Happy Holidays

Well I am discovering every second that there is way more to do than I thought to get ready for our trip. And with adding driving time to take Ruby out to stay with my MIL while we are gone and driving time for picking up Haylee in Waco, there isn't much time left for me to get it all done....AAAHHH!!

I most likely won't be able to post any while we are gone, so this is probably my last post for the year. So Merry (insert the holiday you celebrate here) to you. Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful celebration. And have a safe and fabulous New Year!!

Happy Holidays from my family to all of yours!!

No matter how hard I try...still Naughty!

So I have been super naughty all around. Not purposely though.

I have been naughty first by not completing my memories of Blake. I will get to that soon. I am much better. It often still doesn't feel real, but for the most part I have accepted his passing now.

Second, I have been naughty blogging. I have gotten on here many times, but just to read others and never posting myself.

Third, I have been quite naughty to my friends. I have not e-mail or called them lately. Two in particular. K and C, I'm sorry! I haven't even gotten on myspace and left them a comment or bumper sticker (they have both sent me many of these, and each has made me laugh and/or touched my heart deeply). But other than a late b-day to another friend, I haven't looked or commented on anyone's page lately.

Things just stay busy around here. The most recent time occupant is Larry's grandmother. She had been sick back in October/November with a bleeding ulcer but had started doing much better, until recently. My SIL called last Friday to tell me Grandma would be having a major surgery today on her stomach. About 15 min after we hung up she called back to say they just called with results of a scan from that morning, and she needed to be admitted to the hospital immediately due to her stomach not draining at all. So we hurried out that night and got to see her Saturday morning. She was in high spirits. The doctors said that she has a strong heart and healthy lungs so she should handle the surgery fine. She's 84 and this is her first serious illness and first time in the hospital for something other than having a baby.

Her surgery was this morning, and last I heard it went well and she did fabulous. If she is able to have visitors, I am headed out tomorrow to see her.

If all goes well, we are planning to go to Colorado for Christmas. So this year we are skipping having a tree. Our last artificial one was really pretty, but it didn't make it in our last move. So last year we finally got a real one. But with going out of town, a real one is not safe. And this year the money for a fake one is better saved for the trip. We have done a little decorating though.

We didn't get to put up outside lights last year. And I REALLY wanted to this year. So we got just a few, again wanting to save for the trip. We started putting them up the Thanksgiving weekend, but found out we were out of staples for the staple gun so we didn't get far. Larry decided to just borrow the one from work, which is much better than ours, instead of buying more staples. But since then he hasn't been getting home from work till 9 or 10, and is too tired to do it. And there is no way I would be allowed to attempt to do it with my problems.

So here are some pictures of Larry putting up what we could that night.

And the result, as best as I could do shivering in the cold.

And here is a little of what I did inside

The fireplace

Some of my snowmen collection (I am missing my glass snow couple. I fear they may have accidentally been placed in the throw out pile left in Plano when we moved. I thought I had stored them in my closet at the apartment, but can't be sure. And since I had no involvement in the packing and moving, I don't know what could have happened...oh well, maybe I'll find replacements one day) I have other decorative snowmen in other areas such as placemats and table covers, and wreaths...think I like snowmen?

And the sofa tableAnd other stuff is scatter around.

I have also been busy sewing for Lucas. Which here is an updated picture of him I took today.

He has definitely become a BIG boy, which is so funny due to how tiny Lori is. But he is a SUPER sweet boy. He will be 5 months old next week. I always look forward to my Wednesdays with him.

Back to his sewing. I was wanting to make him a tag blanket that I've seen on various blogs. I finally got it done. But while cutting the fabric for it, I decided to make a small "chew blanket" for him. Turns out he loved it so much Lori has asked for more so she can easily wash without him being without. So hopefully I can get those finished up by next week. I don't get him again till the new year, but Lori and I are going to hang out next week. Meeting up for drop off/pick up is not enough quality time for us.

Here are the blankets

The Tag blanket

The Chew Blanket

Hopefully all this can allow everyone to forgive me for my "naughtiness", and I will work better to be "nice".

Aunt Laura's Chili

I had to share this recipe. My sister-in-law made it when we were visiting once, and I had three bowls of the stuff. Which was ok because it's one she got from an eat healthy web sight. It's actually called Doc's Chili, but we call it Aunt Laura's Chili so everyone knows it's not the one I normally cook (which is also a really yummy one that has been passed down in my family).

