Christmas is over and the New Year is creeping up on us. We generally spend the week between Christmas and New Years trying to de-stress from the frantic gift buying season and cleaning the house for the gathering of New Years revelers.
Last year, we went up the hill to our friend's lake house for the holiday. The wife had to work and they wouldn't be able to attend otherwise. I was getting over the flu, and my poor husband started getting a fever on the way up there. So, I spent the weekend nursing him through bouts of fever spikes and soaking sweats, cooking for the crowd, and taking pictures and didn't get to enjoy myself much. This year, the party will be back at our house.
Our kids are getting older now and while that thought is somewhat bittersweet, it is kinda nice to look back over the past year and see how much they have grown. My baby boy will be 18 in March. My daughter, 21 in June. I know that I don't tell them often enough how proud I am of them. They have turned into the kind of kids any parent would be proud to claim. And I love them very much.
My husbands job is still looking ok for the time being, so we are going to focus on getting the house ready to sell. We still have a lot of work to do around here to make that happen but at least we are not pressed for time or money to do it. We still have to do something with the bedroom and our bath, living room floor and kitchen counters. There are a few outside things that need doing, but they will be easy and inexpensive fixes that can wait until later. I am just ready to get out of this place and into my forever home.
The past year has had it's share of ups and downs. We got the house paid off, which is a major accomplishment, all of the vehicles are paid for, the kids both have good scholarships for college, and we have enough saved to be able to do the things we need to do to the house. On the down side, the garden didn't really do well this year and we are starting to feel it in the lack of canned vegetables that are left in the pantry. I may actually have to start buying vegetables from the grocery store again before the first produce comes out of the garden this coming spring.
And our smallest family member, Stuart, a 15 year old house cat passed away the first week of December. He was pretty old for a cat, and had been declining for the past few months. I was heartbreaking to see him getting so weak and know that there was nothing to be done about it. He died peacefully at home and was laid to rest with his favorite things in a spot by the back fence. We will be building a flower bed over his resting place as we did when Katie, our 14 year old Border Collie, passed a couple of years ago. He will continue to be sorely missed for a long, long time.
For the New Year, we will be starting off with a major celebration. Our Alma Mater had a winning football season for the first time in a very long while and has a Bowl Game that will be played the first week of the New Year. We are very excited about it and will be supporting our team in a grand style.
Our son will be graduating from High School in May with very good grades and will be getting ready to go to college in the Fall. Our daughter will be completing her Junior year of college (with perfect marks so far!) and will be starting her Graduate School search.
All of our years of scrimping and scraping are paying off. Our children are moving fully into adulthood as productive, well rounded citizens with bright futures ahead of them and we will have an empty nest. It will be a little odd to not have them underfoot but I think the future they will have will be worth it for all of us.
This New Year, for us at least will be full of new beginnings. And I am actually looking forward to it.
Showing posts with label family and friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family and friends. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Memorial Day
For most of us, Memorial Day means grilling out with friends and family, going on a camp out, the first dip of the year in the ole swimming hole, or just enjoying a day off. We have forgotten about the men and women who have fought, and sometimes died, so we can have a day of rest.
These people have made the personal decision to protect and defend our nation from all threats, foreign and domestic, to put their very lives on the line, so that others, that they do not even know, can enjoy a barbeque.
We know these people. They are your fathers, and grandfathers. The paper boy. The nice clerk at the grocery store. Your neighbor's kid that used to mow your lawn. The old geezers who sit all day in the coffee shop. And in some cases, our own children.
And it isn't just the Armed Services. It is the police officer who stopped you from speeding so you would not endanger yourself or others. It is the Firemen who saved your next door neighbor from a burning house. It is the Rescue worker who got you out of your wrecked car when someone on their cell phone ran a red light. All of these people put their lives on the line, EVERY SINGLE DAY, so that we all are safe, comfortable, and can live our lives without worry.
When was the last time you thanked a soldier? Or a Police Officer? Or a Park Ranger?
Or even the old geezer at the coffee shop?
This Memorial Day, thank someone who protected you. Remember those who gave everything so we can have our burgers and hot dogs. But most of all, never forget that these people live and die for you. And they should be honored for their sacrifices.Memorial Day
These people have made the personal decision to protect and defend our nation from all threats, foreign and domestic, to put their very lives on the line, so that others, that they do not even know, can enjoy a barbeque.
We know these people. They are your fathers, and grandfathers. The paper boy. The nice clerk at the grocery store. Your neighbor's kid that used to mow your lawn. The old geezers who sit all day in the coffee shop. And in some cases, our own children.
