Sparks

What would you grab in case of a fire? I got that opportunity to find out! It was clothes and then Mike before I realized we weren't in danger.
I get up in the middle of the night to visit the potty and look out the window and I see sparks. Now I haven't had a fire in the fireplace for 2 days so I know that's not it. I run to look out the kitchen window and see flames. OK - I'm waking Mike up!
I called 911. I woke up Sharen's boys (South Elgin Fire Dept)and they came out at 2:00am to investigate - took them 7 minutes. Turns out the power lines blowing in the wind was setting one of our trees on fire. They called ComEd for us, but they were busy with a power outage in St. Charles, and since we had power, we were put on the long list. We ended up with a light show for the rest of the night. ComEd came out the next day and said there was nothing wrong except our tree is too close to the power lines and it may have to come down. YA THINK!!!
Sounds like a project for next summer. More firewood..... Yipee!

Meet the Parents

Mike and I drove into the city to meet Mary's parents this weekend, who were up from St. Louis for Christmas.
We met up at Wishbone's for brunch. The conversation flowed and the time flew. Mike finally met a Cards fan that he likes. When the help started putting chairs up on the bar and tables around us, we decide to call it a day. (It was only 3:00pm)
Here we all are!!


Next time they can come out to Elgin and have dinner at our house.

Dashing through the Snow

Woke up Christmas Eve morning to more snow - It was beautiful!



We had a whirlwind Christmas Eve day with breakfast with the Dup's - Sharen, Dup, Carrie, Dave, Jon and his girlfriend Erica, Mike, Bryan.
After breakfast we went out to Carrie and Dave's and had some friendly competition with SceneIt the movie version. The team of Mike, Carrie, Dave, and Jon were victorious.
Brian, Stacy, Kory and the kids came over that evening. One grandson wanted Mostacolli, the other lasagna, so I made both.
Christmas morning I woke up Bryan to open presents. I put a ham in the oven and Sharen and Dup came down for some eats. Sharen loves ham as much as Mike.
I guess the present this year was a hat.
Dup got a Green Bay Packer Superbowl hat. Mike got a Bears hat and Sharen made me one.


After eating We jumped in the hot tub and shared a bottle of wine. There is nothing like relaxing in a hot tub with steam in our faces and snow all around.
Dup dared me to run to the shed and back - through the snow - in my swimsuit. I told him I would run around the tree. You can't make it around that tree.
THAT sounded like a dare and a challenge. Sharen hops out of the hot tub and we run around the tree in the back yard in our swimsuits through the snow. It was fun and we laughed. Seems the snow was mixed with ice cause when we got back into the house we noticed small cuts and scrapes on our legs. Doesn't matter!
We watched Mama Mia and all enjoyed it. Sharen went home to her book, blankie and a fire, I curled up with the new James Patterson book and Mike and Dup headed out to see a movie. Great Holiday - I realize that I did all the cooking when I look in the frig. Can you say LEFTOVERS!! Bean soup this weekend??!

Merry Christmas

From our home to yours!!

Happy Face

Here is a list of things that made me smile already today!

- Woke up to George Strait singing "Winter Wonderland" on the radio
- A HOT shower - Our hot water heater broke for a few days
- Christmas cookies for breakfast - Who Cares? (And if I hadn't told you, you would never know)
- Bears Win!!! Yes, I fell asleep. I was tired OK.
- A picture of President-elect Obama in the Sun Times wearing a SOX baseball cap
- a voice mail message from an old Boss (the best one ever) wishing me a Merry Christmas

And it's only 8:30am......

