A Big Surprise!!!

We had a wonderful Christmas day! After work I was picked up by dear hubby with a nice big cup of coffee! Yum!
I made some gorilla bread, it's a larger and yummier version of monkey bread. I will have to post some pics in a few days!
P and J opened their gifts and they were happy with the goodies they received, hubby and I were too! P gifted us with some new cozy slippers! I love my slippers as my feet are always sooooo cold. I also received some bath and body works goodies! J wrote me a very special poem. It was a very nice morning.
Since D and T were making us our Christmas dinner for this year it became a very relaxing day. I thought it would be a great time to clean the bird cages. the kids were cooking in our home so the rest of the family did a quick clean up. I was almost done with the bird cage cleaning when I heard hubby tell us that the kids were here. As he opened the door I could not believe the voices I heard! It couldn't be! So I thought. the voices belonged to Tracy's parents!
I knew that Tracy's sister Deb was coming over for a visit during Christmas, but her parents too?! What a wonderful, wonderful surprise. This family has become such a dear special addition to our family.
So Daniel and Tracy's sister Debbie made us a proper English dinner, I have to admit I have become a Yorkshire pudding fan! Oh my it's delicious stuff!!! A wonderful dinner, wonderful company, it was a very blessed day.

A Beautiful Day

It has been rather busy around here as you can imagine, I am sure everyone is busy getting ready for the family gatherings that are to come.

Today we watched the kids in church perform their program, it made my heart leap with joy when the lil wee ones came on and sang their songs! They were so proud and for being all of three and four, they did an amazing job! I remember my own when they were that little, they all had their share of being in one church production or another.....and another!

The older kids put on a lil skit about being too busy.......struck a chord in all the adults hearts! I think we do tend to get too busy that we forget or miss our opportunities to help, encourage, pray for someone or even to just hear God as He quietly tries to get our attention.

Today was our family dinner day, since I do work every other weekend we try to have a Sunday meal with the kids every other Sunday. I made sticky lemon chicken and champs. It was very good and everyone enjoyed the meal.

Jessica had to leave early from our meal time to help the church as they were filling bags of food for some orphanges in Haiti, she enjoyed spending her time by helping the church and also by helping these poor kids who don't get enough to eat. I am so thankful that our children are very generous in giving......they don't give a second thought to reaching out if someone needs help.

Well that is it for now, time to do a little crocheting, I am creating snowflakes!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

I am sitting here in the kitchen sipping my cup of tea and watching the snow quietly fall on the ground. I haven't seen a car go by at all, everything is white and so pretty! Inside all I hear is the hum of the refrigerator and the click of my hitting the keys on my laptop, I love mornings like this!

With Christmas quickly approaching I have been busy creating my snowflakes, crochet snowflakes. I plan on adding a snowflake ornament inside every card I send out as well as to everyone who receives a cookie plate from us, I love to bake oodles and oodles of cookies and gift them out to folks. I haven't quite gotten the decorating done yet, the tree is in and I must say the boys picked out a beauty this year! I was rather busy the day they went to pick the tree so I was not able to join them. She is a tall blue spruce and she smells so yummy! I will try to light her today and add ornaments in the next few days.

Well Pat is awake and in the shower now getting ready for work so I must stop and make him some breakfast before he heads out and help him brush off the car of the snow that has accumulated and warm it up!

Happy Birthday My Dear Daughter!

I remember the days when you used to sit and play dress-up like a little lady, all dressed up for the world! Then you would be tearing down the hallway with your brothers playing in their world of make believe.
You were never too shy or afraid to try anything, if your mind was set you went for it full throttle regardless of what people told you! You simply didn't hear the words "you are too little still" or "you can't because you are a girl" You simply went forward full throttle showing them a thing or two! Today, you turn 16! Sometimes I sit and wonder where did all the time go? It seemed to fly by so fast. We have watched our little girl grow into an amazing young woman. We are so proud of you! You are a beautiful person inside and out, may you always be brave, adventurous, strong and loyal!
We knew from the moment God created you that you would be our gem! Have a wonderful birthday!

We love you!

where did all that time go?

Wow! It has been ages since I last posted! So much has happened!

We were blessed to be able to get away for a few weeks and visit my family in Az! We went pumpkin picking with the gang! Got a lil rained on but it was so much fun to see the kids have fun.
Hubby had fun getting his tattoos! Ouch!
It truly was a wonderful time to be back home!
We came home and had a flurry of activities to get done as Daniel and Tracy were having their wedding in Nov!
The wedding was beautiful! everything came out so nicely! Now we have a new daughter in our family and we couldn't be happier for our son!Well this will have to be short as I need to get some things done! We have the holidays coming fast and Sandi's Workshop is in full swing! Time to craft, sew and bake! Busy, busy, busy!
I will try to post on a much more regular schedule.

Oh My!