And it isn't just the Armed Services. It is the police officer who stopped you from speeding so you would not endanger yourself or others. It is the Firemen who saved your next door neighbor from a burning house. It is the Rescue worker who got you out of your wrecked car when someone on their cell phone ran a red light. All of these people put their lives on the line, EVERY SINGLE DAY, so that we all are safe, comfortable, and can live our lives without worry.
When was the last time you thanked a soldier? Or a Police Officer? Or a Park Ranger?
Or even the old geezer at the coffee shop?
This Memorial Day, thank someone who protected you. Remember those who gave everything so we can have our burgers and hot dogs. But most of all, never forget that these people live and die for you. And they should be honored for their sacrifices.Memorial Day
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Reason for the Season
It is Christmas time again, the time for Peace on Earth, Joy, and Love for all Mankind. And Road Rage. And Debt. And fighting over that special item that there is only 1 of in the county and, Danggit, your kid is going to have it!
Why is it that all you have to do is mention Christmas shopping, and all common sense completely disappears? People will spend hours in a mall wearing out a credit card buying expensive gifts for people they barely know, but they will not spare a dollar's worth of change for the bell ringers by the door?
We hear, "Remember the Reason for the Season" and hear Christmas carols praising God and announcing the Birth of Christ, and we might even sing along with them, but the words are just words to us. We are too caught up in the search for the perfect gift or some other such garbage. Do we really think Jesus cares whether or not your Mother-in-Law gets a cashmere sweater for His birthday?
Most of the time, the thing most people would prefer to get would be the money you spent on the gift they don't want or need. All of us, and I do mean every single person, have more crap laying around the house than we care to admit. And I would be willing to guess that if you opened up that back closet that you only use for storage, you would find several items that were given to you at Christmas. We spend hundreds of dollars every year swapping crap.
Instead of buying hundreds of dollars worth of future yard sale fodder in Jesus's Name, why not take the money you would have spent and donate it to cancer research? Instead of buying 2 games for your child's new gaming system, only buy 1 and give the other $50 to a community charity. Or buy $50 worth of food for the food bank. Or buy blankets for the homeless shelter.
Or...spend the time you would have spent Christmas shopping and volunteer!
If we are truly celebrating the Birth of Christ and all He teaches us, do what he wants us to do! Give to those less fortunate. Help those in need. Give joyfully of ourselves. Spend time with friends and family. Celebrate God's love for us and be joyful!
It isn't about who gets the biggest present or who spends the most money. And it most certainly isn't about the corporate profits.
Christmas is about loving and giving. Joyfully and without hesitation.
Why is it that all you have to do is mention Christmas shopping, and all common sense completely disappears? People will spend hours in a mall wearing out a credit card buying expensive gifts for people they barely know, but they will not spare a dollar's worth of change for the bell ringers by the door?
We hear, "Remember the Reason for the Season" and hear Christmas carols praising God and announcing the Birth of Christ, and we might even sing along with them, but the words are just words to us. We are too caught up in the search for the perfect gift or some other such garbage. Do we really think Jesus cares whether or not your Mother-in-Law gets a cashmere sweater for His birthday?
Most of the time, the thing most people would prefer to get would be the money you spent on the gift they don't want or need. All of us, and I do mean every single person, have more crap laying around the house than we care to admit. And I would be willing to guess that if you opened up that back closet that you only use for storage, you would find several items that were given to you at Christmas. We spend hundreds of dollars every year swapping crap.
Instead of buying hundreds of dollars worth of future yard sale fodder in Jesus's Name, why not take the money you would have spent and donate it to cancer research? Instead of buying 2 games for your child's new gaming system, only buy 1 and give the other $50 to a community charity. Or buy $50 worth of food for the food bank. Or buy blankets for the homeless shelter.
Or...spend the time you would have spent Christmas shopping and volunteer!
If we are truly celebrating the Birth of Christ and all He teaches us, do what he wants us to do! Give to those less fortunate. Help those in need. Give joyfully of ourselves. Spend time with friends and family. Celebrate God's love for us and be joyful!
It isn't about who gets the biggest present or who spends the most money. And it most certainly isn't about the corporate profits.
Christmas is about loving and giving. Joyfully and without hesitation.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
July 4th in all of its Glory
Well, the 4th is finally over and a very chaotic weekend it was. The gang, all 14 of them, descended upon our house for the holiday. That is approximately 100sf per person in our small house. And it necessitated a lot of cleaning. Fortunately, my husband was off of work on Friday, so he and the kids were cleaning dervishes.