Kevin

Thursday night at bowling was our Christmas party!
The place was crowded and I noticed a black man standing behind our lanes next to the bar. My first thought was to watch our cell phones and purses. He just stood there watching - so being who I am - I went up to him and asked him if he was waiting for a lane. "No, I just came to watch some bowling. It looks like you are having fun."
We were! The bowling alley buys drinks for everyone at Christmas time and seeing I'm still on the wagon, Michelle and Deanna drank a shot for me and Cheryl! (she was home sick).
To make a long story short. This man's name is Kevin. We invited him to sit at our table and have something to eat. He is 47. He moved out here from Chicago to get away from his past. He has a 12 yr old daughter and an ex-wife who he doesn't see anymore. He made some major mistakes in his life and did his time. He always loved bowling and "people who bowl are the friendliest people he knows". He never knew his father and his mother's friend used to take him bowling at Diversery Bowl.
Turns out he was just lonely and we gave him "one of the greatest gifts he will get this year". Our invite to join us.
As I was leaving Kathy one of the girls in our league asked me. "How did it go from watch your purse to bye Kevin it was nice to meet you?"
My answer - It's Christmas!!!

I Paid it Forward

I have this little fellow in the bathroom sitting on the sink counter. His hands hold a dish that is screaming out for some snow flake soap. Whenever I take him out for the winter season I mention to Nancy, a sales Rep. at work, about my quest for soap in the shape of snowflakes. Since she gets into many businesses on the job she has taken up my mission to find snow flake soap.

Well Monday she comes in with a smile on her face and hands me this.

Just what I was looking for - until today! She found this incredible snow flake bath confetti. You sprinkle it in your bath and it dissolves with water and it smells wonderful too.
Doesn't it look great in my snowman.


I offered to pay for it. I saw the price tag only $3.99. She of course refused my money.

On the way home traffic on Randall was terrible so I decided to get off at South St. and get some gas. When I got to the stop light I realized the problem. An Escalade was stalled in the left hand lane so everybody was trying to go around him.
I get to the gas station right there on the corner and this poor guy was standing there with a gas can in his hand. Seems he was the driver of the stalled car. I filled his can for him $3.55 and he ran back to his car - got in and drove off with a wave in my direction.

Enlightment

Part 1
When my sister Mary moved away she had to get rid of "the pool table". This pool table was in my parents basement. It held many a Christmas buffets. Laughs were had, secrets were told, and much food was consumed around this table. So we needed to keep it in the family. Mike and I finally had the space for it - so we thought. I never realized how big that sucker was. It fit in our basement but no way could we actually play pool on it. It just sits there with all the grandkids toys stored under neath.
We had the kids over Friday night and as I was watching the boys build another fort around and under this table, it came to me. It was the perfect size for me to pin my quilts together on. I usually stretch out on the floor on a area rug. Flannel sticks REAL good to the rug. Mike put the rug atop the table and well-la my back is saved. No more crawling over the quilts on the floor.

One of my Christmas quilts. I have used this pattern copious (one of my favorite big words) amounts of time. This is my first with no flannel. I felt with 3 kids and a dog she would need something that would hold up to the punishment.


Part 2
Friday night the boys were playing touch football in the basement (their new favorite pass time since Thanksgiving). Kaylyn attached herself to Mike. As they sat there sharing a bowl of grapes. Kaylyn shares "Boys have penises" Mike about choked on his grapes. "Where did you hear that?"
"My Mom told me. And I have a ma-china".
Now Mike is falling off his chair. How do you respond to that? Your 3 1/2 yr old grand daughter is giving you her lesson on the birds and bees. I about peed my pants watching Mike try to talk his way out of this one.
Turns out Stacy had to explain to Kaylyn the correct terms to use after she was hanging out with her 9 yr old brother and his friends and the things that boys say when no adults are around. She had a talk with Dylan too.

In Honor of the Gov

I am seeking to build my personal wealth and maintain power in the workplace.
Memo to Sales Reps.
I am selling prime positions in the paper to the highest bidder. Yes - the front page strip ad can be bought. You want your ad on page 3? Grease my palm!
You need to make your numbers this month? I can help pad your numbers if you pad my pocket book. Because I have this position right now to do it and it is golden and I'm just not giving it up for nothing.
Nothing is sacred everything is for sale!
Don't even try to bug my F**in phone or tap into my F**in blogger account - I will act very hurt and Deny it all!!!!!