Aunt Laura's Chili

-3 cups chopped yellow onion (that's a bit much for us so I only use half of an onion)
-1 lb. ground turkey
-2 Tablespoons chili powder
-1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 teaspoon ground mustard
-2 Tablespoons chopped garlic (we just sprinkle in garlic powder)
-1 15 oz. can rinsed and drained pinto beans
- 1 15 oz. can rinsed and drained black beans
-3 cups diced tomatoes (or you can use one 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes)
-1 cup chicken broth
-1/2 cup block olives (we don't use these)
-1/2 cup chopped green onions (we don't use these either)

-Spray skillet w/ cooking spray
-Saute onions
-Add turkey and cook thoroughly
-Add rest of the ingredients
-Bring to a boil
-Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes

I'm so Blue...and Brown and Green!

I will explain the title in a minute. I need to say though that I will soon return to more fabulous memories of Blake. But even though I'm overly sad and morning for the loss, I still have a family to take care of and in honor of him, we are continuing life as we should.

So in due of this, I wanted to update what has been going on.

Last weekend was the Neiman Marcus holiday window reveal and celebration. Larry's work is next door so they play a big part of it. And we had the advantage of getting to go up in part of the building that isn't finished and leased to shops yet so we were looking out the windows above onto the big reveal and were also face to face with Santa as he road a cable down onto the stage (last year he came in on a jet pack).

This weekend Larry is headed off to go hunting again, Holly is going with my aunt all day Saturday to help and learn the workings of a dog show. Since I haven't been able to get the van in to the shop to get some work done, I'm not going to chance going out to Bryan this weekend. I may do as Larry suggested and go on a week day right after Thanksgiving.

Now for the title. Some time ago I got the June/July edition of Threads magazine due to the project on the cover. It was a while before I started it and then took a lot of reading and rereading to get it all down. I have been working on it for a while. I was almost finished with it over a month ago, but then just go super busy. Yesterday I made time though and am proud to say it's finished!! There are mistakes here and there. But most of you won't know or notice, and I'm proud of it, and that's what counts, right?! I made one addition to it. Using this tutorial, I added a magnetic snap.

I am also very pleased with my fabric choices. And I am now using it for my purse. Ok, off to get some errands done so I don't have to deal with the weekend crowds.

M.O.B. Part 3

Another quick one for you.

Blake and I were also in the same class together in 2nd grade. I don't remember as much about him from that year other than that is when he started wearing a black leather jacket similar to his older brother.

Here is our class picture from that year. 1987-1988

Blake is back row (as usual ) on the right. I am in the next to back row middle in the middle of a blink. Lori (Lucas' mom) is in the front row seated on the left. And my good friend Roseanne is in the front right (she was in 1st grade with us too). I have stayed close to these two girls to this day...obviously.

M.O.B. Part 2

It's a busy day, so I will only share a couple memories today, but I wanted to get some in now that I got the pictures scanned thanks to my big bro.

Here is why I had my hair pulled on a lot. This was summer of 1988. I didn't get my first haircut till then.


My mom shared with me a pretty funny one. She told me that our first grade teacher told her she really enjoyed watching the two of us. She said anyone could tell Blake really liked me, and I milked it for all its worth. I apparently had no objection to letting him turn in all my papers for me and carrying all my stuff! Boy was I rotten!!

I also remember 1st grade class picture day really well. I remember after the picture was done and we were standing around about to line up, Blake came hurrying over. He told me he almost threw up in the picture and when it was done ran out of the library without telling our teacher (I guess he had to throw in that part to show how daring he was.) I didn't believe him. When we got the pictures in class, I hurried to open mine and see what it showed.
And low and behold:
1986-1987
(Look at the top left. I'm in the front second from the left.)

Those two memories have definitely brought some happy thoughts despite all the sadness.

Been on a break

Sorry I haven't been faster with more stories, but I've been taking a break from some of it. I've still been battling a lot of back and forth, and went to the library and check out some books to help me with getting through all of this. I've just had a hard time accepting that it happened, and I really need to.
Haylee is coming to town for the weekend. So I've planned my trip to visit Blake and his family around that. Since my meeting spot with Haylee's mom is in Waco, that puts me half way. I will take her back a couple hours earlier than normal on Sunday and then head out to College Station/Bryan so I can get there before dark. Then I will also have time to visit with his family before I have to head home.
I plan to get pictures scanned tonight so I can get a few up tomorrow. The next couple of stories I would like to share are quite the chucklers. One is actually one my mom shared with me that I didn't remember.