BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!!!

Well, it's cold for Texas anyway! Yesterday around 5 PM, I had just finished working with my rose bushes when I felt the cold front come through. It was actually interesting to stand there and in the course of 5 minutes feel the temperatures drop about 25 degrees! A short time later, the winds started gusting and it began pouring buckets of rain. We were under a tornado watch until 7PM. There was lightning and small hail as well. My son Charles, the Meteorologist wannabe was practically giddy! Today we are under a Winter Storm Watch.

What happens to us as a rule, is that we don't get snow because it's too warm. We get a lovely coating of ice. We may get some snow accumulation today of 1-2". Big whoop, right, for many of you! Other people laugh at us because here in the South, we aren't equipped to deal with more frigid and snowy/icy weather. Yes, what shuts down the cities and schools here, is a huge laugh for many of you. People can't drive normal on the highways even in nice weather, can you imagine what it's like when this slop happens? It's better and cheaper to keep the schoolbuses ( and kiddos) as well as others, off of the roads. Dave will probably work from home today or go in later once we have a better handle on what the road conditions are.

Anticipating today, I purchased extra firewood on Monday, drug in all of the Christmas decorations from the shed yesterday morning, cancelled my house for today and I will make a big pot of 7 Can Soup. I'll make some sourdough rolls too. It isn't smart to earn $100 cleaning a house but possibly be in a car accident. Our deductible is $250 so if it's my fault, I've actually lost money by going to work! Today's job meant crossing over Lake Lewisville and the bridge will be a nightmare!

Charles is hoping that school has been cancelled. Me too so I don't have to drive the 5 mile round trip and risk being out there with a bunch of idiot drivers. Laura is supposed to work today so she bought herself some lined wind pants yesterday since she's a roller skating car hop at SONIC. I don't imagine they'll be too busy nor do I think she'll be on her skates! She works around noon and it's less than 2 miles from our house. At least she's close by. I could even drive her and pick her up if necessary.

My plan for today is to decorate for Christmas. Yes, that's it! It'll take all day just to get up my decorations around the crown molding.Last night I got the Christmas china washed but it's not put out yet. I got my nutcracker collection unboxed but since they sit on the hearth and I'll make a fire today, they're just sprawling all over the kitchen counter.

Last night we watched a foreign film with English subtitles that we got from Netflix. It's called Joyeux Noel and it came out in 2005. It's set at Christmastime in France during WW1. It's based on the true story of the Christmas Eve truce in 1914 between the Germans and the allied Scots & French. I don't want to give any of the movie away but it was very touching! The circumstances came about where the 3 commanders who were dug in all around each other, met and declared a truce for Christmas. The men actually mingled with each other, sharing pictures of each other's wives and children, food and song. These men who were seeing the horrors of war up close were given the opportunity to see that, while they were different they were also alike in many ways! I think I might try and find it on Amazon.com and buy it, I liked it so much!

Wherever you are today, cold weather or not, be safe!

Here is my recipe for 7 Can Soup:

1 pound of hamburger
12-16 oz.Chorizo Kielbasa (Mexican sausage) or your favorite link type sausage or kielbasa.
1 chopped onion
Minced Garlic
2 cans of Minestrone soup, larger size is fine
2 cans of Pinto Beans with Jalepenos, you can use the ones w/o jalepenos for a less spicy version.
2 cans of Ro-tel
1 can of whole kernal corn, drained

Brown hamburger with garlic and onion, drain off grease. If using chorizo, it must be cooked first. I simmer it in water to drain off the extra grease and slice it when it's cool enough to handle.

In a large pot, combine soup, beans, ro-tel, corn and meats. Heat thoroughly and serve with warm bread.

This is incredibly easy and it's a family favorite. You can halve the recipe easy enough to make a smaller batch.

Bon Appetit!

REMEMBER ME

Many thanks to my friend Kim who sent this to me. It is worth sharing with all of you in Bloggerland!

Dear children,
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. I appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can & may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you & what each of our tasks were. If you have forgot that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2.Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3.Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.
4.Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
5.Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
6.Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.
7.Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.
8.If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love & Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.
9.Here's a good one. There are individuals & whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food & a few gifts & give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me & they will make the delivery for you.
10.Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

P.S Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me & do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above & get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember,
I LOVE YOU,
GOD
**************************************************************************

BACK TO THE GRIND

I am back in my routine today as I have to go to work. Fortunately, I only have 1 house to clean today and I am hoping that I'll be done by 1:00 to 1:30. I need to run my car in for its inspection before the month's end. I tried to have it inspected 2 weeks ago since I hate leaving things to the last minute. I was surprised when the attendant at The Sticker Station told me that they don't have the computer software for my 2005 ION. It's nearly 2007! Oh well, that means I have to go somewhere else, someplace new to have it done. Oh bother (says Winnie the Pooh).