I'd Rather be Golfing

I decided to participate in the desk decorating at work. Mine is all done!
No reason to lie - I'd rather be golfing.....

Bulletin Board. The golf ball material is flannel that I had left over from PJ bottoms I made for Jon.

The tree is in my open overhead (It was time to clean it out anyway). The tree usually is in our family room.

The wreath welcomes you to my little corner of the office. It is the only thing that I made this year. Along with the golf ball ribbons.

Wish me luck!!

I've Lost my Mind

Christmas this year is a struggle for me.
My answer is to make a quilt. I told you I have lost my mind.
I can't find material that matches so I look at flannel shirts, flannel pajamas, flannel baby blankets. I think I need help! EVERYTHING MUST MATCH!!!
Last Thursday I caught myself matching my bowling towel to all the bowling balls to see if they matched. (Purple and pink towel matched Cheryl's ball).

Friday I went to Joanne's in Algonquin to check out a different store. First mistake was going without Sharen and then I found myself calling Bryan, seriously I called him for a opinion on the color for baby Reuter.
Saturday I wasn't so stupid, I went with Sharen to Hancock Fabric in Schaumburg. We did find some material that will work, but holy, moly I will be sewing right up till Christmas Eve.

I'd Rather Have a Root Canal

It's very quiet at work right now - Everyone is of to "the Lunch".
After some soul searching and some sound advice from family I decided that I will not be going to the lunch. I would rather have a Root Canal.

Seriously, that is what I'm doing! The Dentist office just called and they have an opening. My tooth is not to the point of a root canal, but I do need a cap put on.
So while they are trying to make small talk and pretending that they all like each other I will be stretched out here.

And let me tell ya Dr. Dave is an old family friend of Mike's and he is a cutey.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was at Sharen & Dups this year.
Special thanks to that. I had only a short walk getting home.
Thanks to Mary for making the trip out from the city through awful traffic just so Bryan's family could meet her. (and her them)
Thanks to Michelle for staying with the drinkers to the end and took me in has her partner playing Euchre. (Bryan and Andy spanked us)
Thanks to Cheryl and Sharen who let me drink even though they both wanted to stop me.
Thanks to Dup for making sure that my Mimosa was poured and iced.

Thanks to Bryan for walking me home.
And the biggest thanks of all to Andy for "picking me" up. That chair on wheels was a slippery bugger!! I lost count after 4 but I'm pretty sure that it was more than that. Lets just say that he got his cardio done in the morning at the Turkey bowl and his weight training after dinner.
It was a good day!

Coffee Chatter

Here is the conversation around the coffee pot this morning after they all raved about the creamer that Mike found at the grocery store. (International Delight - Vanilla Spice Rum)
"Do we have to get dressed up for this thing?"
"I'm just wearing slacks with a jacket."
Karen - "Where are you going?"
"To this damn lunch."
Karen - "Oh - I wasn't invited"
"You have got to be kidding me?"
Karen (laughing) - "Did you really expect him to invite me?"
Seems that my boss is taking everyone in the Department out to lunch but me!
Could I be the next to leave this place with my belongings in a box. Stay Tuned!

Note: When I left work this afternoon I went in to tell the boss that I was leaving and wish him a Happy Thanksgiving (I have to try) he invited me to his lunch. Someone in the office got to him. There are only 6 of us left. I said of course I would love too - I almost puked on him.

Where is all the red...

Tees?
I've decide to participate in the desk decorating contest at work - even though they fired another one of my friends last Friday. She had 25 years in and was happy about leaving - me, not so much.
So my theme is going to be "I'd rather be golfing". I'll post pictures when I'm done.
I've decided to make a wreath with golf balls, ball markers (Thanks, Jon) and tees.


