Luke

This is Luke. He has been with us for five years (DH just reminded me of that at the breakfast table yesterday morning). DH rescued him the day after Christmas on the military post that he works on. He was wandering in the snow covered woods; cold and lost. We tried for several weeks to find out who he belonged to. But to our good, he became ours. I have a story to tell you about him that happened yesterday. I will try and give you, the readers, digest version!

Yesterday morning, DH went to work. I was here with "Lukey" and the "tiger", Caz. I was posting a post and the power went out. So I decided to go back to bed, b/c I was so worn out from weeks of being up before six and going to be between 10 and 11PM. Lukey sleeps in the bed with us under the covers. So we went to sleep. At 11:10 I woke up. DH called around 11:20 and said that he was on his way home. He told me to look up and see what time "Twilight" was showing. Somewhere in all that time, Lukey told me he had to go potty, so I let him out. I remember going to the door and looking to see if he was ready to come in, and he wasn't on the deck. So I went and got in the shower. While I was in there, DH came home. I asked him to go and let Lukey in. He came back and said he wasn't out there, and asked how long has he been out! I told DH about 10 minutes.

*Side note-Luke has NEVER gotten out of the fence the whole time we have had him. We have had other dogs that used to get out...but not him. He only has run off at first when we got him-but that was out the front door.

So DH got in his car and went driving around the neighborhood. I got dressed and got in my car and started driving around the neighborhood. We looked for 1 1/2 hours. We said, well lets go on to the movie, and then we will look more when we get back. So we did, and came back and looked some more-driving the neighborhood-even went up on the main street-a bypass-and drove that; went in neighborhoods on the other side of the bypass. We couldn't find him ANYWHERE! We were devastated! I couldn't sit here at home-so we left again-and went to dinner and then to another movie. Got home around 8:30 and DH decided to go and walk the neighborhood to see if he could hear him or find him! He searched for 45 mins-to no avail! At this point I was crying. I just couldn't imagine what happened to him that fast. We had concluded that someone had to have let him out or came and got him! But that really didn't make since either-seeing as he WILL NOT let strangers get him. If they do-he nips them! At one point we saw the pound in the neighborhood. My DH stopped him and asked him if he had picked him up. Another thing that worried us, was that he had no identification on him!!

So we went to bed-saying more prayers for him-for his safety-and his return. Somehow I went to sleep. At about 1AM I heard the backdoor open. Then I heard the pitter-patter of little Lukey's feet-and he was running around like crazy! I called him and he came straight to me! He gave me so many kisses!! Even though he shouldn't have. You see all along he was upstairs-in my craft room! I have no idea how he got up there-much less when!! You see we have a child's gate blocking the entrance to the den and then a door in the kitchen that goes to the dining room- that stays closed! The sad part is, I don't remember letting him in before I got in the shower. And that we-neither one-thought to even look upstairs!

The good news-he was safe-in our house the whole time. And he forgave us! We are so glad to have our Lukey back! And we remembered to give thanks that he was still with us!

Another Christmas has come and gone!

Remember the post about the Christmas tree. Here is was (yes, it has already been taken down) all decorated. It was pitiful! Look at the shape!! And this was it's best side! Poor thing didn't have a top to it after "Edward Scissorhands", aka., DH, got a hold of it!! So there was no Angel on the top. It was doing really well, while it sat on the front porch. It was so pretty and full. And then it came in the house. It started drooping after "Edward" took his saw to it. It was like it said..."hey what are you doing to my lovely branches", "I'll show you...I'll droop"!! Pitiful, just pitiful! So, it was only up in my house for 5 days. Then I couldn't take it any longer...it had to come down!

This is our oldest, Anica. This was Christmas morning, almost noon. She celebrate Christmas in the morning and then her birthday in the afternoon, complete with birthday cake. She is looking at her new blender that mom and dad got her.

Our only son, Brian, was here this year with his family. It was the first time he had been home for Christmas is a long time. It was good to have him here...he is so funny. We used to call him "Andy Rooney" when he was younger. He has a way of telling things...he should have been a stand up comedian!

This is Jessica. She is one that just had her baby in Novemeber. She and her brother are a hoot. We used to call them the "Bobsey Twins. She couldn't be here for Christmas, but she came down the weekend before Christmas and brought nana's newest baby girl. (Don't look at the mismatch couch with the quilt on the wall. This room is a work in progress, even as I type this!!)

This is baby girl K, age 6 weeks in this picture.

This is our youngest daughter, Angela. She lives on the coast and got to come home and spend 5 days at home. She is the one that, without her help, there would have not been any decorations up this year!

