Dec 26-29

Hello! It's been a few days.
Dec 26 we took our tree and holiday decor down, and in the evening headed to my parents' house. We stayed overnight, spent the day with family on the 27th, and then headed home in the evening, returning home about 9:30, 10 o'clock. It was a quick visit, which is always hard during the holidays.
The 28th, we went to church, headed to the in laws' for lunch, then the girls went with their aunt to see Bedtime Stories. They thought it was a cute movie. While they were gone, the husband and I went to Lowe's to plan how we'll spend our Christmas gift $. We are repainting the kitchen. It has needed it for a while. We are also getting new countertops, which won't arrive for around 5 weeks, but will look very nice when we get them! :) We had a lot of fun looking and are excited to get the process started. Then we went out to eat!
Today we met my mother and sister in law at a breakfast place, then headed to a bookstore (where we all had gift cards to spend), then onto the mall to have the daughters pick out an outfit with designated Christmas $. They also got to go to Target to use the rest on a toy/thing of their choosing, once the outfit had been purchased. We arrived home, the girls had lunch, then our youngest had a "playdate", so I took her there and then I got a run in! Garmin Girl beat me today, I might add, due to the wind that kicked my rear! :) I have ran 4 times in the last 6 days, and felt pretty good for most of them.
I also put out 75% of my snowmen decorations last night, but decided the 100% was overkill.
In my kitchen I have had cobalt blue glass for about 8 years. It is not staying in the "new" kitchen decor, so the hubby got all that down from the top of the cupboards last night. I still have that to clean and pack away today. It's a good feeling, the new plan . :)
I have also picked out my one little word for 2009, which I will talk about in another post.
Tomorrow we have no plans, so that is a good feeling, as well.

Did you know?

Did you know there is a "countdown" on the USA network website to countdown until the next half of the Psych season begins? It's like an advent calendar with clips, facts and a couple of laughs thrown in. My absolute favorite show! My in laws went to New York over Thanksgiving, for a quick vacation, and while there, they bought me this shirt. It is great! :) Can't wait till Psych starts on January 9! :)

Dec 25

Merry Christmas! {yawn}
The girls were "late" risers this year and only got up at 6:30. :) It wasn't around 5am like last year, which resulted in me sending them back to bed until 6! :) They opened their gifts from Santa, we had our traditional breakfast and were done by 8.
I ran yesterday. Probably will again today. Yesterday I got in 4.25 miles, with my new friend, Garmin Girl 1, my gift from the hubby. Who needs diamonds?? :) He looked for a good deal on different sites, better than what's listed on the garmin site. I'd like to help the economy, but wow! :)
My Nike watch quit, my Nike+ went out when keeping track of my time and distance... I still need the ipod for music, but the garmin helps me keep my time on task, and keeps track of my route. I need to keep working at my goals.
We ended up making 5 kinds of the cookies. We ran out of time with cleaning and cooking for the in laws to come last night. We made:

• crab dip
• spinach dip
• cheese fondue
• fruit salsa and cinnamon chips, they didn't have strawberries at the store, so we used a red pear and it was yummy!
  
• store bought pimento cheese spread, and ham salad
• lots of crackers, veggies, and bread to dip
• and some wine. :)

The food turned out well, and then we headed to church. It was a lovely service. A good way to spend Christmas Eve.

Well, off for family time. :) Merry Christmas!!!

Dec 23 & 24

Our oldest does have to have her wisdom teeth out on Jan 2. Please keep her well being in your thoughts. She's anxious already. She's supposed to go back to school on Jan 5, so we're hoping she's feeling well enough, but we'll see. We don't want to rush anything!

We made four kinds of cookies, thus far, amidst other activities.

We are done with our shopping, but not quite all the wrapping.

Tonight we have my in laws (mother, father, grandmother and sister) over for the annual Christmas eve dinner. We try to do different things every year. This year is "appetizers/dips" and then we'll attend church.