I was relieved that Charlie was too tired to go to Guitar and Bible Study last night. That meant a nice relaxing evening spent watching a movie with my hubby. Of course this was after the Dallas Stars Hockey game. I still need to finish my Bible Study lesson for tomorrow night's Daniel study.

I was going to drag in all of the Christmas containers from the shed and start decorating tonight a little. We probably won't get the tree until next weekend since we have Dave's Christmas party this Saturday. I need to get up all of the garland, lights, beads, picks and bows that I put up next to the crown molding, before the tree comes into the house. It goes in a specific corner of the living room and it's impossible to get that garland up behind it once it's in here. However, it's raining outside and that means I have to tromp through the wet yard and bring that stuff in here on new carpet. Unless, it dries out before this evening, that will be put on hold.

Yesterday morning it was so balmy out. I went to the grocery store at 6AM in flip flops and capri pants. The highs have been in the 70's the past couple of days. Thursday we are suppose to get some colder temperatures and some possible ice. Never any snow it seems, just that treacherous ice! I picked up 2 more bundles of firewood so we can have a nice fire going Thursday evening. I decided that when I come home from cleaning my house for the day, I'll put on some 7 Can Soup and make some sourdough bread to go with it. It sounds so good that I can hardly wait 2 more days!

As you can tell, I have posted a lot of pictures from out Holiday back home. It felt good to hand off the Christmas presents that I had already wrapped so I don't have to fuss with shipping stuff. I have about 10 gifts wrapped and need to wrap a whole lot more. I like to do it early, when I can do a few at a time and decorate them all up nicely instead of feeling rushed.

A few years back, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe RR which Dave works for started doing something different at their Christmas parties. We used to do a $10 gift exchange. I always found something nice in that price range but always seemed to get junk in return. Tiring of this endless parade of stuff that people never put much thought in to, I started picking my own gift! Then I would usually regift it to someone. Like I said, I always found something nice so it worked out well when I needed a little something extra. I think the last year we did gifts this way was when we had their Christmas Party at Billy Bob's down at the Ft Worth Stockyards. Yee Haw! Nothing says the true meaning of the season like drunken railroaders riding a mechanical bull!

We finally started getting some class to the event when one of the wives decided to organize it. We alternate now with eating at the Downtown Ft Worth Riatta restaurant, then walking over to the Bass Performance Hall and watching the Moscow Ballet perform the Nutcracker. This is one of my favorite ballets! This year, we are going to The Grapevine Opry House for dinner and a Christmas show. Their is a lot of local talent that performs here! The lady who used to be the lead vocalist for our Praise & Worship team, got her start there many years ago!
http://www.gvopry.com/nav_content.html

Now instead of giving useless cheapo gifts to people who really don't need them, we are asked to buy toys for underpriveledged kids. We collect the toys and a couple of days before the party, the representative, either the Ft Worth Police Chief or the Ft Worth Fire Chief (it alternates every year) pick them up at HQ's. He and his wife are invited to our annual party as well. I have to tell you, I feel so much better about doing it this way! Dave took the new boy's bike I purchased, into work this morning. I wish I could see that boy's face when he gets it for Christmas!

It's time to start watching our annual Christmas movies. There are so many that we like that we should probably get going on them. Speaking of going, I really should. I have some stuff to do before car pool and work today!
Laters!

PLAYING CARDS AT BRENDA & CHARLIE'S

Dave's Dad Bill, came over and played cards at Brenda & Charlie's our last night there. Our favorite card game: HAND & FOOT!

BIG & LITTLE CHARLIE

Our son is named after Dave's best friend Charlie. They have been friends since High school and back then they made a pact to name their sons after each other, They have David Charles & we have Charles David. Here the guys are hanging out at the bowling alley.

ALY & GRAMPY

When asked to do her "happy face", Aly stuck her fingers on her cheeks and smiled really big. When asked if Grampy had a happy face, she showed him how it was done!