Whenever I golf I have to match my tee color to what I'm wearing. Apparently I wear alot of red cause I do not have many red tees in my bag and Mike's bag will only have white. What is it with Guys that they won't use colored tees? Anyway I'll have to figure something else out, maybe red pencils.

Family Food

I was at the grocery store this morning picking up some food and the ingredients that I needed for my Thanksgiving dishes. My Nebraska Corn and Rutabagas and carrots.
While I was at the Heartland Blood Center yesterday (My iron was too low last Friday) the conversation got around of course to Thanksgiving Food.
There are 2 black ladies who work there who have potato salad instead of mashed potatoes. I laughed at them - last year we went through 10lbs of potatoes. Char has to make sweet potato pie or her family will not come and the other it's homemade mac & cheese.
I told them about my Nebraska Corn and how my kids look forward to it and I HAVE to make it or it wouldn't be Thanksgiving to them. My Thanksgiving comfort food is the Rutabaga and Carrots. It was what I looked for every Thanksgiving growing up. I'm not sure where the recipe came from, but Mom grew up on a farm maybe it's from there. Anyway, I get to bring it this Thursday and my mouth is watering already.

Quilt Worthy

My co-workers like to see my quilts. Most of the time I will bring them in to show off my handiwork. I stopped doing this because every time I do there is one person who keeps on me about "When are you going to make me one?"
Well I'm sorry lady you are not "Quilt Worthy"!
There are 2 kinds of people to us quilters. Those who realize how much time, love, patience, money, creativity and maybe a little talent that goes into making a quilt and then there are those who store them in the trunk of their cars and use them to crawl under the car to change the oil.
Okay maybe they aren't that bad, but it's a gut feeling we quilters have.
I just don't want to spend the time on someone who is not "QUILT WORTHY".
I feel so much better getting this off my chest!

Carrie's Shower

Saturday was Carrie's baby shower. Carrie was feeling under the weather so I offered to help Sharen set up. She had everything under control though.
She made the cutest corsage outa booties.

The cake was Carrie's favorite from Jewel.

It still blows my mind how much it takes to raise a baby. Jon's old bedroom was stacked high with presents. The little fellow got an assortment of "team" clothing. What team will he be rooting for? He can sleep on it wearing Iowa Hawkeye, Clemson, Bears, Sox and Cubs sleepers.
Of course he will need his quilt, too. Carrie and the quilt I made for her.

Dave showed up to help haul away the loot. Carrie is in the new house now and working on painting and decorating the baby's room so everything was taken there. Dave will have his hands full putting everything together.
Mom, Dad and Baby Z.

The Down Average

My bowling average has been dropping worse that the stock market. I am now down to 157. (ok-Reuter boys stop laughing). I was resigned to the fact that maybe it was cause I'm getting old and then I think of Dad who bowled into his 70's and maintained a 170 average.
It has to be my shoulder. It has been nagging at me for at least 6 months. So I went to the new immediate care facility (really nice place) right by our house after work yesterday.
After a couple of xrays - my structure was fine, but I have tendinitis and bursitis. Ouch! She gave me prescriptions for pills, patches and with 7 to 10 days with my arm in a sling I should be good as new. I head over to the Walgreens to get my remedies with just enough time to get to bowling.
YES!!! After all that I went bowling. Did you ever feel better just knowing what is wrong, that it's not as bad as you thought and some pills will take care of it? Well that is how I felt and I was convinced knowing all that I would bowl better. 516 last night!!! This morning I'm donating blood so this afternoon I promise I will take the pills, stick on a patch and sit back with my arm in the sling!

Memorial to Veterans

The day has finally arrived The Dedication for the Memorial. Mike was on the commitee commited to get this thing done in 1 year.
They did it and it's unreal. I walked under the arch and shivers ran down my back. It really is a place to behold.
I ran over there on Monday while the sun was shining and snap some photos below. The ceremony today was very moving. They raised a flag for each arm of service while they played their song. The guest speaker was an Admiral from the navy. Way much!