This is "Edward", I mean DH. He is holding the other three of our grandkids.

There is DJ, age 4, B, age 17 months, and A, 15 months.

I forgot to tell you about THIS!!

I am a HORRIBLE mother!! I don't know HOW I did this! Well, I do know...and I could give you a LONG list of reasons why....(but I won't), but I forgot to post this...a "shout out" to my oldest daughter, Anica (pronounced Annika, like the famous golfer). She was born on Christmas Day!! She was a very special delivery that year, our only Christmas present...unless you count an iron!!

She has brought me so much joy over the years, and I hope she will forgive me for not blogging about sooner.

She was a reindeer in the Christmas play in Kindergarten.

This is her when she was 12.

and here she is today...a beautiful daughter, wife and mother!

I love you so much, honey!

My gift for you!

I heard this tonight for the first time and I loved it! I hope you enjoy it and have a very, Merry Christmas!

So Tell Me...

WHAT DO YOU THINK!?

No...really!! Is it me...or does anyone see a problem with this tree!? I know it has no decorations on it...besides that!? I want to hear what you think...I think... is wrong with it.

Time to DECORATE!!

So today, being as I had a few free hours on my hands, I thought I will go up to the attic and surprise DH and get some of the decorations out to put up. Not all of them, cause I don't have that kind of time! After all, our live, full, beautiful, Pine, Christmas tree is still sitting on the front porch. That's where he left it on Friday night, after he brought it home, (and might I add it was thrown away, with the strings of lights that were on it, by some residents that live on the military post where he works) because it needs to be trimmed up before it can come in the house. And what to my surprise did I find! I have pictures, (but these aren't of my attic, because I don't want to go back up there...because my blood is boiling) to show you.

I don't think these pictures do my attic justice! But there really is a mattress in there that looks just like the one in the picture!

You see, I remembered a couple weeks ago, when I got back from visiting my new granddaughter, that DH had told me that he had been in the attic and decided to go through some stuff and got rid of LOTS of stuff he said. OH I was so happy with him. After all, I have been asking for YEARS to please go through the crap, I mean his things, and get rid of some stuff. OH HE DID. But guess where he moved the stuff to get to the stuff that he threw away.

Did you guess in front of the Christmas decorations, that I had a NICE WALKWAY TO GET TO!!

You did...then you are RIGHT!!

So now folks, yet another day goes by and I STILL will not get any decorating done tonight. I was so hoping that we were going to get our tree up tonight, because we didn't have any plans. But WRONG! DH told me at the breakfast table this morning to be ready tonight, cause after dinner he is taking me somewhere!! Where? I didn't ask. I kinda think it's to go pick out a chair for my craft room that I asked for for Christmas, but I could be wrong!

Now before I get not-so-nice comments about this post...let me just say...that I do LOVE my DH!

But I'm just saying...SOMETIMES...

So if you pardon me now, I am off to fix his favorite dinner,

because after all, it was what I was planning

BEFORE

I even went up to the attic!!

Christmas...a time to shampoo the carpets!!

After I got back from all my traveling...DH decided that he wanted to shampoo all the carpets downstairs. You know...no better time that 2 weeks before Christmas. RIGHT?! So for 5 days of last week this is what my house looked like. (I took pictures, cause I knew you would want to see!!)

Now some of you may be asking, "why did it take 5 days?", or "why is that fan in your LR?" Well, I'll tell you why!! It's because DH has never (did I mean, NEVER...well, yes I did) used my carpet shampooer before. He has rented others...but never used mine!

Friends, he used TOO.MUCH.WATER!!

And guess what! For 5 DAYS, count them, my carpets were SOAKED. Soaked to the point that whenever you walked on them barefooted water squished in between your toes..ICKY!! Whenever you left the den to the kitchen, you had to be careful and not walk fast, or else you would fall on your REAR!. (DH almost did...that's how I know!!)

So DH decided to help them dry, we would turn up the heat (it was the week that is was hot here in the south), and get all the fans we had in the house and BLOW them on the carpets! It helped some...but his idea didn't work to well!!

I know, I know, his intent was good, and they do look SO MUCH BETTER...but I am just saying...2 weeks before Christmas?!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

BUT NOT IN MY HOUSE!!

It's Christmas...my FAVORITE time of the year!

The goodies,

the baking,

the family get togethers.

The beautiful lights,

the crafting,

and decorating the tree.

But this year, NONE of it has been done. DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID...NONE! All except the family gathering. We have had one!