My son had spent the week moving everything out of his room and painting. It was a major redecoration of his personal space that involved getting rid of all of his furniture except 1 bookcase. He wanted to add a small sofa so we picked one out when we picked out the paint color. Since he had finished painting Thursday night, we went Friday morning to actually buy it. It had sold the day before. Crushed! So we spent the next 3 hours driving to every furniture store in town looking for a different one. We finally, finally found one almost identical to the one he had picked out, and it was even cheaper than the one he wanted. It wouldn't fit in the truck with the bed cover on, so for 25$ they delivered it. It wouldn't fit through his 28 inch door frame. He was crushed. Again. So back out to find something smaller. He settled for a recliner instead. We got it home and in place with about 30 minutes to spare.
The first night we had dinner for 11. Home made pizza. It went over very well. The baby had his own dinner. So after we cleaned up the kitchen, we had games for the adults. Until around 3 am. It was a very long day for me.
On Saturday, we had 3 more arrive. That made our 14. Dinner on the grill. And games. And several empty wine bottles. It rained so no fireworks, sadly, but I don't think we missed them. We were all too busy to notice. And we needed the rain.
Early Sunday, 4 of our party had to leave. They were getting ready to drive to Florida for a vacation on Monday and had to get packed. So the remaining wife and I went to Big Lots for some light shopping while the husbands and a couple of the kids (teens really) played a game. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, she found some furniture that they had been looking for much cheaper (like 75% off) than they would normally be able to buy it. We called the husbands for advice (interrupting the game) and they agreed to join us in the parking lot to load the furniture. Hilarity ensued. Queen sized mattress and box springs, twin mattress, and a click clack sofa most of which was on top of a minivan. We put the twin mattress in the back of the truck and we all drove back to our house. Several trips to the dollar store to get bungee cords and tie down straps. And it all managed to get attached to the van for the three hour drive home. That evening, the wife, the daughter, the baby, and the boyfriend/fiance left leaving us with 7.
My hubby had taken Monday off for the holiday as well, so we enjoyed some more visiting time. I still had a box of tomatoes to do something with so I ran them through the blender and started adding things to it and cooked it down. 5 Quarts of spaghetti sauce. The last 3 finally had to leave around 3pm. They didn't want to be carrying mattresses down the interstate after dark. Then the daughter left to spend the night with a friend. Finally a quiet evening.
Almost too quiet.
My son had spent the week moving everything out of his room and painting. It was a major redecoration of his personal space that involved getting rid of all of his furniture except 1 bookcase. He wanted to add a small sofa so we picked one out when we picked out the paint color. Since he had finished painting Thursday night, we went Friday morning to actually buy it. It had sold the day before. Crushed! So we spent the next 3 hours driving to every furniture store in town looking for a different one. We finally, finally found one almost identical to the one he had picked out, and it was even cheaper than the one he wanted. It wouldn't fit in the truck with the bed cover on, so for 25$ they delivered it. It wouldn't fit through his 28 inch door frame. He was crushed. Again. So back out to find something smaller. He settled for a recliner instead. We got it home and in place with about 30 minutes to spare.
The first night we had dinner for 11. Home made pizza. It went over very well. The baby had his own dinner. So after we cleaned up the kitchen, we had games for the adults. Until around 3 am. It was a very long day for me.
On Saturday, we had 3 more arrive. That made our 14. Dinner on the grill. And games. And several empty wine bottles. It rained so no fireworks, sadly, but I don't think we missed them. We were all too busy to notice. And we needed the rain.
Early Sunday, 4 of our party had to leave. They were getting ready to drive to Florida for a vacation on Monday and had to get packed. So the remaining wife and I went to Big Lots for some light shopping while the husbands and a couple of the kids (teens really) played a game. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, she found some furniture that they had been looking for much cheaper (like 75% off) than they would normally be able to buy it. We called the husbands for advice (interrupting the game) and they agreed to join us in the parking lot to load the furniture. Hilarity ensued. Queen sized mattress and box springs, twin mattress, and a click clack sofa most of which was on top of a minivan. We put the twin mattress in the back of the truck and we all drove back to our house. Several trips to the dollar store to get bungee cords and tie down straps. And it all managed to get attached to the van for the three hour drive home. That evening, the wife, the daughter, the baby, and the boyfriend/fiance left leaving us with 7.