I'm proud to say that my family will be represented there. Mike and I brought some bricks. I promised Mom that I would get one for Lester Jr. too. It's coming!

Jarhead Red

Mike is a Marine. He has a marine t-shirt that is faded and well worn that he wears sometimes to bowling. He has a couple Marine hats. His spare ball is a USMC plastic ball.
Bob, on his bowling team saw this neat bottle of wine called "Jarhead Red" and of course thought of Mike. Its a wine made in California "by Marines-for Marines" at Firestone Winery. (Yes, that same Firestone, only it has Adam Firestone on the label, Andrew's brother.)
With Veteran's Day right around the corner we popped the cork on this bad boy Saturday night with dinner, It wasn't the best of wine - I prefer my wine sweeter, but it was sweet of Bob to think of us.

FALL

Now I know why Autumn is call FALL.
The leaves went here!

To Here!

I spent a couple hours on the riding mower mulching all these leaves before the really cold weather blew in on Friday. And to think it was 70 degrees a few days ago. Mike has to put the catcher on the mower and pick the leaves bits I left for him and we are ready for the snow.
OK - maybe just the yard is ready for the snow.

Loquacious Karen

Loquacious Karen was out last night.
Like I said before "big words" scare me. A couple of years ago I went to a bowling tourney in Reno. It was Michelle's, my bowling partner, birthday so we took a road trip down to Lake Tahoe to celebrate. Her friend Todd tagged along. We packed a picnic lunch and beers and had a really awesome time walking through a state park.
Todd kept calling me loquacious. After about 45 minutes I had to ask him what the hell that meant. Apparently when I drink I talk too much about nothing.
Last night Michelle and I started drinking Cherry Bombs (Shots of Cherry "Doctor" and Red Bull) and she shows up - loquacious Karen.
I really didn't feel that drunk. After I got home I realized it wasn't the alcohol that had me so wound up it was the Red Bull. Helllllooooo - caffeine!
I got home about 10:15 and it was 12:30 the last time I looked at the clock before drifting off to sleep.
Note: I had no idea how to spell this word either. Love that spellcheck.

I voted

I went to go vote after work yesterday.
The polls were NOT crowded. I did notice a LOT of campaign signs across the street and thought of a long time ago when you had cute clever slogans.
In 64' it was "all the way with LBJ". I was running for a school office at that time and someone thought it would be cute to have my slogan "All the way with KKK". Yes - those were my initials growing up. All the boys thought I was easy and the rest of the middle school population thought I was racist. The principal, Mr. Nichols, made me take them all down. NO, I did not win!

Reverse Trick or Treat

Friday was a perfect day for the kiddies to get out in their costumes with no coats to hide them. I was really looking forward to seeing some cute costumes. My favorite was the little girl (14 months) dressed as tinkerbell.
I sat on the front porch with my candy in hand. I picked candy that I didn't want to eat myself. Dots & Jr mints for the little kids and tootsie rolls and Charleston chews for the big kids. When Sharen got off of work we decided it was too perfect not to walk around the neighborhood. Dup was sitting on his porch with candy bowl in his lap too. He had PB cups, almond Joy and 3 musketeers. (I would so eat that candy before I could even give it out).
I had about 15 trick or treaters and 1 beer (for an adult the kids called "Auntie")
I had 3 girls about 10-12 yrs old come asking for the NON chocolate candy. I gave them the dots.
When I went to shut off my porch light about 7:15 I found a pile of PB cups, Almond Joys and 3 musketeers on the porch.
I immediately called Sharen and blamed her for dumping her leftovers.
Nope - It wasn't her. Must of been those girls I gave all my non-chocolate candy to. Looks like I will be eating my favorite candy after all.

