The tale of a tired appliance shopper

You would never believe how incredibly busy the big city was today! It was like a Saturday afternoon at all the shopping places and the traffic...jeez Louise! Wild. That's all I can say.

Today we were appliance shopping. No, I will rephrase that. Today we were appliance buying. We have been doing the shopping for a few days now and finally made the decision and bought the appliances today. We brought two home one we will pick up next week. So, that means we will be busy tomorrow hooking up the new appliances.
One of the new appliances in a new dishwasher to replace my broken one. (I had it repaired 4 times last year and the last repair was the last repair.) I've been saving up dirty dishes to try out on the new dishwasher. I've got a couple of loads just waiting. Now, if that new little baby will clean these dishes...I'll know I got a good 'un.

We were out all day long and I'm a bone tired. We also went to Costco...my favorite store in all the world. We walked the whole store. We can't help ourselves, we always have to have something there. I did buy a nice Oster convection/toaster oven there. It wasn't for me although I would love to have one. I bought that for my son. (a bachelor) I didn't get him much of anything at all for Christmas and I overheard him say he really wanted a new toaster oven since his had quit.

I bought a lot of appliances today, spent lots of money, and I'm worn out. I'm tired like I said so I think I'll head on over to the poor house and see if they have a bed for me to get a few winks in.
Janeta

Where have I been these past several days you ask. I have been laying up in bed, resting, with the servants serving me fudge and eggnog. You don't believe that? Well, would you believe I've been cooking, baking, shopping, going to Christmas programs and just spending time with my family....well a picture is worth a thousand words. Isn't that what they say? So, here is what I've been doing the past few days...in pictures.

First we went to the "North Pole"

It is a fun, fun, fun place for little kids.

This is Kevin at the "North Pole"

Then we decorated the Christmas tree.

We made lots and lots of Christmas cookies.

We read and re-read Christmas story books.

We participated in and went to Christmas programs.

Pay no attention to the little boy with his hands in his mouth.

He was suppose to be Mary's donkey but l

lost his ears some where along the way.

Then we played Santy Claus and rode
bicycles and ate a whole bunch...too much.

That my friends is what we've been doing these past several days and weeks and month! Oh, we've been having fun. But now that you've found me, I'll spend more time at the blog. Promise.

Janeta

Eight Days Till Christmas

I've really had problems lately with computers. If it isn't one thing it is another. Anyway, here I am on a different computer than usual and it has issues too, so I'm just happy to be here. Although, I can't post any photos and I've taken some cute ones lately. Oh well...

We have bought our tree, got it up in the stand and now we are just letting it fluff. Tomorrow night we will decorate it. Kevin got a little (live) tree for his room. It is on his dresser, decorated and soooo cute. We are going to plant it somewhere in the yard and then pray that it lives!

I live way down in South Texas. I mean if I left in the morning and headed south I could have dinner (lunch) in Mexico. I said that so you will understand why it is so cold to me today. Our high was only 38 and it is getting down into the 20's tonight. It is super cold. Thank God it is a dry cold!

Okay, so now you know why I've not been around much, that I'm still behind schedule and it is cold where I live. 'Nuff said. Besides I know no more to say. It is too cold to stay out here in this cold room. I'm going into the living room where there is warmth!

Janeta

Two Short Weeks

In two short weeks the fat old man in a red suit will be sliding down my chimney. Maybe. If I don't get on the ball soon and start Christmas shopping there may be nothing 'neath our tree! Our ribbons might be as empty as the cute puppy in this picture.

We don't have our Christmas tree up yet. We are buying a real tree this year. I want a Noble Fir. We have not had a real tree in about 5 or 6 years now. It's time. Oh the smell! That is the best part of a real Chrirstmas tree...the smell. Now...if we can only get the tree up before that little old fat man in the red suit slides down the chimney.
Janeta

A Day of Play

I'm going to go play now.

May I come play too?

Here I go.

Up, Up, Up.

Oh, Oh. I made it to the top!

Oh! This is fun! Whewwwwww.
Here I come!
(Notice shoes on wrong feet. )



Please, I wanna play with you! Can I slide too?
Please, Please Please! Oh, just gimme some lovin'


Okay Happy, but just wait one dog gone second, will ya?
I need to give Miss Kitty some lovin' too.

Oh, I give up.

Nobody loves me. Nobody will play with me.

Hey! Hey there Tigger! You wanna play?

Well, time to go! See you later. Mama said I

to put my shoes on the right feet and

come inside and get some shorts on.

She's tired of looking at my underwear.

Come on over an' play.

Happy and I are waiting for you. Miss Kitty too!

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR

It's that time of year when the word busy doesn't even begin to describe the amount of activity that goes on at our house! The older baby boy gets the busier we will get! Just for starters here is his activity calendar for this last month of '08. (This doesn't even include my personal or my husband's personal activities!)

Dec 4 - Bake cookies
Dec 5 - Make Christmas fudge
Dec 6 - Shoes for St. Nick
Dec 8 - Decorate inside of house
Dec 10-Make the gingerbread train
Dec 11 - Go to North Pole (local attraction for kids, of all ages)
Dec 12 - Put up Christmas tree
Dec 13 - Christmas Parade
Dec 23 - Ride around county look at Christmas lights/decorations
Dec 24 - Santa Claus Comes
Dec 25 - Christmas
Dec 26 - Play all day with new toys, eat candy and other Christmas junk.

