It's Official

I'm OLD! Last night, I watched, (with much glee, I may add) the Kennedy Center Honors. I honestly remember sitting through this as a child at my grandmother's house thinking I wish she could get more than one channel on the tv. A few years ago, I glanced at it again, thinking I knew a couple of the people mentioned but didn't really have that big of thing for them.

Last night though... George Jones,Morgan Freeman, Twila Tharp, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, and Barbara Streisand. All of them fabulous in my eyes.

It was a great, touching tribute to all of them but I think my favorite part of the whole night was when Rob Thomas was singing Teenage Wasteland and the NY Police Department and Fire Departments were singing backup. My second being when Idina Menzel sang for Barbara Streisand. It was just a great program.

The George Jones tribute was wonderful too, my mom and dad loved George Jones, they used to have all his 8-tracks and we would listen to them endlessly in the car. I thought it was interesting that they mentioned how his drinking ruined his marriage to Tammy Wynette. I felt a bit sorry for his present wife who was sitting with him, but this period was part of his history so it had to be told.

All of this while sitting on the couch, crocheting, yep, I think it's official.....

My Hero!!!

When I was asked what I wanted for Christmas, the two main things on my list were a little unusual. First, I wanted my garage door fixed, 2nd, I wanted my dishwasher fixed. My garage door opener has been broke for over a year now. I kept saying "if someone would get me the model number and tell me what parts to order, I will order them." To which Andrew replied that he had laid the model number on my desk, TWICE. Okay....I normally question anything that someone else lays on my desk but oh well. A couple of weeks ago, he gave me the model number and the parts he needed. Today, he fixed my garage door!!!! I know this is a petty little thing to most people but it is huge to me. Invariably, I would pull the van out of the garage and open the door and step straight in a puddle, or ice, or snow, to go close the door. Now, I don't have to be out in the weather at all until I get to work. I am so excited I can't hardly stand it. We are still waiting on the parts for the dishwasher, it has only been broke a couple of weeks, it won't take a year to fix it, because quite honestly, the piece that is broken, I know I can fix when it gets here. I am just so darned excited about my garage door though, Thank you again, Baby, ( for the millioneth time!)

Post Merry Christmas

Would you believe I have started to post today about 4 times. Each time I realized what I was saying was really not what I wanted people to read. I was just venting. I do not even know the Riedle family but I am heartsick for them. I don't understand why...I know we aren't supposed to question, but how can we not. Every time I started to post, it sounded like I was feeling sorry for myself and for my mom for going through life without my dad...and I was...so I would delete it and walk away.
Now, I am just praying for them and hoping they find the peace that I have finally found today.

Christmas was busy at our house, Robert spent his, I believe 4th Christmas in bed (we have had two in the ER, so at least we weren't there), he started throwing up about 10 Wednesday evening, shortly after my sis and bro-in-law got here. He spent the entire time anyone was here, in bed, asleep. He got up about a half an hour last night, long enough to take a shower and go back to bed. I had Sis call my niece and nephew and tell them he was sick in case they didn't want to walk into it but they came down for a little while yesterday afternoon anyway. He didn't come out so I'm pretty sure the germs were contained and I Lysoled so hopefully we are good. He was up and around this morning, much better--this is how he has always gotten a stomach bug, 24 hours of puking and sleeping then fit as a fiddle. He went to Tika's this evening so I hope he is really fine, he ate good today though so I think he is. Andrew is at work, would you believe they had to set Valentine's Day last night. Whatever.
I have been trying to figure out how far behind I am with scrapbooking and trying to get motivated to do some pages, I don't think it is happening tonight. Somehow, I am booking up my next week too, I really think vacation is going to go too quickly, now you can all laugh around Wednesday when I say I am ready to go back to work!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, I think we all got a dose of remembering to be thankful for what we have and for those who are close to us- we never know what tomorrow holds, or the next 10 seconds for that matter. After my dad had his first heart attack, my mom didn't want him to leave the house. He kept telling her, "Honey, none of us know when we wake up in the morning if we will be alive to sit down to dinner that night." I try to live my life remembering that-don't miss any opportunities to let people know you love them. I love you guys and am really thankful for the technology that lets us know what is up in each other's lives. Take care, and may 2009 bring brighter days for all of us!