The Great Pumpkin

Charlie Brown has nothing on me. I just figured out I'm addicted to pumpkin.
I have a can in the frig.
I put it into my oatmeal every morning.
I put it into my progressive Chicken soup. It thickens it and gives it that nutty pumpkin flavor.
I put it on my baked potato last night. Tasty!
I have stopped at Dunkin Doughnut in the morning $2.08 for a small pumpkin coffee, even though I make regular coffee at work.
I don't eat ice cream, but on vacation I had a pumpkin pie blizzard AND a pumpkin shake (from my favorite fast food joint - Jack in the Box - LOVE them tacos).
Sharen bought me some pumpkin flavored coffee mate at Jewel cause Meijer, where I shop didn't have it, so I can take it to work when I drink regular coffee.

People think I'm tan from vacation, but I think it's from eating all this pumpkin. I'm turning orange!!

Tag

Okay - I can play this game.


Me and Bryan with the quilt I made him 20 some quilts ago.

7 things about me.

1. I cannot spell. Don't ask me to spell anything. I still cringed when I see a dictionary and I think spell check is the greatest thing ever invented.

2. Along those lines - Big words scare me. I like to hear people use them as long as they don't care if I ask them to explain the meaning to me.

3. I have to have the thermostat set to an even number. In the house and in the car. 68, 72, never 69 or 71.

4. Lots of tattoos on people freak me out. Yes - I have a tattoo, but it cannot be seen unless I show it to you. Hidden tattoos are OK.

5. I have a plastic joint in my big toe. Doctors said it would only last 15 to 20 years - I'm going on 22. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

6. I have been watching "All My Children" for 31 years. Yes everyday. I tape it!! I got hooked on it when I was pregnant with Bryan.

7. I took all the Art classes offered in High School and was good at it. I won a grand prize at the state fair with one of my drawings on perspective.

We're Back!

Vacation was just what it should of been. We got to visit with Mike's sister Kathy and brother Jack. Here they are at the AZ state fair.

You know that commercial with the guys reflection turning them into kids. Well that is what Jack & Mike did. The fun that was on their faces was contagious.


They started out racing down the big slide in true brother fashion trying to beat each other - as you can see Mike won. Then Kathy bought tickets for the highest & scariest ride and dared them to go on it. It had to be 200 ft in the air and you rolled around. Of course they couldn't back down.

Me I was in search of a homemade tamale. They were NO WHERE to be found. I vowed to find one before my vacation was over.

On Monday we headed on down to Green Valley, south of Tuscon to visit with Mike's old co-worker and his wife.
Bobby has been dragged down by the dessert virus, valley fever, but we did manage to visit the Titan Missile, a cooper mine, and drove over to Tombstone to sight see and have lunch (NO Tamales). I'm sure Bobby needed rest after our 3 day visit.


On to the reason for our trip to AZ. Mike's softball tourney.

After spending the afternoon of Thurs. by the pool Friday morning the guys are ready to play some softball. Turns out moving up in class from AA to AAA spoils the fun. The teams on Fri. were from New Mexico and California (all yr round teams) and one from Michigan that was place 1st in the bracket. Lost them all.
We still had hopes for Saturday. Nope - lost to teams from Washington and Idaho. Mike played really well batting .875 for the weekend, 1000 on Sat.
The guys still had a good time. I had fun too catching some rays watching. The bleachers were made outa cement built into hills around the fields. Cold at 7:00 AM and HOT at 4:00 PM.
Here is picture of the guys waiting in between innings sitting on the cement bleachers.

I realize that is one place that I could not live full time. It's no secret that I hate air conditioning. I would HAVE to use it down there. I did enjoy the sun and warmth, but I don't know if I would like dealing with it everyday. Everywhere people were in search of shade.
One thing I found odd was everyone talks distance down there in miles. How far is the airport? 16 miles. Where is your work? 5 miles. I have no idea how far I travel to work, I just know it takes 15 minutes and the airport from our house is 30 to 45 minutes away.
After the tourney on Sunday we head back to Kathy's and guess what she found. YES!!! a place that makes homemade tamales. I finally got my tamales.