My hubby had taken Monday off for the holiday as well, so we enjoyed some more visiting time. I still had a box of tomatoes to do something with so I ran them through the blender and started adding things to it and cooked it down. 5 Quarts of spaghetti sauce. The last 3 finally had to leave around 3pm. They didn't want to be carrying mattresses down the interstate after dark. Then the daughter left to spend the night with a friend. Finally a quiet evening.
Almost too quiet.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
25 Random Things About Me
1) I have so much useless knowledge in my brain that I sometimes forget what I am doing.
2) I sometimes think I would be much happier if I never had to go to a store ever again.
3) My husband really is my best friend.
4) I would love to have a smoke house, root cellar, berry patch, chickens, and a big garden just like my grandparents did.
5) I know how to build a house, dig a well, plumb a bathroom, butcher a pig, and pluck a chicken. But I can't physically do any or it. And that makes me sad sometimes.
6) I like eggs
7) I like standing in the woods while it is snowing and just listening to the silence.
8) My first job was stuffing envelopes for $4.00 an hour while all of my friends were flipping burgers for $3.15.
9) I don't tell my kids how proud of them I am nearly often enough
10) I am not afraid to try new things even if I often fail at it.
11) The only "stuff" I need to be happy really just belongs in the kitchen. If I couldn't cook, I think I would go crazy. I don't know how people live without cooking their own food. I just get so much satisfaction from getting elbow deep in a bread bowl. I think we would all be healthier and happier if we would all just take the time to cook a big meal for family and friends at least once a month.
12) I make my own soap, laundry detergent, bread, and ham. I can make butter (when I have access to extra milk) salami, and sausage. I sew, crochet, can our food, and make jelly. I think I am living in the wrong century.
13) I get more joy from watching the birds in the yard than from watching TV.
14) I sometimes think that getting sick and not being able to work was actually a blessing. If I hadn't gotten sick, I would have missed so many chances to be with my family.
15) I want a homestead so badly I can taste it.
16) I am tired of the government telling me what I can eat, what I can do or not do, where I can put a chicken coop, what i am supposed to believe, and how to raise my kids. After all, they have done such a great job with the banks and manufacturing sector. I don't know why everyone doesn't adopt the morals the government employs. It has worked so well for them, after all.
17) I think that greed is over-riding common sense. That is why we are in such an economic mess.
18) Learning to be still was very hard to master, but very worth the effort.
19) I think I would be much harder to live with if I didn't have chocolate.
20) Bureaucrats make my teeth hurt.
21) I don't kill things, except ants.
22) I think the two most important phrases in the English language are " thank you" and "I'm sorry".
23) I would like to lose weight, but I just like food too much. If I could lose weight without giving up good food, that is a diet I can stick with.
24) I believe in knowledge for knowledge's sake. If you stop learning, you might as well just give up.
25) I enjoy being silly sometimes. I think that if we take everything too seriously, we forget to take joy in the moment.
2) I sometimes think I would be much happier if I never had to go to a store ever again.
3) My husband really is my best friend.
4) I would love to have a smoke house, root cellar, berry patch, chickens, and a big garden just like my grandparents did.
5) I know how to build a house, dig a well, plumb a bathroom, butcher a pig, and pluck a chicken. But I can't physically do any or it. And that makes me sad sometimes.
6) I like eggs
7) I like standing in the woods while it is snowing and just listening to the silence.
8) My first job was stuffing envelopes for $4.00 an hour while all of my friends were flipping burgers for $3.15.
9) I don't tell my kids how proud of them I am nearly often enough
10) I am not afraid to try new things even if I often fail at it.
11) The only "stuff" I need to be happy really just belongs in the kitchen. If I couldn't cook, I think I would go crazy. I don't know how people live without cooking their own food. I just get so much satisfaction from getting elbow deep in a bread bowl. I think we would all be healthier and happier if we would all just take the time to cook a big meal for family and friends at least once a month.
12) I make my own soap, laundry detergent, bread, and ham. I can make butter (when I have access to extra milk) salami, and sausage. I sew, crochet, can our food, and make jelly. I think I am living in the wrong century.
13) I get more joy from watching the birds in the yard than from watching TV.
14) I sometimes think that getting sick and not being able to work was actually a blessing. If I hadn't gotten sick, I would have missed so many chances to be with my family.
15) I want a homestead so badly I can taste it.
16) I am tired of the government telling me what I can eat, what I can do or not do, where I can put a chicken coop, what i am supposed to believe, and how to raise my kids. After all, they have done such a great job with the banks and manufacturing sector. I don't know why everyone doesn't adopt the morals the government employs. It has worked so well for them, after all.
