North Carolina Visit

We just returned from a visit to North Carolina where my parents live. We had a wonderful time. The drive was long, but we survived and the kids were better behaved than I expected. Jack Jack was a pain at times, he insisted on sitting on Bill's lap while he was driving. Crazy Dog!

Luckily Bill is very good at driving like this. I sure couldn't do it!

We were able to get a good group photo of all of us.

I had a great time visiting with my parents, my sister and her family and my brother. We even got to visit with Aunt Nancy the last day. She taught Emily and Hope how to cross stitch.

The weather was wonderful and we were able to spend some time outdoors. Here are a few of my favorite photos that I took outside.

I wish we lived closer and were able to visit more often.

It's been a while

It's been a while since I posted anything. I have been busy with lots of different things. Here is one:

I am on the clerical and service staff advisory committee (CSSAC) at work. One of the things we do is put together the Holiday Party for the campus employees. We have a theme each year. This year the theme was snowmen. We made 100 of these little guys to give to everyone as a party favor. I was in charge of sewing hats and making scarves. It was a lot of work, but they turned out really cute and seemed to be a hit.

I have totally slacked off on the 365 day portrait challenge. I thought about trying again, but I really don't think I can take a portrait of myself every single day for a year, it's just too big of a commitment.

Hope arrived on Wednesday, we spoke to her about wanting her to come live with us. It went pretty well. She of course is worried about her mom getting upset or hurt. We explained that no matter what the judge decides, if anyone gets their feelings hurt it will not be her fault.

Today I need to finish up the little bit of Christmas shopping I have left and I need to wrap presents. Tomorrow I will need to start packing for our trip. We leave on Monday to go to North Carolina to visit my family. I plan to document the trip by taking lots of photos of course. Driving 13 hours with 4 girls and the dog should be an interesting trip. (note to self: buy some earplugs and sleeping pills)

Stress & Worry

I am trying to enjoy the Christmas Season, but it's been a little bit hard. Bill's ex has taken his daugher and moved back to Texas again. She has gone back and forth between Texas and Michigan three times now in the last year. We met with some of her family members on Tuesday. They said she is not herself. She is emotionally unstable and this guy Clint in Texas has some sort of hold over her. We have decided to try to get custody of Hope. We met with an attorney in Grand Rapids and a Psychologist. I think we have a pretty good chance. After hearing the things that Beckie's family had to say, I feel really bad for Hope. She must be so confused and I think she doesn't say anything to us because she feels she has to protect her mother. I sure hope things will work out.

My next worry is money - we had the unexpected vet bills for Joe, medical bills that were not covered under our insurance and my prescription medicine that the insurance doesn't cover, plus now the money for the attorney and psychologist! I have hardly done any Christmas shopping yet and I am really not sure how we are going to afford it. We bought the new computer and will be making payments on that. I hope the girls understand that is the big present for the whole family this year.

Seems like every year something at Christmas time seems to stress me out. Christmas was so much more fun when I was a kid! Thank god for antianxiety and antidepressent meds, otherwise I would be a mess!

Christmas is a Blur

A Special Christmas Wish

One of my co-workers has been the legal guardian of her nephew since he was just a baby. Steven is 7 now. At first they thought that Steven had Cerebral Palsy, but recently his diagnosis has changed and it has been discovered that he has a genetic disorder which makes it difficult for him to walk. He also has a thinning of the spinal chord. There is a good possibility that he may end up in a wheelchair. Steven is a very smart and cute little boy. Connie does so much for him makes so many sacrifices for him. She is one of the most caring and unselfish people I have ever met.

Shortly after Steven's new diagnosis, Connie mentioned to me that she really wished she had enough money to take him on a trip to Disney World before he ends up in a wheelchair. Connie is single and doesn't make a lot of money. I decided that I would make it my goal to raise the money for Connie to make this trip and surprise her with it as a Christmas Gift. I solicited donations from many of our co-workers on campus and from the Nursing Department Faculty and students. I was able to raise almost $3,000, plus admission tickets to Disney World and Sea World!

On Friday at our Department Holiday Lunch, I presented Connie with the check. She was so shocked at first she was speechless, then she cried. She was truly surprised and very thankful. She was so excited to tell Steven the news.

It was really a special moment, and I was so glad to help her out. She really deserves this and so does Steven.

I am not crazy I am an "Arteest"

So last night I needed to take my daily self portrait. Emily was not home, Katie was upstairs, Bill had fallen asleep watching basketball in the bedroom, and Amanda had gone out with some friends. I had seen some self portraits on flickr where they had draped themselves with Christmas Lights and I thought it was a really cool idea and wanted to try it. I was waiting for Amanda to come home, because I really didn't want her to walk in on me, but I got impatient. I set up my tripod in the living room, plugged in a strand of Christmas lights (we still haven't put the tree up yet) and was wrapping them around my upper body, when Amanda of course walked in. Thank goodness Steve and Billy didn't come in with her! She didn't give me a look like I was crazy - she said "Oh that's a really cool idea for a picture, will you take some of me like that too?" I am so lucky that she inherited the"art gene" from me!

While she went to the bathroom, I set the timer on the camera and quickly got into position. This was the first shot I took and the one I think came out the best!

Here is my favorite of Amanda:

Then we even decided to try it out with Jack Jack - we had to bribe him with cheese of course!

WEEKEND UPDATE (a few days late)

Well, I never did get around to posting this past weekend, and then with everything that happened with Joe yesterday, I just wanted to write about that.

Saturday Bill dressed up as Santa for his nephew Cory's birthday party. I went along ~ it was hilarious to see him in the Santa suit. Especially this photo that I took on the way over there:

All the kids had a turn sitting on his lap and he passed out the party favors.