I realized that having my sisters and mother so close is a blessing. Mike had to say goodbye to his sister and brother and doesn't know when he will get to see, visit, play or hug them again.

Vacation List

Mike and I are headed to sunny and hot AZ tomorrow for 10 days of family, friends and fun(softball). I made my "to do before vacation" list.
Friday morning while clothes are in the wash and the dishwasher is running I head out to pick up the sticks so I can mow the lawn.
There are frickin leaves everywhere. Thoughts of being little and raking the oak leaves in our backyard with Dad slow me down. Sharen and I would take our I spy magnifying glasses - the kind you get in cereal boxes - and lay in the dry leaves and burn holes in them. No time for that today I had things I needed to do.
I get distracted again when I realize that most of these leaves will be down by the time we get back, so I grab my camera (no surprise there) and head on out to the back acreage behind us. The burned house has been bulldozed so it's wide open space.








I'm acually gonna miss the colored leaves. Arizona is soooo brown. Catch me later!

Injun Summer

Saturday Bryan & Mary came out to the burbs to visit a pumpkin farm and do the corn maze. I asked them if they wanted to go on a hayride with me & Mike. At Donley's Wild West they were having "Injun Summer" hayrides.
If you have dinner at the steakhouse you get a discount on the ride. So we decided to have dinner there too. I heard that they have great steaks. Bryan had Prime Rib, Mary had fried shrimp and Mike had the rib eye. I really don't care too much for beef, but they talked me into ordering the pot roast. "Sorry - we are all out!" I got my old standard - chicken wrap. After dinner we head out back to wait for the hayride. We had red tickets for the 7:30 ride. Mike and Mary passed the time roasting marshmallows.
The weather was perfect "God's spotlight" (aka.moon) was shining down. The hay wagon was pulled by an old tractor. It took you back in the cornfields and they stopped and reenacted the story of "Injun Summer" while someone read it over a loud speaker. Way Cool!

After the ride Mary talked Bryan into posing for a picture here.

Can I just say that I like the Bryan that hangs around with Mary!

So after the ride we decide to take a little detour home and swing by Stacy's and Kory's house. Bryan and Mary hadn't seen the new house yet.

They did run into an old friend from Grace though. He wanted to let all the people back in the city to know that he is doing good and had found a new home in Kory's "man garage". He gets paid alot of attention and is enjoying his new lease on life.

I Miss Bryan

When I was at the Pumpkin Patch this weekend I was looking through the squash and the farms owner asked me if he could help me find something. Yeah - I'm looking for something sweet. I had a regular acorn squash and a yellow acorn squash already.
He hands me a "red Hubbard" and told me to try this. I asked him how much and he said take it - if you like it come back and buy another one.
Well last night I tried it. Yummmy! I cooked it in the steamer bags. (I LOVE THEM BAGS) It was the size of a volleyball and I knew I was not going to eat it all. Mike would rather eat dirt!
Where is my Bryan? - He would of shared it with me and loved it.

Decorating Contest

Apparently the word is out that I like to decorate.
In our sales meeting the boss announced that he is going to have a "decorate your desk" contest for Christmas to help kick off the Christmas Advertising Season. Nancy groaned and said we might as well give the day off and the dinner for 2 to Karen nobody is going to beat her. Yeah - You got that right...
Right now my desk is decorated with Bears. Maybe a Beary Christmas? We'll see.
My first stop in the morning is the coffee pots to make the coffee - okay they are 3 feet from my desk and I don't even have to get up from my chair to get a cup, but I thought I would start to intimate them all this afternoon and decorate the bulletin board hanging over the pots with a preprint that was in the paper today. The lizard drinking out of a CN cup.




Gotta love the Geico lizard.

