Starting to Roll (into Christmas)

Okay, okay - it is three AM, but that is the time I work best! It is just who I am and have always been! Man, I love looking at blogs! There is just a ton of wonderfully interesting stuff out there! Wonderful crafts I want to try, great recipes I would love to try (or at least give to Clay to try!) and beautiful pictures, etc., etc. Anyway - and now I am listening to a very interesting interview with Charlie Rose and he is interviewing Bill Gates, so I might as well add a new blog! What the heck, it is vacation, and I don't have work tomorrow! Let's see what good pictures I can find!

You know - I need to tell a little grateful to God story here - See the picture of my family below?
Well, that wasn't always the way things were. For MANY years it seemed to me that God didn't want me to have a family. My father was killed in a car accident when I was in first grade, and my mom died when I was in college. Then several years later, when I was married, we were wanting to start a family. Ha, ha.... little did I know - I got pregnant the first month we tried, had a miscarriage, and thought, oh that was easy, I am sure I will be pregnant again soon. Ha, ha. Seven LONG years later - and after many, many pills, shots, surgery, etc., and much, much prayer and pleading with God, He blessed us with Ben and Emily. And you know if someone had told me, you will have a child in seven years that would have been so great, but you never know if that seven years is going to be seventeen years, or never. So anyway - before I get too too lengthy here, I am VERY GRATEFUL to God for my wonderful family, and I so look forward to being all together in a few days! My life is very blessed! (and if anyone needs Christian information/encouragement on infertillity, let me know!) Gee after all that I will have to include more kiddo pictures!



The angel below here was given to me by my mother-in-law many years ago. Isn't it just the most beautiful and sweet thing? It plays music too when you wind her up. This is one of my favorite decorations - I love it.

And here is a cardinal on our bird feeder, look at that red!
And here is Mo Mo (Mozart) our cat that we said we would babysit two years ago, and somehow ended up staying with us! We LOVE this cat - he just lives for us to pet him, and he is the softest thing ever! He looks like he is half asleep here, which I think he was until I had to get him to look at the camera for me!


And then here is one of my current/new decorations. I found this lovely bird cage at my neighbor's garage sale. I will have to show you the whole thing later, it has all hearts around it and my neighbor used it for envelopes at her wedding. She was glad I was taking it and giving it a good home. So, I first started putting in only gold and silver balls, then thought what the heck, maybe it needs some color, so I added some red ones too. Hmmmmm, don't know though yet!
Well, we are getting up early tomorrow to do some final shopping. Mostly for my daughter who is going on a bike trip in Australia in two weeks. We don't have any bike shops in town so have to go an hour north, east, or south to get to a bigger city. We are also supposed to be getting a new snow storm, so we will see which direction gets the least snow!

So good night everyone!

Hugs - Diane

This is the picture outside of our living room window. It has been snowing quite a bit lately, and is also quite cold! I LOVE it!

Found my missing Scans!

Well, I found the two I was looking for! So here you go. In this first one I am the little blondie and was three, going on four, because the pajama top my dad is holding up my mom made for the new grandchild soon to be born! (my brother was 22 years old when I came along!) My brother and his wife weren't in the picture, and I think that is their pajamas in the foreground, but see how the tiny one has "baby" written on the pocket? Isn't that cute? My mom made all those pajamas - pretty talented lady. And don't you love the vintage tree in the background?

And in this picture I was a little older - and I think Santa was Mr. Duenk, who lived across the street. I think I was trying to figure it out here - I could tell the beard was fake! And again, a corduroy dress my mom had made. I remember this Santa visit, wasn't it nice he came to see me in my neighbor's kitchen?

Oops, my 20 year old daughter is calling me to come and tuck her in - can't pass that invitation up! In two weeks she goes to Australia for a Bike Tour!

Still Decorating!

Help - I am still decorating (and trying to put stuff away!), but I did find some old family Christmas pictures, that I thought I would share with everyone. Well, that didn't work so well! I did get one, nope two pictures to work, but all the other ones I scanned have disappeared - can't find them anywhere, and besides that I couldn't get the pictures to upload - everything would freeze!

The top picture was sent out as a Christmas card, with me in my little green felt skirt that was made by my mom, and I have it still. It was used as a Christmas tree skirt for many years!

Then this picture below, I couldn't resist showing it here too. Don't I look like I have something naughty planned? I love that little glint in my eye!


And if anyone has any ideas about how to find the other pictures I had scanned, please let me know! I am hoping my computer-wise son, who is coming home in a day or two, will help me out here!

See ya soon!

Diane

Tagged - Sixth Set, Sixth Picture

My son tagged me for a picture from my Flickr account. I had to show the sixth picture in my sixth set. Well, here it is, and I guess it is fitting since that is my handsome son on the right! That is my niece, Ilona, on the left, and great nephew Simon in the middle. What a bunch of cuties if I do say so myself! This was taken at my father-in-laws funeral, and of course it was a sad time, but also happy - he was 96 years young, and very ready to be with his Maker!

Now I am supposed to tag six other Flickr people, but other than my kids I don't know of anyone else using Flickr. So if you who may be reading this, has a Flickr account, would you please join in with the game? It really is kind of fun to see what picture fits the bill. Have fun!

Oh Dear, Oh Dear!

I am still here guys!!! I am just having a terrible time decorating! I am just not gifted in the area of putting stuff together, making decisions, knowing how to do this decorating stuff. We do have the tree up and decorated now (I do love those red ornaments!) and have begun moving things around in my other decorating spots - but am really struggling with what looks good! I have this lovely new (garage sale) white bird cage that I filled up with silver and gold balls I bought last year (plastic and cheap - don't tell anyone!) and they look pretty good. Then I find some red balls, and think, oh maybe it needs some color too - so there I go - not sure which way to go! and then I think, well maybe I should put a tree and something else in there - hmmmmmm - decisions, decisions! And I know it doesn't make any difference, and I know it is no big deal, and yada yada yada - I still struggle with it. So tomorrow I will take some pictures of my decorating dilemas, and ask for help/opinions!

In the mean time here is a box of vintage ornaments I got at a church rummage for four dollars - aren't they beautiful?