Well it has been a long time since I last posted! Life just seems to gt the best of me at times and honestly I just don't have time for the tons of stuff I want to get done in a day!
I had a leisurely start to my day today, had coffee with Daniel! Mornings like that are rare as he is always at work! It was good to sit and chat with him and help him with his grocery list. After our time alone together I woke up the two night owls! Pat and Jess have been taking advantage of the summer by staying up late and sleeping in just as late!
I did get laundry started, floor swept and mopped, birds fed, dogs fed, kitchen cleaned before hubby came home for lunch : )
Made him a quick sandwich...it is a very hot humid day today! Hunger is not big on anyones list. When hubby went back to work I made two loaves of banana bread, a double batch of rice krispies treats and put the ribs on for dinner.
Hope to get some stitching done for a very special boy's Christmas gift!

Surprise Getaway!

Well hubby had a surprise for me, a lil weekend getaway! It was very nice to get away and have some fun just enjoying time alone with each other.

We ran away to Wisconsin, Black River Falls to be exact. We both fell in love with the area!
We made it into the hotel just in time to miss a major summer storm but the next day it started out sunny and beautiful then it changed to cloudy! But we did get to do some looking around at the Black River. After checking out the river and some cottage rental areas we made it into town and stopped in a quaint lil general store. They had the cutest vintage items there and dear hubby bought me a homemade amish basket. I can hardly wait to fill it with homemade goodies! We also enjoyed a waffle cone filled with homemade blueberry cheesecake ice cream! It was so gooooood.

After spending the day in town it was time to get back home so on the road we went again. I must say it was a quick trip but it was a very nice trip as well.

time flies!

Well I haven't posted much here or revamped the site either! Life just gets too busy sometimes.
I have been trying to get the yard in order and the inside of the house along with the rest of the craziness.
Today was a somewhat relaxed day, I did some more of the never ending laundry...I am getting my clothes line this weekend!!!! I am so excited and happy. I have been requesting one for about five years now! I am planning on laying out some lavender and rose bushes around it so the scent of the flowers can touch the laundry. I will be posting pictures!
The rest of the day was spent cleaning...as usual. I did get a little stitching done too. I am making Ari a special Christmas gift! I can't say what it is cuzzzzzzzz my dear sis can't keep a secret! I know he is going to love it!
time to rest up, have to work tonight!

Time to rest! Sort of

Finally time off from work! Going back after being off for a week was rather hard.....but it feels good to be back.
Today I have a ton of laundry and cleaning to do......home cooked meal? Yup!
During my devotions this morning I wondered, what type of legacy am I leaving? I pray when people think of me they not see me in the physical sense...but in my character.
With Mothers Day approaching I tend to reflect on the whole aspect of being a mother and I am so truly grateful that God gifted me and trusted me with his children! I desire to have my children see me as a mother who prayed. A mother who loved.
I also thank God that I have a wonderful prayerful mom and grandmother, their devotion to God and their personal prayer life have been an inspiration to me and because of their commitment to prayer we have been blessed with family coming to know Christ!

Nana on Ron's bike, ready to hit the road!

We had lunch at this lil bakery, it is a Georgian bakery and the bread in there is the yummiest! We had hachapuris. Hachapuris are like empanadas, they are filled with cheese, meat or fruit.

Poor Nana! She is wearing two coats! We were on our way to watch Jess at her track event. It was a rather cool day for us.

Jessica doing the discus, she was freezing!

Nana in front of a beautiful stained glass picture. this was taken inside Navy Pier, they had some gorgeous displays!


Me (yes, it was dark) in front of a beautiful angel. I would love to have one of these in my window!


Diana made it to Oprah Studios! As you can see she even went shopping in the Oprah Store!


The girls in front of Harpo Studios.

It's the Bean! Tons of people come to the city to see this!

A reflection off the bean!

Looking at the Bean while Vic takes a picture.

Cute couple!

I don't know what to say.

Vic, Diana and Ron on our walk to Millinium Park. We were walking the famous Magnificent mile.


Nana and kids resting from the walk. We are in Millinium Park.



Diana on a hands on sculpture in the park. Art is a huge thing in Chicago.

Me!

Nana and the kids at Navy Pier


Diana and kids at Navy Pier


My boys!

Jessica, Nana, Diana and Vic waiting to launch out to view the city viz the Chicago River. It was a warm kind of sunny day but it was cold in the water!

the great mighty Sears Tower! We were way up on the top of that building!

Daniel, our aspiring author!


Ron and I

Jessica in front of a pic of a well known lawyer.

this view was taken from inside the Sears Tower, it is amazing! the views one sees. On clear sunny days you can see the states of Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Time in Chicago!

Well, we had a wonderful time with Vic, Diana and Nana! It was great to spend time together and laugh, eat and listen again to the ever loving voice of the Garmin recalculating!!!!
I am posting pics hope you all enjoy! Maybe one day you too will walk the great streets of Chicago!