Decorating

I love the fall decorations!
I jumped into the little red pickup and headed over to the Pumpkin Patch to pick up my outside decorations. The father and mother of the owners were there and they used to have a pickup truck just like little red.
I wasn't going to get too much this year since we are going on vacation for 10 days and the animals love eat and spread pumpkin goop all over.
There was soooo many pumpkins and gourds to choose from!



I thought why the hell not the squirrel have got to eat too and here is what I got to decorate the front yard.

They've Landed

Sharen & Dup are off on a wedding cruise. Their nephew is getting married. I got caught this morning at work tracking their flight. They are headed to Florida to witness the wedding in Key West then boarding a cruise to Mexico. (Cheryl and Craig are going too)
FlyteComm.com tell you all you need to know about any flight. I know there are some other sites that can let you know the status of flights, but this is my favorite. Shows how fast - altitude - how much time is left - kind of airplane - and has a map of where the plane is going.
Next time you know someone flying somewhere check this site out. FUN!

Attention Bowlers

When someone's ball gets stuck in the ball return and you can see it, but it's not moving.
DO NOT PUT YOUR FINGERS IN THERE AND TRY TO GET IT OUT.
Your fingers will get sucked in and hurt real bad.
And, if it does happen, tell your teammates right away and STOP BOWLING!!!!! Especially if it's on your bowling finger.
It could look like this and still be hurting the next day.

Baby Quilts

I have a reason to get back into quilting! We have 2 babies joining our family.
Sharen and I head down to Joannes.
Now do I want to do the same old pattern? Big fat NO. I want to experiment.
The first stop was the quilt books. I looked online, but I thought I should look here too. Sharen found a cute book with just baby quilts.
Next stop fabrics. I was just concentrating on baby boy Zierk for now.
Questions that needed answers: Good thing I had Sharen there with me, she had an idea what Carrie would like - we changed our fabric four times.
Do I go with blue for a boy?
Do I get "baby" material or something to grow with (cars, sports, etc)?
Do I try and match the baby's room blue & chocolate or wing it?
Do I want to go flannel or cotton?
Do I get more material and make it bigger or crib size?
I want it to be a surprise so I'm not going to answer these questions in case the mother or father is reading this, but I think we did good.
2 hours later we leave. I have my material and am looking forward to sewing another keepsake!

Holy Smokes

Mike and I went over to the Moose in Elgin for a ceremony for Byron, Kory's Dad. He was getting the highest degree for a Moose, a Pilgrim. We left there about 9:00 pm and was headed home when both the Police and Fire made us pull over on Hopps.
"Lets follow them."
"What for?"
"To see if Dad's working" Okay, my Dad has been gone for a long time, but when we were kids we always used to ride our bikes as far as we could whenever we heard the sirens to see if we could see Dad.
We head down our street and see all the flashing light in front of our house. Holy Smokes - My heart stops for just a second and then I realize that they are just turning around. They had the wrong street.
The house behind us is on fire. I call Sharen right away and let her know what is going on and grab the camera.


I ran around and snapped a bunch of pictures. Here are last night and this morning pictures.
The house has been empty since we moved here 4 years ago, so no harm done. It was pretty exciting to watch the men and boys that Sharen works with in action.

Birthday Celebration

Sharen and I got to spend our birthday with our sons at the White Sox game.


Jon got the tickets from a member of the country club along with Stadium Club passes. He called to ask us if we wanted to have dinner there.
NO - We wanted to live the High Life and smell some hot dogs in the parking lot. We didn't grill but Sharen and I made sure we had enough food and all our sons favorites.





Bryan had never been in the stadium club so we made a pit stop there on the way to our seats. The boys made sure that we had everything we needed - Bryan even bought me the draft beers, because he knew how much I prefer them, or he had to keep getting up to go to the bathroom. Listening to Bryan and Jon discussing bodily functions on the way home was hysterical.
Sharen and I decide that our sons make great dates and we laughed and had a great time.