I would also like to get a run in today, as well as all the cooking and cleaning... think it'll happen? :)

Yesterday we went out, picked up my youngest from a sleepover (her friend's birthday is so close to Christmas, but it all worked out for her to have her party and all her friends could come!), went to the in-laws to play with the nieces and nephews, as well as get two games of euchre in with my husband's grandma. Then we headed home, got a few things done here, and then headed back out to finish stocking stuffers for the in laws. We always do parents' stocking stuffers. :) Then we exchanged gifts!

I know, I know, it wasn't even Christmas eve! Here, the only gifts opened on Christmas morning are from Santa. So, we all exchange gifts on Christmas Eve day. Since my husband had to work today, he will get home just in time to sit down and eat. Then we'll head off to church, and then it will be time for them to nestle all snug in the basement (it's a tradition that they sleep together every Christmas Eve, and wake up on Christmas morning together). So, we really didn't have time to just open them together, the four of us, after last night. Thus, we opened them. We all gave each other really nice gifts.

Now I have a list a mile long of things I need to get done before family arrives tonight! Then why am I blogging, you ask? :) Well, to wish all of you a wonderful holiday and send the regular readers a great big hug! Merry Christmas!!

Dec 22

Hello!
Yes, my cookie baking list is ambitious, we'll see if I actually accomplish it!
But, I'm going to try.

Today we have our oldest daughter's pre surgery appt for her wisdom teeth removal. We're hoping she doesn't have to have them removed considering the reason they gave us for removal was that the wisdom teeth were holding in her 12 yr molars. Two of her molars have begun to poke through in the last month, so... but they're both the bottom, so he may suggest just top removal? I would just like to hold off on surgeries if possible. :)

We also have to shop for a friend of my youngest daughter's, as her birthday is today and her party is tonight-an overnight.

We have a busy afternoon, as well.

We went to a women's college basketball game as a family yesterday, too. It was a rival game and our team won by twent points! It was a fun event for all of us, and our seats were pretty good!

Have also begun the thoughts on the "one little word" for 2009. Faith was my 2008 word and I really worked on it.

I am off to start the day! I hope your Monday is magnificent! :)

Christmas Cookies

The girls and I are planning on baking the next three days.
Here are our cookies we're hoping to make (we're planning on at least the first five kinds, then the others if we have time and supplies).

1. Peanut Butter Pinwheels (my annual favorite)
2. No bake cookies
3. Candy Cane cookies
4. Haystack cookies
5. Grasshopper brownies (no grasshoppers were harmed in the making of this recipe)
6. Peanut Butter Blossoms
7. Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars
8. Mexican Wedding Cakes
9. Sugar Cookies
10. Jingle Jammin' Bars (I will have to type up the recipe later.)
    
11. Buckeyes

What cookies are you making this year? Recipes you make every year?
Hope you enjoy these if you try them! :)

Dec 21

Our oldest daughter is healing. The weather is cold and windy. I need to get groceries-lots of them, including ingredients for Christmas cookies, and Christmas Eve dinner, as well as our annual Christmas Day meal. Our Christmas Day meal is a family tradition and it includes: sausage casserole (the casserole is made the day before so it can cook while the girls open Santa's gifts), cinnamon rolls (we tried making the husband's family recipe for about ten years and I wasn't successful, so I decided on Pillsbury :)), frozen fruit slush (we do this recipe with only frozen orange juice concentrate, not lemonade, which we let thaw while gifts are opened) and coffee! :)

I got in a 4.25 mile run yesterday. The wind and cold wore me out, but it felt good to finish it. I ran in a 8:16 per mile pace, and was very tired at the end.

The husband and I watched August Rush last night, and we both thought it was a wonderful movie. The music/soundtrack was excellent, as well.

We still have a little shopping to finish up and a few things to wrap, but other than that, baking cookies is all that is left on my list! :)

Tomorrow is the pre-surgery wisdom teeth appt for our oldest and our youngest has a birthday slumber party tomorrow night.

Hope your weekend is moving along nicely, but not too quickly! :)

Dec 20: Ouch!