Okay, I'm tired now. Time for a nap.

Random Thoughts of Insanity

Today I am going to watch the movie Little Women. Don't know why, but it is a Christmas movie to me and I always kick off my personal Movie Christmas Watching Season with Little Women. Why is it personal? No one else in this house will watch it with me...my husband is NOT into chick flicks. That's what he calls it.

Last week I was sick. Now my sister has the crud. I am trying to talk her into coming and spending a few days with me when she gets to feeling better. She would have fun doing Christmas activities with Kevin (she is Kevin's Grandma.) Yes! my sister is my son's Grandma. Now y'all go figure. I'll explain someday. Maybe.

Today is colder than a well digger (as we say in these parts) Why is it the older I get, the colder I get? I don't really care, I just wanna stay warm. I just sang that to the tune of Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls just wanna have fu-un. I sang it in my mind that is. Better left in the mind! I can't carry a tune.

Kevin only wants Santa to bring one thing for Christmas. He calls it a "Mickey Mouse garage car with upstairs" I haven't found one, whatever it is. He sees it on commercials that run on the kids networks. Any of y'all know where to find them? Target? Sears? Walmart? Toys R Us? Anybody with any clues? Santy Claus where are you? I need your help!!!

I cut out enough holly leaves for Kevin's next craft project to cover the moon this morning or at least my hands feel like I cut out enough holly leaves to cover the moon. Well, maybe not enough to cover the moon. Maybe enough to cover a small town? Don't believe that either? Well, how about enough to cover a room? No? Well how about enough to cover a paper plate to make a Christmas wreath? You buy that? Good.


Last night I got the cutest video of Kevin. He was taking a bath singing "Jingle Bells" and laughing. Now when I figure out how to get the thing downloaded and onto this here blog, I might do that so you can enjoy it too. Cute and funny too.

Janeta

Putting Things Into Perspective

Little did I know what was in store for me that day. Something that would totally change my attitude. Totally change my life. It was the experience of a lifetime. One I thank God for. A true blessing, in disguise. You see I had been complaining just that morning of being sick. Just a cold, but the way I was carrying on you'd of thought I had a case of double pneumonia! Whine, and cry. That was me. Later on in the morning I took a long look at myself and I was actually ashamed of how self centered and selfish I had been, thinking only of myself and how I, me, numero uno felt.

I had no idea what I was in for when I walked into that reception room. She was sitting at a table facing me. Her husband had his back to me standing at the counter where we keep coffee for the customers. So, I walked over to the table first and introduced myself to the wife. She smiled and said hello. Her husband turned around took a step or so in my direction and when I looked him in the face it was everything I could do to not let my jaw drop open or stare! I said a quick hello and then invited them to follow me to my office. He moved quietly around the table and pulled out his wife's chair and what? I couldn't believe my eyes! She had crutches! She could barely stand. And when I invited them to follow me into my office I couldn't help but notice that she walked kind of sideways. She, with the help of her husband, negotiated her way to the office fine. Both of them smiling, like there was no tomorrow!

As this couple smiled at me from the other side of my desk it was all I could do to keep my mind on business. My mind was racing...what happened to them!? It was all I could do to keep from staring at him. Here this young man sat, no arm, the other hand mangled and without a thumb. To look into his face was mind boggling. Most of his nose was missing, ears missing, mouth somewhat disfigured, huge scars all over his face and body, scars everywhere and skin grafts. I couldn't see any hair on his head. Did he have any? I couldn't tell. He wore a cap, that was never removed. Was it a fire? No, I don't think so, I know a man disfigured from fire, the scars were different, somehow. And her...I looked for scars, there were none. Her beautiful face, perfect.

For the millionth umpteen time being a person that is able to focus and stay even was an advantage for this situation. I kept on track, on target and took care of business. Part of that business is getting to know my people, personally, build a relationship. (Often times my building a relationship with people goes far beyond business and folks become life long personal friends. I hope that is the case with this couple.) I spent five hours with this couple. I got to know them well.

I soon discovered they were a smiling sweet couple with a great sense of humor from the deep south. They had four children, all one year apart! (I want to meet those kids!) I discovered they had very important jobs. Protecting old ish here, and you and everybody else here in these great United States of America. Protecting the helpless, keeping freedom ...and no freedom ain't free. These two people were proof of that, they paid the cost.
As their story unfolded it turns out they were both in the hospital daily for treatment---still yet! He for the past couple of years, ever since his Humvee blew up under enemy fire in Iraq. He is infantry. She is an MP. She had just undergone surgery for injuries from overseas and he is going back into surgery next month...again...for the umpteenth time! And these people were smiling! These people were joking! These people are absolutely beautiful, scars and all! To know they have worked hard, endured pain and hell, have been totally selfless, loved their children and provided a good home for them in the face of all they do and have done each day... PRICELESS. They are absolutely, positively, beautiful people. HERO'S. Yes, true American hero's. I hope you have the blessing and privilege that I had this past week end and get to shake hands with a hero, look into their eyes and say a genuine THANK YOU, God Bless you. And you know, saying thank you is nothing. But it meant a lot to them, I could tell. It left the young man with misty eyes and she with a huge warm smile and dancing eyes! I look forward to the next time we meet!

Oh, I wasn't sick anymore that day...When things got put into the perspective...I wasn't sick at all. Whine, cry? After that, I had nothing to whine and cry about.
Janeta