17) I think that greed is over-riding common sense. That is why we are in such an economic mess.
18) Learning to be still was very hard to master, but very worth the effort.
19) I think I would be much harder to live with if I didn't have chocolate.
20) Bureaucrats make my teeth hurt.
21) I don't kill things, except ants.
22) I think the two most important phrases in the English language are " thank you" and "I'm sorry".
23) I would like to lose weight, but I just like food too much. If I could lose weight without giving up good food, that is a diet I can stick with.
24) I believe in knowledge for knowledge's sake. If you stop learning, you might as well just give up.
25) I enjoy being silly sometimes. I think that if we take everything too seriously, we forget to take joy in the moment.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Gotta love the Holidays
We have managed to survive yet another holiday season. It wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. After the Thanksgiving drama, Christmas and New Years went fairly smoothly.
Christmas at the Nephew's house went very well, and every one was full as a tick by 7pm. Granted, my niece and I did most of the cooking, but it was fun and everything turned out good. No one really got snippy with anyone else so the mood was good. My brother-in-law still wasn't feeling well, so they didn't stay long, but at least we got to visit for a little bit before he had to leave.
The Christmas gifts were about as expected. I think my Mother-in-law just gathered things from around the house to give every one. She has lots of stuff that she bought on sale over the last 40 years to give as wedding and birthday gifts that she digs through as needed. So my 17 year old daughter got a Barbie and I got yet another fleece throw blanket. I think she bought a single package of men's socks and gave each male member of the family 1 pair. She also gave each of us an envelope with cash in it. That was probably the best thing to do. She is getting old and her health is starting to go south, so she really didn't need to be out shopping anyway. And cash is always a useful gift.
New Years started, for us anyway, on Tuesday. That was the day that our friends from Hardy and our friends from Jacksonville arrived. We did our simple gift exchange with each other, then we threw a little baby shower for our friend's daughter. It wasn't really anything much, just some basic things like clothes and bottles and that sort of thing. Wednesday afternoon, us Moms went to the local thrift store and found tons of really nice baby things for next to nothing. I hope this baby turns out to be a girl. LOL! Although, I did find a couple of cute boy outfits and the other two moms got some really cute overalls that could go either way. But most of the stuff we got was frilly little dresses. I tried to stick with every day clothes, like onesies and t-shirts, I even found a couple of diaper covers that I think might be water proof. Those will really come in handy.
New Years Eve night brought my daughter's boyfriend to the house. It is still a little awkward having him around. This is her first real boyfriend and she is still a little shy of the concept I think. The Dads had a good time during the Inquisition. It was funny to watch the other 2 Dads quizing him over his future plans, if his intentions were honorable to my daughter, whether or not he believes in werewolves, etc. He managed to blow it all off with no problem. My daughter was mortified. I think she was afraid they would scare him off. He stayed relaxed and even humored Dennis in his werewolf stories. We had to run him off around 1:30 so we could all go to bed.
New Year's Day was more relaxed. I made omelettes as people got up. Then we played a couple of games and just visited. Our Hardy friends had to leave because she had to work this morning and their kids had to go to school. Our Jacksonville friends left too because my husband has to work today. We ran the boyfriend (yes, he came back) off around 8pm and we finally had the house to ourselves again.
Now all we have to worry about is geting the laundry and dishes caught back up and getting ready for the kids to go back to school on Monday.
While the holiday season is nice and everything, I am glad it is over. I will be ready for company again by the time spring break rolls around, but for now, I just want my house back.
Christmas at the Nephew's house went very well, and every one was full as a tick by 7pm. Granted, my niece and I did most of the cooking, but it was fun and everything turned out good. No one really got snippy with anyone else so the mood was good. My brother-in-law still wasn't feeling well, so they didn't stay long, but at least we got to visit for a little bit before he had to leave.
The Christmas gifts were about as expected. I think my Mother-in-law just gathered things from around the house to give every one. She has lots of stuff that she bought on sale over the last 40 years to give as wedding and birthday gifts that she digs through as needed. So my 17 year old daughter got a Barbie and I got yet another fleece throw blanket. I think she bought a single package of men's socks and gave each male member of the family 1 pair. She also gave each of us an envelope with cash in it. That was probably the best thing to do. She is getting old and her health is starting to go south, so she really didn't need to be out shopping anyway. And cash is always a useful gift.