I was the substitute for the class I did the longterm in, yesterday. Their winter party, a holiday movie, a book exchange, a spelling test, and wrapping their gifts for their parents meant a busy day. The kids were great, and I loved being back with them!
Then, on my way home I called my oldest, who arrives a few minutes earlier than I do, when I sub. She had been running on the treadmill, and was trying to pause the treadmill, hop off and answer the phone all at the same time. This resulted in an ouch! She fell and hit several places, with the belt still moving before the emergency key came out and stopped it. She has a raw spot on her knee, covering the kneecap, her whole shoulder, and her hand including knuckles. She also hit her head and face. The fall broke her glasses, and I thought she would have a black eye today. It's still red/bruised but in little spots. She has small bruises/red marks from just above her eyebrow to down mid cheek. She said her teeth were bleeding, so I was worried about that, but they don't seem to be discolored today (thank goodness!) Her lip is huge, however, the right side of her top lip is about 4-5 times bigger than the left side. She has the treadmill belt bump marks everywhere, too. She's sore today, but not as sore as I thought she'd be. She's lucky she didn't break anything! She will heal well, kids do, but I worried about her all evening! And we super glued her glasses back together. She's watching a Paula Dean cooking show right now.
We had a nice evening last night with my husband's family last night, pizza, singing, and games.
The night went quickly.
We don't have a lot going on this weekend, just wrapping, baking, cleaning, and healing! :)
I finished the book of Philippians yesterday and am starting on Romans, for my daily readings, now.
I hope your weekend has started off well!

Dec 19

I am subbing today for the class I was long-term in, this past fall. The teacher has the flu and will miss winter party day. It will be fun, and go by very fast, I think. I had planned to get all my cleaning and some wrapping done since it was my last day at home with no daughters here, but it didn't work out. I am tired, but looking forward to going to teach.

The party last night was very fun! I'm glad we got to go. There were a lot of nice people there.

Off to do my devotion. I hope you've had a wonderful week!

Quote

Just read a quote I liked:
"Use what talent you possess:
the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best."-Henry Van Dyke

Dec 18

It's difficult to post when you're feeling stuck in the rut of the daily grind. Sometimes when the hubby calls to check in/say hello, he asks what I've been up to. Well, the dishwasher, laundry, tidying up, girls' schedules, paperwork... You know, the usual. Those things don't make for an interesting post, either. :)
Tonight we're heading to a party given by one of my husband's coworkers. Should be interesting and hopefully fun.
Yesterday evening, while the husband was working late, I went through the scrapbook magazine issues I was behind on reading. I had three sitting here and hadn't cracked one of them. I read through them all, well, I read through the first one and a half, then skimmed through the next one and a half. I ripped out the ideas I liked and articles I wanted to read more of, then recycled the rest. I felt inspired to scrapbook. I have time during the day,while the laundry's spinning, etc, but I feel guilty. Just sitting down and doing something fun, a hobby, when there's always work that can be done around here.
I've already done my devotional, which wasn't as moving as yesterday's, but my daily reading was from one of my favorite chapters, that I've learned so far: Philippians 4. Awesome. It has always been a chapter that speaks to my heart. v6 starts with Do Not Worry... I'm a worrier.
It is almost time to take my youngest off to school. I hope you have a thoroughly good Thursday and it is filled with smiles.... One week until Christmas! :)

Dec 17

The girls headed off late to school today. They had a two hour delay due to two fronts of ice that came through last night. The temp was above freezing, then, and salt trucks came through, so it was fine when they headed out.
I finally finished updating my address book. I had been working on rewriting some of the pages, getting rid of phone numbers/addresses that I didn't need, adding new family that I sent cards to this year, since they moved or were married. I had been writing all the changes on notepaper, and I had quite a stack now that Christmas cards were done.
I've done my devotional and Bible reading for the day. Some days it really speaks to me, and other times, it's a thought/reading to mull over. Today's spoke to a goal of mine, something I hope to live by, and pray about. The reading was Romans 1:11, which speaks to our lives having an affect on others, either positive or negative, whenever we come in contact with someone. The verse was about your spiritual blessing you impart to others, or is imparted to you. The devotional was a reminder to have a positive influence on all you encounter, because that is what will spread. Also, it said to work at giving blessings/being a blessing rather than expecting to receive blessings from others. I really liked the words, and the thoughts are still sticking with me, obviously. :)
Yesterday I also sorted through my many contacts/email addresses. I have several that I don't know, they were attached to things people sent me or a "reply all" was sent and then they were new contacts. I also had several that were three emails for the same person, but I sorted through all those as well.
I haven't subbed at all this week. I haven't ran at all this week, although I have eaten plenty. :) I finally tried the new rib recipe yesterday, and it turned out yummy. We ate that and baked sweet potatoes. I baked them just like regular potatoes and I put a bit of butter and a bit of brown sugar on it before I ate it. We had fruit salad, as well. I'm still not sure what we're having tonight, though. :)
I hope your week has gone well, thus far! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Dec 16

