Old Saying

You know that old saying "You don't know what you got until you lose it?" Of course you do, it was made into a song ( and I bet most of you sang that question just now reading this)

Well, here's another one. "You don't know what you're missing until you get one."

There are so many things out there that I could say would be nice to have, but really do I need one.
I spent my whole life making do. No complaints - that's just how I roll.
When I get my quilting notions catalog I go through it feeling that way. There are so many things in there that could make my quilting easier, but do I want to spend the money? ( I know what your thinking - What a cheapskate! Not true - I have bought some things)

Sharen is the same way. Twins are like that.
This year for our birthday Sharen found something that she was sure that I would like and would never buy myself - a design wall.

When I am ready to sew block together I have to find a space in the house big enough to spread them out. I have used the floor of most every room in the house. My favorite spot (or maybe it's just the one place where I don't have to pick it up every night) is the bed in the spare bedroom. I walk back and forth sewing individual blocks together. I do NOT get it right every time. A few of my quilts are back ass ward.

Not any more.
I love this thing.
I hung it IN my sewing room and put together these quilt blocks in less than 2 hours without any mistakes or back aches.

Right now I have a Christmas gift hanging on it all ready to be put together. I thought it looked amazing until Mike walked in and wanted to know "Why is this block turned the other way?"
Opps - I am sure if I looked at it long enough I would of seen that. :) For sure!

First Turkey Bowl

A couple young men in the family were heading to their first Turkey Bowl this year.

Matthew, who took the field and played with the big boys was assigned to the black team. Here he is taking instructions with his flag belt on.

 

 

He also got some encouraging words from his father and Jack.

 







Roger attended his first game, but he is too little to participate. He just played with the guys stuff on the sideline.

And of course a picture with Dad.

White Team

Black Team

And all my readers not in this weather area - Yes, it was 60 degrees and sun is shining and Yes, that is Jon in shorts and his silly head band.

Thanksgiving

I knew getting through my first Thanksgiving without Mom was going to be difficult. It was her favorite holiday! Stacy knew it too and offered to host the dinner at her house. Love You, Stacy!

She had no idea how to cook a turkey so I offered to help. Just like Mom helped me with my first turkey I went over to Stacy's house Wednesday night and shared my knowledge about cooking a turkey.

I gave her a list of what to get at the store before I got there. So sorry for calling you out on this, Stacy, but it is too funny not to share. I told Stacy to get 1 bag of flavored croutons and 1 bag of plain. When I got to her house she told me she could only find seasoned. Ok - It took everything I had not to laugh, she bought croutons for salads not stuffing. How was I to know she didn't know which was which, and how was she to know that there was such a thing as stuffing croutons. She has never stuffed a turkey before.
We sent Mike to the store to get what we needed.
Stacy hard at work.

Kory peeled and mashed the potatoes. He also carved his first bird.

Kaylyn set the table and assigned us our seats with homemade place cards.

Stacy had a great idea! Everyday starting Nov.1 we had to write something we were thankful for that day. Some were funny and some quite serious. During dinner and through out the rest of the day (because there was so many) someone would read one and we would all guess who's it was. It couldn't have gone better. The first one out of the bag (Now mind you there was over 100 thanks) was mine. "I am thankful for a stepdaughter who is hosting Thanksgiving this year" And the last one out was Kory's "I am thankful for my great in laws."

 

 

Stacy serving up the pies (pumpkin and banana) for the people with sweet tooth's. All Dylan wanted was the cookies that Mary made. It took him all day, but I think he finished off the whole plate there. I did manage to sneak one and they were mighty good.

Bryan, Mary and "I only need a 15 minute nap today" Roger had to leave early, but the rest of us played a game that I decided that you should probably play sober, though Stacy and I won a few rounds drinking wine. It's called 5 Second Rule. You need to name 3 things in 5 seconds. Kids think faster that adults.

 

It was a very good day! 



GoodBye

We moved in to this neighborhood 8 years ago.
We settled right in.
Found some great friends in the couple across the street. Despite the differences in our age (Mike went to school with their sons). I thought we were friends.
We shared cocktails on the front porches. Split wood together. Visited with them on vacation. Shared tools. We even watched their house when they snowbird to FL. each year. We have a key and password to their house.
I thought we were good friends as far as neighbors go.

