. I admit. I went ballistic on the kid this morning. I use my computer for school. It's vital that it works. Hubby heard me yelling at the kid and told me it's my fault because I don't tell him not to use my computer. He got snappie with me and told me he knows I don't say anything. I told him he didn't know anything about what goes on here because he's never here and on the rare occasion when he is he's watching tv or on the phone. Yes, this morning set me up for a wonderful day. Came home to loads of clothes, that had been washed, thrown on my bed. Hubby's way of telling me to take care of it.

Last night's dishes were still in the sink, waiting to be put away, along with all the breakfast dishes. Came home from work to a sink full of dishes, still!! And they all wonder why I get upset!!

Took care of the laundry and the curtains before I went to knit. The youngest did the dishes while I was gone. No matter what I say or do I get ignored when it comes to the chores. I find it extremely disrespectful towards me. I've taken every gadget away from the boys and still no help. I have no other options right now. Thought for sure the gadgets would do it.

Anyway, as I was leaving my friend told me to call her so we could get together and knit during the week. And she told me I'm beautiful and wonderfully made to not forget. Was God working through her or what? I owe her a phone call.