Not much new for today

• Very cold here. Bad weather supposed to come in this afternoon.
• Saw this site: http://www.willyoujoinus.com/takeaction/energygenerator/ and found it interesting.
• Finished Christmas cards yesterday, bought stamps today and the last of them are sitting in the mailbox right now. Yeah! :)
  
• Ate way too many chips last night, and haven't ran since last week...

I think that's it. Have a Terrific Tuesday! :)

Busy Few Days

Dec 12 we all headed to my home state for my aunt's funeral. It was sad, obviously. Reminded me of how little I see family, and how much more I should. I was glad to be there for my grandmother (Dad's mom). Also made me wonder if this was just the beginning; as they are all in the same age group, some with health issues, the beginning of trips there for sadness...

Dec 13 we went out to the usual breakfast place with my grandparents, made two dishes to pass (my usual gooey bar recipe, doubled) headed off to my mother's mother's family get together. We had a nice Christmas visit with them, saw more people I hadn't seen in ages, but missed seeing my Uncle Duane who is ill.

After that party we ran some errands with my mom and dad, like to Meijer, Starbucks, all the necessities. :)

Then we headed to my Dad's Dad's party. (Yes, we got to see three branches from the family tree! :)) It was great to see this family, too. No, I wasn't tired of family, yet! We hadn't seen some of them in so long, and they hadn't seen my daughters! They couldn't believe how much they'd grown, and how little I still was! ;) It was good to chat with everyone, and trade photos and hugs, at all of the get togethers.

We headed back here after the party, arriving in our garage a little before midnight. Yawn! The girls were supposed to try to sleep on the way home, but didn't get much sleep in! :) I had read more At Home In Mitford to my husband as he drove. It made our trip go much faster!

Dec 14 We all slept in a little yesterday, cleaned house a little bit, the husband made a grocery run, headed to later church, went out for lunch, went home and finished up cooking, cleaning, and then our life/church group arrived for a potluck dinner. We made sloppy joes, fruit salad, finger veggies and dip, and other people brought the other goodies. We started at 4:30 and people stayed until almost 9! We had a wonderful time just visiting and laughing. A great holiday meal.

Dec 15 is today, and we have a busy afternoon! My youngest has piano, book club, basketball practice, and my oldest babysits the neighbor kids. I will be the "taxi driver". :) I also have wrapping and some shopping to finish.

I hope you have a wonderful day, this start of the week!

Book Club

The "Well Read Child" site author, Jill, will be hosting a book club, online, after the first of the year. I thought it'd be fun. You can read at your leisure without having to travel anywhere to discuss the book! :) Things are just getting started, so sign up if you're interested; You email Jill if you're interested, and books are just being suggested, right now. Our schedule can be busy around here, but I love reading and would enjoy an "assignment", to make me feel like I can sit and read-without feeling guilty! :) Join us if you're interested. Hope those regular readers can join! It'd be fun to read and discuss books! :)
Also, if you're not interested, but have a "great book" you have recently read and want to suggest, let me know! :)

Dec 11

We are planning on all heading in for the aunt's funeral, and staying over for the parties. Thank you for your hugs and concerns, blog friends.

I sat in on the conferences today and they all were delightful! It was terrific to see the students, and their parents, as well. It is such a warm and positive environment. The day did go by fast, and for dinner (there was a short break for dinner), some wonderful PTA ladies brought in delicious food! :) I had homemade baked ziti, garlic bread and potato casserole. :) Yum! I was thankful to observe the teacher's wonderful practices during the conference, and to be part of supporting her/the parents and students.