When we came home in September from vacation and we went to them to borrow their folding chairs for Mom's wake (which we have done numerous times). They were cold to me and Sharen, didn't know why, but no hugs, sorry about your mother, no sympathy, no smiles,  NOTHING. I thought it was strange, but, I was grieving and blew it off.

Then I found out the real story.
The land around their house is all owned by the Kane Co. forest preserve. They have been mowing and taking care of it ever since they moved here some 40 years ago.  No one says anything about it. Really who cares.

The village of SE built a pump station next to that land a couple years ago. Still no big deal.
When one of the employees of the village came and saw a hose attached to their pump house they contacted Kane county wondering if they were using the villages water.
Turns out the neighbors were using the villages water to water the trees.
The neighbors blame me and Sharen for "turning them in".
Now they have to move their motor home, (which they stored on the property and have now moved to the empty lot next to our house). They have to move their horse shoe pits and playground they built down there. And their storage hut is on the property also. Not sure what is happening there.
So I can understand why they are pissed.

What I don't understand is why would you think that we would hurt them and why don't you talk to us about it? One person has told them that we turned them in and that is that - after 8 years they "are done with us." (thank god most of the other neighbors believe we had nothing to do with it)
The one time I tired to talk with him - I left crying HARD, and didn't leave the house for 3 days thinking I would run into him again. He said some awful and hurtful things to me.

It took me a VERY long time but  I am resigned to the fact that we will never be friends again and I feel sorry for them - They lost some really good friends in us.

They did something wrong and got caught PERIOD! They have no one to blame but themselves.
So I mailed them back their key to their house and have washed my hands of them.

They are now gone to their home in FL. for the next 6 months.
Yay!
GoodBye!

Yikes!!

My whole adult life I have had long hair. I have always thought it is my best asset.

**There was one time in my twenties when I volunteered to be a hair model at a salon show at the Blackstone in downtown Chicago and stupidly signed a waver to let them cut my hair however they wanted. I never dreamed that they would CUT IT ALL OFF. That doesn't count!

I also have been coloring it (all different shades) since my first gray hair appeared.

I thought I could go gray before I cut it short, but when?
When do I cut it off and when do I stop with the colors and go gray?
You have to admit you don't see many older ladies with long hair.

OK - I decided at 60 - That's when it is going to happen. I will have a hair cut that shows my ears and I will stop buying Preference by Loreal and just let it happen.

Well, 60 came and went. I did get a haircut, but it still looks the same only shorter and you can only see my ears if it's pulled back. I tired to let it go gray, but I looked like a skunk, with a white streak. Ugh!

When I was over at Linda's cleaning out Ma's closet I ran across her wigs. Why Ma had 2 wigs with her beautiful hair I do not know.
I took them thinking the kids could use them for costumes.

What the heck? If  I wanted to see what I looked like short and gray just put the damn wig on and take a picture.
Holy Batman folks - I don't think it will happen any time soon.....if EVER. I quickly went out and bought hair color darker than usual.

You have to agree. YIKES!!!

Off to see The Circus

After seeing the commercial on TV. I really, really wanted to see the circus again. It's been awhile since we took the kids.

Stacy called looking for a sitter last Friday.
Mike gladly volunteered.
Me, I thought it was a great excuse for ME to go to the circus - take the grand kids along. I jumped online and they had a show Friday morning. Yay!

I chose 1st row balcony, because Bryan always told me that those were the best seats. He was so right. We could see everything perfect - no one in front of us. There was not a lot of people there so there was no one behind us either. All the preschool bus trips were on the first floor. And there were bunches of little ones running around.

They opened the floor up before the show so people could go down to the ring area. This elephant was doing art work and swung his trunk a foot away from Kaylyn who snagged a spot in the front. She quickly backed away. I thought it was awesome.

Clearly the elephants were my favorite part. Kaylyn like the tigers - oh, and the acrobats in the plastic bubble high in the air, oh, and the dog tricks, oh, and the horses - clearly she loved it all.
The boys - their favorite part was the guys jumping through knives and flames until the round cage came out. 8 motorcycles spinning around inside a cage was pretty incredible to all of us.

Mike, he thought it was great to spend time with his grand kids at the circus. OK, I liked that part too, but damn those elephants are something.