Westward I Go!!

I'm packing, sorting, folding and getting ready to go West. I'm getting so excited. I'm going to see ALL of my grandbabies and all my girls in one pile. I can't believe it.

Who Would Have Thunk It

I don't think David ever got this dirty when he was a young child. But He sure gets dirty now. He is rebuilding an engine in our garage for his "New" Honda Civic. This is the new car that lasted about 3 drives a few months ago. I'm sure I mentioned it in emails if not in blogisphere. Anyway I thought you'd like to see this dirty boy in all his glory.

Tiny little Grand Babies

Well I can't seem to get any two legged grandbabies of my own down here so I'm forced to love tiny little four footed grandbabies. Hey, I take em where I can get em. The puppy belongs to Amanda, David's girlfriend and the kitty belongs to Chelsea and Matt. They are both so precious. I still love Shelby and Gracie, but really, they can't fit in my pocket.

A Beautiful Sentiment

A very dear and very old (not in age) friend of mine sent me this link and I thought I would share it with those I love.

http://www.e-water.net/viewflash.php?flash=irishblessing_en

Tomato Boy

Yesterday, David went to Panama City with two Brethren to the "Pick and Pull". This is a place that old and damaged cars go to die and where people go to pick over the carcasses for parts. David needs a new engine and various other parts for his poor sad car that he has owned for months and driven maybe 6 times. Anyway they spent the day climbing over cars completely oblivious to that big bright round yellow ball in the sky. David came home doing a darn good imitation of a tomato. Needless to say he is in a lot of pain. This is not good for my little toe-headed boy.

A New Addition to Someone's Family

This little bundle of joy is named Kane. He belongs to Amanda, David's Sweetie Pie. He is a cutie. He has a lot of personality and likes everyone. He has even taken naps on "Grandpa Bill". They put him on the floor in the kitchen and then put this hat over him and for the next minute or two this hat was walking all over the floor. It was hysterical. I wish I had it on film.

Forgetful Me

I forgot to thank Megan for my new Spring look. Thank you Meggie. I love it.

My New Spring Look

I love my new look. I feel so fresh and Springlike. As usual there is nothing going on in my life right now. Well nothing exciting enough to blog about. I had the Sears repairman here again for my new stove. The second time for the same problem. David and Amanda are still together and in the front room probably "snogging" as William puts it. My knee is still healing. A slow process. We are done with a round of colds.

I Wouldn't Have Believed It.

Well for three or four months last year I was without an oven. The stove part of it worked, but not the oven. We could have had it repaired, but it would have cost almost as much as a new stove. Granted, a low end stove, but a new one none the less. Well we waited and waited until we felt we could afford it and we bought a super duper splendiferous Kenmore Elite, top of the line fancy schmansy stove that does everything but dish up and serve the food. I love it. Just love it. Anyway.. last night I was cooking on my smooth cooktop with the variable size burners, and all of a sudden it died. For 10 minutes, nothing would turn on. The oven worked, but not the stove top. It finally turned back on, but I just checked it and it is dead again. Sears can't come out until March 31st to fix it. It must have a short somewhere. So this magnificent specimen of technology that cost over $2000 has lasted a whole 3 months. Oi vey.

Little Brother is in love

David has a girl friend. A whole 2 weeks. This one may stay around awhile. She lives very close by, not a drama queen and she seems to really be crazy about David. (well really, who wouldn't be) She is very sweet and well mannered and swears she is only 14, though I would have sworn she was 18. Might be the eyes though. Anyway... I like her and she has been exposed to the very special brand of Ahroon love and attention. You know, thats somewhere between being a "Survivor Show" winner and being mauled by a bear. Where you leave feeling slightly light headed and dazed and you check your wallet. She survived and actually keeps coming back for more. How can we not like her.

Big Doin's

Well it's been forever since my last post. My life really isn't all that interesting and I am usually hard pressed to come up with things to write about. But I'm sure that in this span of time SOMETHING must have happened worth mentioning.

I know that on February 19th I had my right knee replaced. That wasn't fun and was a lot of pain for a week or so. But it's now 32 days later and I'm walking unaided and without a limp. There is still pain, but nothing like in the beginning. I think by Monday I can probably use Tylenol to handle it.

My special Christmas Present

Christmas Time

Well after my last rant about Christmas I think it is only fair that I say some more upbeat things about it. It was quiet, for the most part. Some of Matt's friends popped in for a few minutes Christmas Eve and Casey's brother Shane and his girlfriend/soon to be wife, came over a little later. She is ready to pop with their first baby. She looks so cute. She is very slim all over and looks like she is hiding a basket ball under her shirt. The evening ended early. The food was good and their was plenty of leftovers for Christmas Day munching. As you know, Mom, that would be me, celebrates Christmas much like Megan celebrates her birthday. It's a lengthy process, often encompassing weeks prior to the actual event. And this year was no different. As Christmas grew closer and closer, my pile of items that were purchased for me or my use became larger and larger until it occurred to me that to wrap them would have made the "piles" of gifts uneven, so I chose to open them early. ;-). But I am enjoying my pressure cooker, my fancy bowels, my huge counter top roaster oven, my new silverware, my foot massager, AND my very very cool Sharp steamer with the long handles with it's little body on wheels that I can now drag around, as well as my 4 new The Sims 2 game additions that did actually get wrapped and put under the tree.