Have a good evening!

Dec 10

December 10 was busy, although I didn't accomplish too much. :) I met a friend at Starbucks, whom I haven't chatted with in quite a while. I think we last got together, for longer than five minutes, before school started in the fall. We've talked via email, but it's not the same. :) We sat yesterday for two hours. It was the kind of get together where you both talk and visit and then you are surprised by how much time has gone by!
I left there and went on to my husband's work, picked him up and we went to lunch. It was a great lunch at a place I hadn't been to before. Was nice to spend some time with him yesterday.
Then I went home, changed into dress clothes, saw the kids get home from school, and talked to them a bit. The I headed off to conferences. I enjoyed sitting with the teacher and inputting where necessary. The teacher, of course, did an excellent job and didn't need me there; she knows the kids already very well. It's nice to have the experience of seeing it done, though.
Sadly, my parents called last night to say a great aunt had died. She had had an episode of cancer, had treatments and beat it, but then it came back a lot more aggressively. She was just rediagnosed before Thanksgiving. The funeral is tomorrow, and I feel I should go. This causes some logistics to figure out. One of our daughters is off school, due to conferences. The other is not. My husband should be working. But we are planning on heading to state I grew up in, on Saturday for family Christmas parties, also. It's a three and a half hour drive, so it is a lot to drive it there and back tomorrow, and again on Saturday. So, I'm still thinking on the "how"...
Today will be filled with conferences, so I'm expecting the day to go fast. Last night flew by. :)
I'm trying a new ribs recipe today. I hope it turns out ok. :)
Have a great Thursday!

Dec 9

Today was a wonderful day. The teacher I was substituting for in the fall said I could come and read to the students whenever I'd like. I didn't have anything this morning, so I went. I was there a little less than an hour. I felt like a "rock star" when I entered the classroom. They shouted my name, hugged me, smiled, one asked if I could teach the rest of the day! :) I was glad to see them, too. I read them a book, visited with each child as they worked on morning seatwork. I was sad to leave all over again.
I got more Christmas cards done. I think I have about 80 completed and another 20 to go, possibly. I should be able to finish those up tomorrow and mail them out!
I got in a 4.04 mile run today, at around a 9 min. mile pace. It was raining which I like, but windy which I don't. :) It was nice to get a run in, anyway. :)
Then, this evening, we met some wonderful friends for dinner. We chatted at dinner over good food, and our kids visited, as well. Then we had them over at our house for another few hours of visiting.
I forgot to mention yesterday that I tried a new soup recipe. It was really very good, and quite easy! :) I t was taco soup, and on this rainy, cool day, it was the perfect lunch! :) I left out the olives because most of our family dislikes them. :)
I hope your day went well, too. Enjoy your Wednesday! :)

Dec 8

Hm, what fun things did we do today for the December Daily album...
Ran, not as far as I'd hoped, but I ended up on the dreadmill, blech. I don't like running on treadmills. It makes the time pass much slower, makes me feel slower, and I don't get to breathe fresh air! :) But, I ran.
I went to the dentist. Always fun... truly I do enjoy the "clean teeth" feeling. I brush, but the dental appointment is always so much nicer.
Laundry, some Christmas cards...catching up on emails, organizing computer's bookmarks, helped my daughter tea dye some paper. She has to write a journal from the perspective of someone from the American Revolution times. We dyed the paper to make it look aged. After she prints her paper on it, we might burn the edges here or there, also.
I saw that Runner Susan has some coupon information on her site, so I perused that, as well. Some very cool stuff.
In our newspaper this week they stated that happiness has been studied, and it seems that happiness spreads to people like flu. It spreads to one who spreads to others, who spreads... you get the idea. :) So, keep smiling! :)
Well, that is all the bland information I have for you this evening. I hope your Monday was wonderful!