New Years started, for us anyway, on Tuesday. That was the day that our friends from Hardy and our friends from Jacksonville arrived. We did our simple gift exchange with each other, then we threw a little baby shower for our friend's daughter. It wasn't really anything much, just some basic things like clothes and bottles and that sort of thing. Wednesday afternoon, us Moms went to the local thrift store and found tons of really nice baby things for next to nothing. I hope this baby turns out to be a girl. LOL! Although, I did find a couple of cute boy outfits and the other two moms got some really cute overalls that could go either way. But most of the stuff we got was frilly little dresses. I tried to stick with every day clothes, like onesies and t-shirts, I even found a couple of diaper covers that I think might be water proof. Those will really come in handy.
New Years Eve night brought my daughter's boyfriend to the house. It is still a little awkward having him around. This is her first real boyfriend and she is still a little shy of the concept I think. The Dads had a good time during the Inquisition. It was funny to watch the other 2 Dads quizing him over his future plans, if his intentions were honorable to my daughter, whether or not he believes in werewolves, etc. He managed to blow it all off with no problem. My daughter was mortified. I think she was afraid they would scare him off. He stayed relaxed and even humored Dennis in his werewolf stories. We had to run him off around 1:30 so we could all go to bed.
New Year's Day was more relaxed. I made omelettes as people got up. Then we played a couple of games and just visited. Our Hardy friends had to leave because she had to work this morning and their kids had to go to school. Our Jacksonville friends left too because my husband has to work today. We ran the boyfriend (yes, he came back) off around 8pm and we finally had the house to ourselves again.
Now all we have to worry about is geting the laundry and dishes caught back up and getting ready for the kids to go back to school on Monday.
While the holiday season is nice and everything, I am glad it is over. I will be ready for company again by the time spring break rolls around, but for now, I just want my house back.
Monday, November 17, 2008
News...good and bad
Well, we had a little bit of unsettling news this past weekend. One of our friend's 16 year old daughter is pregnant. We are a little worried about her because she is so petite and so very young. But we are trying to be supportive of her and their family.
They have been barely making ends meet as it is. He is on disability and she is a waitress and that is essentially their only income. The daughter doesn't work, and the baby's daddy is only 15, not old enough to work. So we are going to do what we can to make it better for them.
The next time we see them will probably be New Years and she will probably be showing by then. I thought I might make her a couple of maternity tops since they really cannot afford to buy her a new wardrobe, especially at Christmas.
There is sooo much they are going to need. They will probably be able to find quite a bit at yard sales and flea markets, but you always want some new things too. I thought I would make up some baby clothes in a sort of unisex way until we find out whether it is a boy or girl. Maybe crochet a couple of blankets. Baby clothes do not take much fabric or much time to make, and I am definitely better at sewing than I was when my kids were babies. Although I did make my daughter a couple of dresses.
I did ask if they were going to use cloth or disposable diapers. Probably both, so I got to looking around for free patterns for cloth diapers on the web. They are so cute, and appear very easy to make. So I thought I might make up a few of those too.
If the situation were not so sad, I would be thrilled to be an honorary Grand Aunt. I think I would have prefered to wait a few years though.
They have been barely making ends meet as it is. He is on disability and she is a waitress and that is essentially their only income. The daughter doesn't work, and the baby's daddy is only 15, not old enough to work. So we are going to do what we can to make it better for them.
The next time we see them will probably be New Years and she will probably be showing by then. I thought I might make her a couple of maternity tops since they really cannot afford to buy her a new wardrobe, especially at Christmas.
There is sooo much they are going to need. They will probably be able to find quite a bit at yard sales and flea markets, but you always want some new things too. I thought I would make up some baby clothes in a sort of unisex way until we find out whether it is a boy or girl. Maybe crochet a couple of blankets. Baby clothes do not take much fabric or much time to make, and I am definitely better at sewing than I was when my kids were babies. Although I did make my daughter a couple of dresses.
I did ask if they were going to use cloth or disposable diapers. Probably both, so I got to looking around for free patterns for cloth diapers on the web. They are so cute, and appear very easy to make. So I thought I might make up a few of those too.
If the situation were not so sad, I would be thrilled to be an honorary Grand Aunt. I think I would have prefered to wait a few years though.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Good Friends Make Life Nicer
I have noticed that my Random Thoughts have been incredibly random lately. I would like to explain that because my thoughts have been very random.