William gave everyone specially chosen DVDs. I got seasons 1,2 and 3 of Seventh Heaven. Very cool. Daddy got season 3 of Star Gate SG!. David got a movie I can't remember and Matt got another movie he liked. He put a lot of thought into it and wrapped them all himself.

David gave us all Christmas Stockings disguised as Zip-Loc bags chocked full of our favorite candy. That was a wonderful gift from him. I'm still enjoying that one. He knows what I like.

Lyndsey gave me an adorable birdhouse and Daddy a really neat set of DVDs of History's Days that shook the World. William got a DVD of Dark Wing Duck. I forget what she gave David.

Daddy had some ink prints of his home town that we have been carrying around with us for years. They are quite lovely and have just been stacked in our closets. So this year I framed them for him with a pretty matting. They really turned out nice. He was very surprised and needless to say never would have guessed what they were. He thought they were pictures of the children. Fooled him.

All in all it was a good holiday. Christmas day was very quiet. Mom stayed in bed and recuperated from the preceding month refusing to do anything for anyone, but was up the following day.

That Time of the Year

Well of course everything is going to breakdown at Christmas time. What better way to SPEND the Yule Tide than to spend massive amounts of money repairing and replacing things around the house. Like having to replace the furnace and air conditioner. Then having a crack in the pipe of the main water line into the house and digging a hole in the front yard. My oven has been broken for months and it's been getting more and more difficult to make meals so we are going to need to replace it soon too. And of course your father's car has broken down with what is an expensive repair. So even though we have successfully kept the Grinch at bay so far this year, it is getting harder and harder to keep a smile on our faces with all this crashing down on us right now. But we have a nice Christmas tree and presents under it and your father is on vacation for 3 1/2 weeks. A first for him. But I think he is enjoying it. We go out to breakfast a lot and I'm loving that. Lyndsey and Casey are here for the holidays and I'm glad for that. I wish I had some grandbabies here to cuddle and love on for the holidays. Maybe next year. I have lovely grandpuppies. They are sweet, but somehow not quite the same.

Here are pictures of a Platter I had made that didn't turn out quite how we would have liked. I love the picture and everything about it except the crack down the center. She did a wonderful job on the painting of it. But it cracked in the kiln. She didn't charge me for it because of the crack, so we will try again next year. And maybe I'll spell Matthew's name right the next time.

William Still Working Hard

William has lost 31 pounds so far. He really does work hard at it. He is very focused about it. I so proud of him.

William Working Hard

William has lost 15 pounds in the last month. He is working so hard at it. He walks twice a day, all by himself, without being prodded and does at least 50 crunches every day. He is becoming much more aware of what he puts in his mouth too. I think that within 6 months at this rate he will be at a good weight and maybe he can start using weights to put some definition in his shape. My son the "Buff Guy". Wouldn't that be something.

Superman is Alive and Well and Living in Enterprise

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Cold weather has come to Alabama. I had to actually put on P.J.s last night. It is 60 degrees out right now and it got down to the low 40's last night. Time for long sleeves and sweaters for me. It took 8 years, but my blood is now thinned to need some coverage when the temperatures drop. I know I won't get any sympathy from all of you who live in the Northern Tundra, but for here it is cold. But I can bet I won't be doing my Christmas shopping in any more that long sleeves or a sweater.

Stay Off the Sidewalks

Well on Tuesday David got his driver's license. What a day. In Alabama they don't do road tests if it is raining. But of course I didn't know that. So we sat for hours hoping and praying that the rain would stop. After it finally stopped we had to wait for the roads to dry. I thought David was going to have a hemorrhage. But the rain finally stopped and the roads finally dried enough to take the test, then the computer went down. Oi Vey. I started to wonder if God was trying to tell me something. But by 11:30 he was a licensed driver. I know that every one of my children have had this time in their life and I know it well. But it never ceases to amaze me how many different urgent reasons there are in the first few days after a child gets his license to drive somewhere. Friends get stranded, teachers think of new supplies that are needed by the next morning, special food is craved, other friends are lonely or afraid and then there is the old stand by, "I just want to get out of the house". Daddy and I give grades as to the creativity of the reasons. We endure this for about 2 weeks until the newness and sheer joy of driving everywhere wears off, then crack down. It will be amazing how things will change from to fun to a chore when I ask for some driving done on my behalf. At least he won't have to pick up his little brother and take him anywhere.

My Son the Rock Star

In honor of his 16th birthday I took pictures of my brand new 16 year old baby boy. My sweet little mop top. I know he looks like "Cousin It" from the Adams Family, but I love him anyway.