DADDY & HIS LITTLE PRINCESS!

ASHLEY ELIZABETH IS A CUTIE-PATOOTY!!!

FAMILY

These photos are of my biological father, James McConnell with my son Charles & I. In previous posts, I have shared how God has restored our relationship and healed the wounds from my past.

MORE FUN AT OMI & OPI'S HOUSE!

Alyson plays the organ & Pop plays host. Ashley lets Jennifer know she has her total attention. Ashley actually let herself be tore away from Momma long enough to let me hold her!

HANGING OUT AT MY FOLKS!!!

My Mom Helga, poses with Alyson, Jennifer holds Baby Ashley and Charles sits on the couch with his youngest niece.

HOMEWARD BOUND

Today is our last day up here visiting friends and family. It's been a good trip all in all, all things considered. We gorged ourselves Thanksgiving Day on Perry's deep-fried turkey and all of the sides I made to go with it. Unfortunately Dave's dad came down with a cold mid-week which we think he might've gotten from Charlie. For someone who has emphysema as bad as he does, this is like a major illness would be for the rest of us. Poor man, he is miserable. We will hit the road at 4:30 in the morning and hopefully, the traffic will flow smoothly all the way home. It usually slows down once we are South of Oklahoma City normally since it's only 2 lanes and from there it's a straight shot to Dallas and Fort Worth. This is going to be a heavy traffic day with everyone heading back home from the holidays. I'll post on Monday and hopefully have some pictures to share already.

Mini Update

I am still back in St Charles but am checking e-mails and such on my brother-in-law's computer. We're wearing Dave's dad out I think, keeping him busy. We took him to dinner Sat night and then we played cards with our best friends, Brenda & Charlie. Sunday we took him out to the country to spend the day with our dear friends Dennis & Lois. The guys shot off guns and we visited until late in the evening, yesterday we went to dinner and then to go see "The Prestige". He's probably glad that we are spending the day with my Mom & Pop so he can have a break today! I've gotten to see Jenn & her gorgeous family on Sunday and will get to see them again today! It feels incredibly wierd to not have Laura Lou up with us like we usually do. It's been going pretty smoothly in spite of Dave's Mom not being here with us. Dave's dad has had a few moments while we've been here, which is to be expected. Will try to check in again.

In the meantime, don't forget to tell me what your favorite Christmas Hymn is, what your favorite Christmas song is and who your favorite Christmas artist is. I completely forgot to list one of my favorite Christmas songs, I am shocked I forgot "Have Yourself A Merry Little Little Christmas" sung by Judy Garland! I truly love that somg!

A new one: What is your favorite Christmas movie?
Mine is "One Magic Christmas"!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!!

Today we're heading out for St Charles to spend the holiday with family & friends. It's bittersweet however. On the one hand it's nice to be with those we love but on the other hand, it's our first holiday without my Mother-in-Law. I can't help but reflect back on this time last year when everything was so different. We had no idea that my best friend Brenda, would lose her dad within a month after the holiday and that Kathy would be gone by August! I think it's going to be tough on Dave's dad but having all of us gathered around, might help ease that hurt a little. Almost all of us...

Laura has classes up through Wed afternoon and won't be joining us. I looked into a plane ticket or a bus or a train ticket but we figured it was too costly for the amount of time she would be there. At work, they gave her the choice of getting time off for either T-giving or Christmas. She ended up choosing Christmas since we have so much family come down plus she is on semester break from college. She will join our other daughter Jessica and spend the Thanksgiving holiday with her & her family.

I won't be back until the 27th so I will have alot of catching up to do. I will miss my morning routine of checking my other blogger pals pages and seeing what's new in your lives.

Yesterday, one of the local radio stations began playing Christmas music. Yes, I DID listen! I love this time of year and I love Christmas music! I have been known to listen to it in the summertime on occasion.

Now it's your turn to be heard! A little feedback if you would please!

What is your favorite Christmas Hymn?
What is your favorite Christmas song?
Who is your favorite Christmas Artist?

My favorite Christmas hymn is:
"O Holy Night"

My favorite Christmas song is:
"Must Be Santa" by Mitch Miller

My favorite Christmas Artist is:
Mannheim Steamroller

ALMOST FAMOUS!!!

This past weekend, our daughter Jessica and her husband Steven went to Norman OK for the Texas Tech-OU game. They were up close and personal taking pictures. Guess who is on the left side in this published photo. I'll give you a hint: she's wearing a black head wrap!