Dec 7

The girls did great in their piano competition! I was very proud of each of them. However, the competition was supposed to last 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It lasted 2hours and 45 min. Which wouldn't have been bad, except we had to be there around 11:15, the girls started at 11:45, which meant a snack before but no lunch until 2:30 or so. We were all soooo hungry! :) But, we lived. :)
Then the lady inlaws and children came over and we had pizza, as well as a wonderful time! The men made it back safely, their team ending in victory, and happy to have had a relaxing day.
Today we started with church, and then in the afternoon we made the button trees. We were really happy with how they turned out... Although, they were VERY time consuming and used VERY many more buttons and pins than anticipated. My tree is below. :)
I hope you had a wonderful weekend! :)

December 6

I only sent out three cards yesterday... not quite the 25 I had in mind, hm? :) Those that I write today while the girls are in their piano competitions, will probably not make it out before the mail goes today, thus I shall be sending out the last of the cards on Monday.
I subbed yesterday and the children were delightful! :) The time passed too quickly!
I plan on a craft today or tomorrow, and have one for the girls, as well. Last year we did the frames, this year we are doing button trees. It's fun doing a craft with them! :)
I got in a run yesterday. 3.3 miles at 8:45 pace. The snowflakes that were falling were feathery and stuck to my eyelashes. The temp before wind chill was 19, but I was determined to get out there and make my goals! :) Who knows when I will have time today, but I will try! :) Or this will be my day off and I hit the trail again tomorrow. Currently, it's 23 degrees right now. :)
I hope you are warm and well, reader.

December 5

My goal was to get 25 cards out per day, the first day I sent out 23 and yesterday I sent out 27! Yeah! Although, I have to sub this afternoon so I won't be getting as many done. I have to clean house this morning, too, as is my Friday morning ritual. :)
The beagle has been completely fine, even up to his usual mulch eating antics, yesterday. :)
The weekend plans are busy: the husband is going tomorrow to a college basketball tournament (two games) in another state with his father, brother, and brother's father in law. They leave at 9am and return at 9pm. Both girls have "scale olympics" for piano, where they play for judges tomorrow 11:15-1:15 or so. There is an auditorium where I have to sit and wait for them... although I do not get to hear them play, I just wait, which will be a great time for me to finish Christmas cards. :) My oldest did this two years ago, I think, and I finished quite a few cards that year. :) Only one problem, no beverages while in the auditorium waiting, so I will finish coffee in the car after getting them checked in at the registration table, then head to the auditorium. :) I also invited my mother in law and sister in law over for pizza tomorrow night, to pass the time, as well.
I am planning on getting a run in today at 11. I got the latest edition of Runner's World Magazine yesterday. It always inspires me to get back to running. It had a page on setting goals. It mentions telling others about your goals to hold yourself accountable to them. So, I have set mine.

• Running 6 days per week by 4-24-2009 (my next birthday)
  
• Running in the mornings-must make it a daily habit, because that's the time that works best for our family schedule.
• Go to bed early (to get up early!)
• Run a marathon in under four hours in 2009-probably the half in the spring and the full in October 2009

I set these yesterday and didn't get up today, thus the run at 11, which gives me time to drink my coffee this morning, get a run in and shower before reporting to the school office to sub. :)
Last night we went on a (very cold!) walk as a family in the dark. The dogs loved it. We went about 8 blocks, four out and four back. It was fun. I slept better last night than I had in a while. When we got home, our youngest made hot chocolate with marshmallows and, on her own, she drizzled chocolate syrup on the top-it was very pretty, restaurant looking! :)
That's all for this morning. I hope your week went well!

Just to get the day started

Some sites I'm looking at this morning:

• Advent Conspiracy (Referred here to Stacy Julian's blog, am looking at it for the first time this morning.)
• Running With Cancer (Way to go on finishing the Seattle Marathon, Michael!)
• Addicted to Scrapbooking (sales and giveaways for the holidays)
• Snapfish (Uploading pictures that I took of my nephews and niece when they came and played last night=lots of FUN! :))
• Ali Edward's update on her December Daily (I wish I could be this creative and have it turn out so wonderfully!)
  
• I've also done the usuals: email, Google Reader of my blogs I read daily, comics.com where I read arlo and janice comic, cnn, msnbc, espn, the sites I skim each morning.