With the economy like it is at the moment, it is even more important that we not spend money on frivolous things. We have to stay focused on the big picture here. If my husband loses his job, how are we going to make it through the year so my daughter can graduate with her friends? What about my son who still has 3 more years? How will we make the house payment? What about insurance for my medications? What about Christmas?
These are all things we have to think about. As more and more Americans are having money troubles, and are trying to spend less, it is causing the nations retailers some pain. And that is causing a cycle of increased unemployment, more late payments or defaults on loans, and even less money out there to spend.
Personally, I think the real problem is the mindset that we as Americans have adopted. We think it is our right and duty to spend large amounts of cash on every item there is to buy. And retailers and ad executives are ultimately to blame here. They have found new and interesting ways to convince us that we absolutely must have "things" to be happy.
Case in point. This past weekend, we had house guests from Friday night until Sunday evening. We didn't go out to eat, we didn't spend a lot of time playing games or acting like consumers. We sat and visited with each other. We did go to the bread outlet (they do not have one within easy driving distance of their home so they stock up when they visit) and we went to Big Lots (they don't have one of those either). The rest of the time we ate, talked, and basically just enjoyed each others company. And we had a good time. And we didn't have to spend a lot of money to do it.
The funny thing about that is 20 years ago, we would have played a game that took all weekend to play or played several games that took 5+ hours. 5 years ago, we would have played maybe 1 game that took 5+ hours and maybe a couple of games that took 1 -1.5 hours. A year ago we would have played 3 or 4 games that took 45 minutes to play. Maybe we are just getting old. But it just seems more important now to slow down and enjoy each other that have to be entertained the entire time.
And as they say, talk is cheap.
Now I know why our grandparents would just sit and visit instead of wanting to do anything. It is actually relaxing to be able to visit instead of trying to plan a series of entertainments that every one would enjoy.
With relaxation being a lost art these days, and the amount of stress people are under at work, it just makes sense to take the time to enjoy life.
You don't have to buy a lot of specialized equipment, special clothing, or even special food (although I do cook a lot when we have company) to visit with friends. And taking time off from the world every couple of months to just sit and drink tea is a good thing. And good friends make it that much better.
With the economy like it is at the moment, it is even more important that we not spend money on frivolous things. We have to stay focused on the big picture here. If my husband loses his job, how are we going to make it through the year so my daughter can graduate with her friends? What about my son who still has 3 more years? How will we make the house payment? What about insurance for my medications? What about Christmas?
These are all things we have to think about. As more and more Americans are having money troubles, and are trying to spend less, it is causing the nations retailers some pain. And that is causing a cycle of increased unemployment, more late payments or defaults on loans, and even less money out there to spend.
Personally, I think the real problem is the mindset that we as Americans have adopted. We think it is our right and duty to spend large amounts of cash on every item there is to buy. And retailers and ad executives are ultimately to blame here. They have found new and interesting ways to convince us that we absolutely must have "things" to be happy.
Case in point. This past weekend, we had house guests from Friday night until Sunday evening. We didn't go out to eat, we didn't spend a lot of time playing games or acting like consumers. We sat and visited with each other. We did go to the bread outlet (they do not have one within easy driving distance of their home so they stock up when they visit) and we went to Big Lots (they don't have one of those either). The rest of the time we ate, talked, and basically just enjoyed each others company. And we had a good time. And we didn't have to spend a lot of money to do it.
The funny thing about that is 20 years ago, we would have played a game that took all weekend to play or played several games that took 5+ hours. 5 years ago, we would have played maybe 1 game that took 5+ hours and maybe a couple of games that took 1 -1.5 hours. A year ago we would have played 3 or 4 games that took 45 minutes to play. Maybe we are just getting old. But it just seems more important now to slow down and enjoy each other that have to be entertained the entire time.
And as they say, talk is cheap.
Now I know why our grandparents would just sit and visit instead of wanting to do anything. It is actually relaxing to be able to visit instead of trying to plan a series of entertainments that every one would enjoy.
With relaxation being a lost art these days, and the amount of stress people are under at work, it just makes sense to take the time to enjoy life.
You don't have to buy a lot of specialized equipment, special clothing, or even special food (although I do cook a lot when we have company) to visit with friends. And taking time off from the world every couple of months to just sit and drink tea is a good thing. And good friends make it that much better.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Last minute company
Whew, as much as I enjoy having company over, it is always nice for them to go home.