WATERBEDS 101

Here is a picture of the airmatresses set inside the frame. I put sheets on them and we slept this way for several days! Finally, the new waterbed liner arrived and I was able to fill the bed yesterday!!! I slept fantastic last night and I don't feel like I need a Chiropracer anymore!

These pictures show the matress being filled and the "burp" thingy that expels the air from the matress. You have to roll around on the bed and push the air towards the valve, If you don't your bed makes really obnoxious noises while you're lying on it. The end result is a nice comfortable bed to sleep on once again! Until the heater warms the water to the correct temoerature, we will put our good, camping sleeping bags on top of it and sleep nice and warm. If you don't, the cold water in the bed just seeps right into your bones!

JACEY-BETH IN A BOX

On Sunday, Jessica brought Charlie home from staying at their house over the weekend. Dave was hooking up the sound system on the TV while Jacey was playing. He suddenly scooped her up and stuck her in the box. Naturally, she thought that was a lot of fun!

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN!!!

Jennifer sent these to me this morning. Alyson is going to be 3 in February but is going to be a flower girl in January for a family member's wedding. She loved wearing the dress and doing her Princess Ballerina dance. Jenn said they had to bribe her with candy to get the dress off of her. She's so incredibly cute I don't think I can wait until this Sunday to get to see her!

WRAPPING CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

While Dave worked through reading all of the technical junk over the new TV, I began wrapping Christmas presents to being back to St Charles this Friday. I'm really in the mood, so I'll probably do some more wrapping today after church!

OUR BUSY SATURDAY!!!

Sears delivered the new TV and the TV stand that we had ordered. The deliverymen informed us that they don't set up the stand and after a while, I quickly understood why! This is my handyman husband sorting through all of the pieces and reading the instructions. The other is our finished project. I helped so I get to take some credit! After that, he spent hours reading about the hookups, trying to figure out the home theater system and all of the gobbildygook that goes with that. He'll start that project after church today. In the meantime, we watched out very first movie on the new TV last night. GLADIATOR!!! I really like that movie and is a wonderful thing to be able to actually read the credits at the end. Our old "ghetto TV" was a console that we've had forever. I was beginning to think my eyes were getting really bad until Dave reassured me that it was the TV and not my "old eyes" after all!

OUR GABBY

Our oldest grand-daughter Gabriella, donated her hair to Locks Of Love. They make wigs for children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy and other medical conditions. In these photos you can see the before, during and after. Gabby, what a wonderful gift you've given to another child! We love you!
Gigi & Grampy

FREE MUSIC!!!

Go to this link for our church and listen to Jordan's song that he wrote for our recent 40 days church-wide study that we did. The song is titled "Make Us New Again". Our son Charles takes guitar lessons from Jordan and stays for the young men's bible study that he leads on Monday nights. This is an incredibly gifted young man and Charles really looks up to him! (Do the copy & paste thing)

http://argyle.crosstimberschurch.org/Default.aspx?p=11253

MORE PICTURES OF THE OUTSIDE OF OUR HOME

A shot of the front of the house and one from the rear where the Morning Room is.

EXTERIOR PICTURES

Here is 2 views of the house after they finished the new skirting, repairs and paint job. Ignore how sad the yard looks now!

HELP! I NEED A CHIROPRACTER!!

Seriously, I think I need to visit one when this is all said and done. Between dragging furniture and boxes, lifting junk and sleeping on a torture rack, I either need one or new and better self-inflating air matresses! I am going to call today to see if the new waterbed liner has been shipped out yet. In the meantime, I'm going to haul out our GOOD camping air matresses, fill them up and put them in the frame. If I had known it was going to be out of comission this long, I'd have done that to begin with! OUCH!

The house is almost put back together! I just need to finish the book shelves, wash the wine glasses in the china cabinet, run some stuff to the Goodwill and go through a few more misc piles. Tomorrow I am going to tackle the utility room and get rid of a bunch of old craft stuff. I am also donating a bunch of my old craft books. Stuff from the 80's & 90's, you know, when geese and that kind of cutesy decor was popular?