The beagle is himself today, completely. I was warned yesterday by hubby (with info from coworkers) that this might be the first of many seizures... I wonder if he's had any before this, but I wasn't here to witness them due to subbing?

Will try to post more later.

Dec 3-Poor Dog

Today has been rather eventful. It didn't start out that way. All I had planned were the daily tasks (Molly, I just make lists, and yes frequently it's the same thing day after day! :) And no, I don't get everything done/organized all the time, I just keep trying. :)) I also had more Christmas cards on my list. I have planned that 25 per day should have them done by the weekend. Yesterday I wrote out 23, so I was close.
While I was working on some cards, our beagle got up, stopped oddly on the basement stairs (I was working in the basement and the dogs like to be by me when I'm home alone.) He stopped and looked like he was waving. Then he went into the kitchen and I heard him fall above me. I ran in to check on him and he was shaking, with a blank stare, couldn't stand. It seemed very much like a seizure. I was unnerved, which in turn unnerved our other dog, but I quickly shooed him away. I held the small dog until he seemed to calm, a bit. I tried to tempt him with a treat, which usually has him running to me, although today he didn't seem to even notice. I let him outside and he ran like his legs were on strings going in different directions, like he didn't have control of them. He "went" and then sat in the mulch shaking. I went out, got him, picked him up and carried him to a comforter we had in the basement. I checked on him throughout the morning, went to meet the hubby for lunch, came home. The dog always comes to greet me at the door (I really worked to overcome his indifference to me, and we've grown quite fond of each other. :)) He didn't come today after lunch. I was more worried, still. I went down and he didn't even lift his head. He didn't wag his tail, which is a signature response, as well. I talked to him, petted him, and he rested. Later, he snored, in a deep, deep sleep for quite a while. About four hours since beginning the episode, he got up, stretched, visited with my oldest daughter, now home from school, and I, and went to his pillow bed, where he lays now. Scary. Yes, he's a dog, but part of our family.
Although he has appreciated the attention, our other dog has not. He's barked at me, nudged me and let me know he did not like this a number of times, today. Today's photo for the December Daily scrapbook will be the dog/s, I think.Here is a photo of them last month. We have two beds, but they end up on the same one. :)
The lunch with the husband was very nice, and we went to Starbucks after, as well. Had a lovely time, kept me from worrying about the dog. However, I didn't get very many cards done today, although I did get some wrapping done.

Dec 2

Today, I organized presents, made a list of cookies that I want to bake this month-so a grocery purchase is now in order, started Christmas cards, just about finished laundry, ordered Chinese food for dinner (oh so bad for you, but delicious! :)) and got my devotional and Bible Study in. On a side note, I have been rereading At Home in Mitford (one of my most favorite books/series EVER!) and it encouraged me to read the book/s of Timothy, which I have never done. I spent some time in the Word today working on that, as well.
I watered our very thirsty, newly cut Christmas tree, too. So far it's drinking about two watering cans per day! :)
I also talked to my mom, who had her gallbladder removed yesterday. She's doing well and progressing nicely.
Just wanted to check in and say hello to the readers this evening. :)

December Dailies

Ok, I didn't make the November blog post per day. I'm shooting for December, now. Why should this be any easier, you ask, especially during a busy time of year?? Well, I am working on a "December Daily" album again this year. Last year's didn't turn out quite as I'd hoped. This year, I'm doing things a bit differently, but still trying to keep track of at least one thing per day. Yesterday, December 1, we started the Christmas Mystery, as I mentioned we would. We last read it three or four years ago. My youngest had forgotten all the details, and plot! So it will be fun to read again, this year. It is like an advent calendar with pages to read everyday of December, and bits of the story unfold each time. Wonderful book, and I recommend it to anyone to read as a family.
My albino squirrel is visiting again, today, with the dusting of snow, he is safer outside and enjoys the corn I put out! :) I'm not sure if he's technically albino or just white, but nonetheless, he's unusual. :) Here he/she is in October when I got better photos of him/her.I have a few goals for today, like working on the stack of Christmas cards, organizing presents, and baking, as well as laundry (when isn't that on my list??). I hope your December has started off wonderfully! :)