Saturday night was Katie's first formal high school dance. It wasn't at her school though. A friend she met at church invited her to go to his school's homecoming dance (he goes to a small school and they don't have football, so they have a basketball homecoming). Katie looked very beautiful and I was glad she was able to wear the homecoming dress that was purchased for the dance at her school (she didn't go to the dance at her school - long story).

The slideshow I am adding to the right side of the main page is for a "December Photo a Day" challenge I am participating in at scrapvillage.

I am also doing the 365 days self portrait challenge on flickr (some of the photos might be used in both)

Sad Sad Day

Today we made the decision to have Joe euthanized. He had been having problems urinating for several weeks now. The vet thought it was nerve damage, he also has arthritis in his hips and spine. We had spent around $1,000 on tests, procedures, special foods and medication and unfortunately he didn't get better. The next option would have been seeing a specialist and surgery, and right now we just don't have the money for that.
He was in a lot of pain and discomfort today, totally not himself. I am sad that we couldn't do more for him. He was such a good dog. I am glad that he is not suffering anymore. I found this poem on the Internet which was somewhat comforting:

If It Should Be
If it should be that I grow weak,And pain should keep me from my sleep,Then you must do what must be done,For this last battle cannot be won.
You will be sad, I understand,Don't let your grief then stay your hand,For this day more than all the rest,Your love for me must stand the test.
We've had so many happy years,What is to come can hold no fears,You'd not want me to suffer so,The time has come, please let me go.
Take me where my need they'll tend,And please stay with me until the end,I know in time that you will see,The kindness that you did for me.Although my tail its last has waved,From pain and suffering I've been saved.
Please do not grieve, it must be you who had this painful thing to do,We've been so close, we two, these years,Don't let your heart hold back its tears.
Author unknown

Joe may you rest in peace. I hope you are in a happy place - like a giant back yard with plenty of toys to chew and sticks and squirrels and bunnies to chase. You can dig all the holes you want now and bury your treasures. I hope you have a nice comfortable place to nap in the sun. We will miss you so much Joe. I am glad we had 8 great years with you.

Self Portraits

I have been trying to take some self portraits lately, which is very difficult for me. I never like the way I look in photos. I am always the one behind the camera, but I know that someday when I am gone, my kids/grandkids might like to have some photos of me. Last night I took these and after some photoshop work, I really don't hate them:

I think I look like my sister in this one. Speaking of photoshop, it's so awesome. I can remove most of my flaws and actually look the way I wish I really looked. It's really too bad we can't photoshop ourselves in real life, but that would be too easy wouldn't it?

Our First Winter Storm is on the Way


I'm not sure if I am happy about that. I hate winter and cold weather and driving in snow and ice, but on the other hand snow can sometimes be very pretty and I am sort of looking forward to learning how to take some good photos of snow. After Christmas is over the snow can just go away, unfortunately it never does. Winter here in northwest Indiana usually lasts until mid-April. YUCK! That is way too long. Hopefully I will be able to convince Bill that we need to retire somewhere warmer when we are old.


I wonder if the snow will be bad enough tomorrow morning to close the campus. (I doubt it) It would be nice to have a 3 day weekend. I need to get the Christmas tree put up this weekend and work on sewing those darn hats for the snowmen we are giving out as party favors for our work party.


I have a headache so I don't have much to write about today ~ at least not anything funny.


In honor of the coming snow ~ here is a photo of the snowflake lights I put up in the dogwood tree.

If I were 10 years younger and single.....

Don't get me wrong, I am happily married to a great guy that treats me wonderfully, but I happen to have a huge crush on Peyton Manning, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts!

Not only is Payton a wonderful athlete, the best quarterback in the NFL in my opinion, the guy has personality. Have you seen his interviews or those funny commercials he does? He just comes across as such a nice, fun guy, who can laugh at life.

So Peyton, count your lucky stars that I am a middle aged married mom and therefore am not stalking you!!!

Pet Peeves

I used to think that I didn't have any pet peeves, but the older I get the more I realize I do. Here are just a few I can think of off the top of my head:

• People who talk on their cell phones while in a public bathroom stall. Now that is just kinda gross if you ask me. We have lived most of lives without the convenience of cell phones, now all of a sudden we have to take all calls even when nature is calling at the same time? I don't get it.

• It really bothers me when people that I have been introduced to more than once, still can't remember who I am or that they have met me before. I can understand not remembering someone's name after only one brief introduction, but if you have been introduced to or spoken with someone 3 -4 times you should be able to remember it!!! I guess it just really makes me feel insignificant.

• I pride myself on being a good listener. When I have conversations with people, I listen to what they are saying. I ask questions and show interest. One of my biggest pet peeves are people who constantly talk about themselves and show no interest in what I have to say. Even if I manage to get a word or two in they usually change the subject right back to themselves. I find that to be very annoying and a little rude.

OK, well that's enough complaining. I hope this blog doesn't turn into one big complaining rant. People have said that I really don't complain much, so maybe that is why it is coming out here in writing.

Am I a "Christmas Lights Snob"?

We took advantage of the wonderful Thanksgiving weekend weather to put up our outside Christmas Lights. I am happy with the way they turned out. We would like to add lights around the top of the porch still, but not sure we will do it this year. Bill was great with getting up on the roof to put up the lighted snowflake and we even added some icicle lights this year. Here are some photos:

Anyway, while driving home from work today, I was looking at Christmas lights others have put out and I realized I am quite picky about what I like. I drove past one house where I swear they had just thrown stands of these very fast blinking colored lights onto their bushes and trees. It really looked bad! I noticed a couple more houses where the lights looked messy, like no real thought was put into how they would appear. Why should I care how they look? I mean the people who put up these lights have Christmas spirit right? So there in lies the question of the day "Am I a Christmas Lights Snob?"