A week from today we head back to St Charles to spend Thanksgiving with our family back there. It's the first holiday without my Mother-in-Law and it's so very different than when I blogged about it this time last year! We'll get to see my folks as well as Jennifer & her family and other dear friends too. We have been going home now for about the last 5 years in a row. In one sense, it's nice but because we take over a week, (vacation time) it puts me behind the gun for the holidays! That's just something I have to accept though. At least I have still have my parents and Dave's Dad to visit over the holidays with! That's really what the holdays are all about isn't it?

With all of the home improving going on, little, every day errands have begun to grow and loom over me as they accumulate. Car inspections, oil changes, bank deposits, etc. all have taken the back burner the last couple of weeks. Tomorrow the new big screen TV arrives and I haven't even given it much thought! I am enjoying the new refrigerator and I am going to pick up an extra bin for the door since I arranged everything in such a way that I could accomodate one more. Free up all of that space where the jellies are hogging up room! I'll bet other people don't have as many condiments in their frige like we do. Marinades for grilling, 3 different salad dressings, Dave & Charlie have their own jars of jalepenos, I have my diced ones, 3 different kinds of mustard, 2 BBQ sauces, squeeze butter, spray butter, lemon juice in a plastic lemon, pickles, pickled okra, etc. I think you see where my dilemma is! I haven't even mentioned the syrups yet and it WOULD be nice, to move those jellies somewhere else. SIGH! Rough life, decisions, decisions!

The temps here have been really warm! I can't believe it was so chilly lastr week when Dave was in California that I had to light the pilot light in the furnace! This week, it's been tempting to turn the air conditioner back on! This is November? I want to use the fireplace but I have rule that it has to be down into the 30's before I do. As you can imagine, we don't have fires on a regular basis down here! I want snow! I want to wear gloves and a scarf! I want to feel my nose getting chilled and feel that sting on m cheeks, Instead, I'm sweating here in front of the keyboard because the humidity is so high! Yuck, sweaty armpits in November, who'da thunk?

THE WATERBED

So, here's where we are as of this morning. Dave got the waterbed put back together Tuesday night. I was eager to fill it up and then we could sleep in our good sleeping bags until the water temperstures heat the water up to their comfy setting. The night before, since Dave disassembled the bed,he slept on the couch and I used one of the self-inflating air matresses. I must've left the valve partly open because it was the worst sleep (if you can call what I did, sleeping) I have had in a long time! I had a monster headache all of Tuesday. I would've gotten uo and moved into one of the recliners, but there was junk everywhere and even if I had made it into the living room w/o tripping over stuff, I couldn't have reclined the chair back b/c of the piles of junk behind it! To say I was eager is an understatement!

When we took the bed apart, we saw that the liner was pretty worn. I ran out Tuesday evening to Sprawl/Mart to get a new one. They have done away with carrying waterbed supplies in their stores! Rather than put the old liner back in, we decided to have me go get a new one yesterday. Guess what? After looking at Sears, Penney's, Linens 'n Things, B B & Beyond as well as making 2 phone calls, I had to order it on line!!! So for 3 nights now, Dave has slept on the couch. I inflated a 2nd air matress and since Tuesday night and last night I have been sleeping inside the waterbed frame! I told Dave this morning that I'm not too happy with this platonic relationshgip we've been having here lately! Yesterday was our anniversary and it wasn't exactly a nice romantic time shared between 2 people!

This is a picture of our waterbed, waiting to be filled!

THE DEN

The den, Dave's room awaits the new carpet.

BEDROOM

Monday night we were up until 1:30AM putting stuff back and emptying out the bedroom and den. We have a king-size, hard sided waterbed that had to be drained and disassembled. I was panicing because the matress wasn't draining fast or well. I switched siphon pumps and sat in the frame, pushing water towards the pump as it began to decrease in size. What an ordeal! I was concerned for Dave when he was laying on his back, his head under the heavy wooden headboard unscrewing it so we could detach it. He survived and I didn't have to call 911. It was so late when we finally went to bed that he told me he didn't care if his closet was carpeted or not. Like a good wife, I emptied his closet for him Tues morning before the installers got there. They came a little earlier that day-9:45 and pretty much followed the same schedule. No way would I have thought they were going to be done by that evening. As it turns out, they have to come back because when the guy came out and measured, he completely didn't measure the master bathroom! At least that job will only take a short amount of time and there's not a lot of stuff in there. A magazine holder, trash can and clothes hamper!

YUCK!!!

The computer roll top desk is disassembled, stacked and sitting in the den. Looking into our bedroom-will things ever be normal again?