OK...OK...Don't judge me. It's not all totally my fault! You see, I had a precious granddaughter that decided to come early! And then I had to go to twins house to help her. And then come home to finish shopping and finish making all those stockings. Remember this.(I just realized that I forgot to take pictures of them!?!...MAN!!) And then back to twins house for the family Christmas gathering and then to DH's mom's house to give all DH's family their presents! So here it is...today December 22nd. And I have not done any decorating to the inside of my house!

Unless you count these...some pictures of a FEW things that are randomly placed around my house.

CJ, the purple diva (my twin) gave me this for winning a contest on her blog.

The beautiful girl that twin gave me, because she likes me, and "Mr. Snowman" that I think she gave me last year.

Beautiful statues and Christmas trees that DH got for me while I was gone.

And this...something else that twin gave me!

Lookie, Lookie!

This is way past due...and for that I apologize!! I have been so busy...I don't know if I am going, coming, or already been!!

Anyway, I wanted to show you what I got from my Secret Santa! Her name is Cathy and this is her blog page. Lookie what she got me:

Key to the Chimney-how did you know I had one!?

A Mickey Mouse skiing figurine that is handcrafted of fine bisque porcelain with a snowbabies on his back-just precious!

A BEATIFUL Department 56 angel ornmanent-I believe angels are all around us!

A beautiful little angel bell-I love bells...I believe!

and last, but not least, a spiral notebook!

She also sent a letter to me saying that she had said a prayer for me-which was so sweet!! Thanks so much, Cathy...I LOVE them all!

PS. I would show them on my tree...but I don't have a tree up yet!? ;-(

My REAL house!!

Ok...a few of you...mainly my family, realized that the last post was not really my house! (thanks for not playing along!!) So below are the REAL pictures of my house and all the lights DH put on our house this year. He wanted soooo badly to do a house like the one in the previous post...but we don't have a money tree in our back yard. (if any of you do, let me know where you live...I'll be right over!!)

Santa and his one reindeer

Frosty, the snowman

This is the first year he made a tree out of just lights

This is part of the whole house. The white bags are luminaries.

On a side note, this took my DH a week to do. Also ALL of the things you see were things people threw away!! My DH loves other people's TRASH!!

HE FINISHED!!

Well, what do you think!? DH did a good job didn't he!!

3 out of 4 of Nana's babies with Santa

Christmas Gift

My dear friends,

Somewhat embarrassing to admit but Christmas will be tight this year. I will be making bedroom slippers for you all as gifts. Please let me know your sizes. You'll most likely agree that it's a splendid idea, and should you wish to do the same, I've included the instructions below.

How to make bedroom slippers out of maxi pads:

You need four maxi pads to make a pair. Two of them get laid out flat, for the foot part. The other two wrap around the toe area to form the top. Tape or glue each side of the top pieces to the bottom of the foot part. Decorate the tops with whatever you desire, silk flowers (this is most aesthetically appealing), etc.

These slippers are:

* Soft and Hygienic

* Non-slip grip strips on the soles

* Built in deodorant feature keeps feet smelling fresh

* No more bending over to mop up spills

* Disposable and biodegradable

* Environmentally safe

* Three convenient sizes:

(1.) Regular

(2.) Light and

(3.) Get out the Sand Bags.

I've attached a photo of the first pair I made so that you can see the nifty slippers for yourself.... Awaiting your response. It's crucial that I get the right size for each one of you.

I'M BACK!!

Hello to all my loyal followers

I have been with my new granddaughter, my daughter, and my son-in-law for 3 weeks. While I was away I had limited access to my blog page so I could not let you know that I am still among the living!! LOL!

I so appreciate you and I am happy to have new followers! I have LOTS to do in order to get ready for the Christmas season, not to include I have lots of blogs to read!!! Unfortunately, I came back sick!! My spirit is strong, but my body is weak!!

I hope all of you had a very happy Thanksgiving!

My newest granddaughter, Kyla McKenzie

She is so precious and tiny. She arrived on earth, Friday, November 7th. She only weighed 4 lbs. 1 oz and was 18 inches long. She is doing REMARKABLY well considering she is so tiny. We are hoping and praying that she will get to come home soon, possibly today. My daughter is doing well after having an emergency C-section.

Being a Nana is the best thing in the world. It makes all the hair raising days of raising my own kids all worth it!!

Sewing!!

Ok, those of you that have been following my posts, know that a couple of days ago I started my newest granddaughter's blessing dress. Well, if I didn't have enough to do with that, I decided I would start on Christmas presents also! Below is a few of the things that I am making, that I have started! (Don't look to close, you might see mistakes!!)

These three are going to be stockings!!

This is going to be a baby quilt!

Now I am off to work on the blessing dress! Did I mention I am WHOOPED!!