A few of my Favorite Things

Our Christmas tree has evolved over the years, from that first all white and silver tree to the memories of our life, recorded in little pieces of glass, plastic, a little bit of metal and a lot of sentiment.This was the ornament we got Robert to commemerate him getting Lizzy, 2005.

This was an ornament a coworker got me the year we got Chrissy, also 2005.

I LOVE the St. Louis Science Center, I LOVE St, Louis. The bow around the Science Center is a big tradition in St. Louis. It started out as a prank by some U of St. Louis students, but has turned into a holiday tradition. This also reminds me of the day my mom rode to St. Louis with me for one reason, and one reason only--to get this ornament.

One of many ornaments Robert made at school, he wasn't very happy that day, was he?

This was one of the last ornaments my mom and dad bought before my dad died. We were in Terre Haute at Walgreens, in the mall. Mom bought them to hang on the chadelier in our living room.

This was one of the ornaments Andrew bought for our first tree.

This is an ornament that belonged to his mom and dad.

This ornament was given to me by Creative C, yes, there is a story behind it-ask either one of us, I am sure she remembers too, but I have redeemed myself because she loves my enchiladas.

I hang it on my tree each year, thankful that I know I have one friend who will tell me the truth even if I don't want to hear it.

My most prized ornament, my tree topper, she turned 51 this year. My mom gave it to us our second Christmas, Robert's first, she decided it was time it be passed on. She told us of the first year she and Dad were married, they didn't have much but they went to the woods and got a tree. They bought the angel and it was our family tree topper from that year on. Every year, I hold my breath as we plug her in to see if she lights; every year, she hesitates for just a second then she comes on. I am thankful that I know Andrew will rewire her the first year she doesn't but the fact that her little lights have burned faithfully for our family through my entire life just means something special.

A Very Welcome "Day off"

I had already decided last night that if there was no school today, I would take a personal day at work. I had 7 more hours coming before the end of the year, but considering I am taking vacation in a week, I had originally decided just to add it to the vacation time. I have to admit though, the number of things I wanted to get done around here was mounting up and Saturday is out of the question. So, I was up at my normal time, 4 a.m. to start my rebel day, please note, I can't tell you when I have EVER taken a day off just to take a day off, my last day off was the 6th of July and that was because I had a periodontist appointment in Terre Haute. Then, Susie from the office called and said the office was closed, so I don't even have to use any of my time!!
I have had THE BEST day! My house is cleaned, my craft projects for my coworkers are all done (which HAD to be done by Friday), my pantry is stocked, my laundry is done and it is 8:28 p.m. and I could actually go to bed guilt-free. I told Andrew I thought maybe I wanted to quit my job and stay home. He laughed, he thinks I will be a nutcase by the time my vacation is over because that is something else I have NEVER done- taken a vacation and just stayed at home. He is probably right, but I have a million plans, and if every day is like today, it is going to be great!

Cookies!!

When our high school kids had their "planning night" at the beginning of the year, one of the things they wanted to do was bake Christmas cookies for the younger AWANA kids. The date was set for the Sunday afternoon before the program which equals THIS afternoon.......

and the results........

After they were done with cookies, they have been having a rock band concert.....

If you drove by and thought it looked like my house was shaking, it probably was!!! They had a good time though, we had a good time. What an awesome bunch!!!

El Camino Update

Well, thoughts of the El Camino being legal by Christmas have been dashed. Last Monday night, the guys started working on the lights. They bought new bulbs for the tail lights and hoped and prayed that maybe that would be all it really needed besides a lens or two. Well.....when they went to put the bulbs in, there was nothing to put them into, the housing and sockets were all but gone. So, now Robert's Christmas is two new tail light housings, two lenses and 4 sockets, (thank goodness for elcaminoparts.com) totally over $250. Hopefully, the head lights are in better shape- I think they are afraid to look! One step at a time, one step at a time....