Se got home from vacation on Saturday the 9th, and Sunday, one of the friends that was feeding the critters for us stopped by for a couple of hours. He was on his way home from Springdale and decided to stop by for a visit. He was here for about 5 hours and it was enjoyable, and then he went on home. Then later that night, we got another email from our friends at the lake. They had decided to take their vacation in Little Rock this year, but unfortunately, their son had a bicycle accident the previous Friday that required surgery on his leg and wouldn't be able to get around with them. They asked if he could say with us while they did all of their running around. Of course, that was a no brainer, and I told them that there was absolutely no reason for them to stay in a motel when we were only about 30 minutes from everything they wanted to see and do, so I told them they could stay here. (They really don't have much money, he is on disability and she is a waitress) So they arrived about 8:30 Tuesday evening. Their injured son is about the same age as my son and they get along great. I think they spent most of the time playing on the game consoles and the computer.
The rest of the time, our friends spent running around Little Rock, seeing the sights and doing things they do not get to do in the very small town they live in, you know, the Zoo, an Art museum, a baseball game, the Mall, and they spent one afternoon at the $1 movie theater. I would feed them before they left and when they got home. They felt really guilty (for no reason) about eating our food, so on Friday night, our other friends (that fed the critters) joined us and we all went out to eat. We left the kids at the house and ordered Pizza for them. Their ages are 17, 16, 16, 14, 13, 13, 11, and 10. So 5 pizzas. Us 6 grownups actually got a night out. And our vacationing friends insisted on paying for the meal. So we insisted on paying for our bar tab. A good natured argument ensued and we graciously paid for our own drinks.
They had to leave fairly early on Saturday since a she had to be back at work at 3PM. The girls were hugging and claiming that they would miss each other. The boys were like "Dude, later man". We agreed that the Labor day weekend would be at the lake (their house) and that we would see them in a couple of weeks. Our other friends left around 7:30pm. And the house is quiet again.
But school starts tomorrow. So today will be busy getting everything ready for that.
So, a s a short recap, a week in Florida, a really long drive home, visitor, a single day to ourselves, then 5 extra people, then, 10 extra people, then quiet again. But there are still dishes to be done, laundry to be done, floors to be done, bedding to wash and put away, school clothes to pick out, back packs to clean out and restock, and hopefully, somewhere in there, we can take a breath.
But you know what, I still would do it again.
Se got home from vacation on Saturday the 9th, and Sunday, one of the friends that was feeding the critters for us stopped by for a couple of hours. He was on his way home from Springdale and decided to stop by for a visit. He was here for about 5 hours and it was enjoyable, and then he went on home. Then later that night, we got another email from our friends at the lake. They had decided to take their vacation in Little Rock this year, but unfortunately, their son had a bicycle accident the previous Friday that required surgery on his leg and wouldn't be able to get around with them. They asked if he could say with us while they did all of their running around. Of course, that was a no brainer, and I told them that there was absolutely no reason for them to stay in a motel when we were only about 30 minutes from everything they wanted to see and do, so I told them they could stay here. (They really don't have much money, he is on disability and she is a waitress) So they arrived about 8:30 Tuesday evening. Their injured son is about the same age as my son and they get along great. I think they spent most of the time playing on the game consoles and the computer.
The rest of the time, our friends spent running around Little Rock, seeing the sights and doing things they do not get to do in the very small town they live in, you know, the Zoo, an Art museum, a baseball game, the Mall, and they spent one afternoon at the $1 movie theater. I would feed them before they left and when they got home. They felt really guilty (for no reason) about eating our food, so on Friday night, our other friends (that fed the critters) joined us and we all went out to eat. We left the kids at the house and ordered Pizza for them. Their ages are 17, 16, 16, 14, 13, 13, 11, and 10. So 5 pizzas. Us 6 grownups actually got a night out. And our vacationing friends insisted on paying for the meal. So we insisted on paying for our bar tab. A good natured argument ensued and we graciously paid for our own drinks.
They had to leave fairly early on Saturday since a she had to be back at work at 3PM. The girls were hugging and claiming that they would miss each other. The boys were like "Dude, later man". We agreed that the Labor day weekend would be at the lake (their house) and that we would see them in a couple of weeks. Our other friends left around 7:30pm. And the house is quiet again.
But school starts tomorrow. So today will be busy getting everything ready for that.
So, a s a short recap, a week in Florida, a really long drive home, visitor, a single day to ourselves, then 5 extra people, then, 10 extra people, then quiet again. But there are still dishes to be done, laundry to be done, floors to be done, bedding to wash and put away, school clothes to pick out, back packs to clean out and restock, and hopefully, somewhere in there, we can take a breath.
But you know what, I still would do it again.
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