TGIF!

So, yesterday morning didn't start off so great. My Envoy made a terrible screeching noise as I was pulling up to the gas pumps, which a nice Schwans man said sounded like "my brake system." He also told me not to drive anywhere unless I called someone. :/ Guess I would have anyway, but didn't want any kind of affirmation that this would be a big deal... But it is. Jermie came from work to check it out, told me I couldn't drive it. I took his truck to work yesterday & today, and last night my vehicle had to be trailered home. :( Can I say... UGH!

Maybe the silver lining is that all year I've been putting into the City's savings plan, so I've got an extra "paycheck" coming next week. Can't say I wanted it to go to vehicle repair, but I guess it's better than having a huge dip in our checking acct. right before the holidays.... ugh.

On maybe a lighter note, here are some tidbits this Friday...

• I'm ready for Thanksgiving. Every time I'm in Dillons or Wal-Mart I'm practically drooling the idea of the big turkey dinner with all the fixings! :)
• I want to go Black Friday shopping!
• I think we should be thankful for this beautiful FALL we have had. I haven't worn a hat or gloves at all, hardly even a coat, and it's practically Thanksgiving! The leaves are still beautiful, the sun is still shining... The blowing rain the other day kind of brought my mood down, but this morning I saw a wild coyote prancing across a beautiful green field, and I'm just like, "Get over it people!" Fall is ending, which is sad. Christmas is coming, which is happy. I love snow. The only thing I don't like is ICE and that's because it makes it so difficult/dangerous to drive... I sincerely hope this isn't the LAST Fall-feeling weekend of the year - but if it is - it lasted a lot longer this year than it has in years past! I'm going to get the boys outside to play in a big leaf pile, ride bikes and enjoy the sunshine before old man winter arrives for good!
• I have already bought some new Christmas ornaments, although I'm a firm believer the Christmas decor and tree shouldn't come out of storage until after Thanksgiving! That being said, I might be home all weekend... so I might be tempted to start decorating! ...
• I SERIOUSLY need to go through the boys clothes - again. Every t-shirt is too short for Ashton and Gabe needs more jeans. It's always a struggle with these two GROWING boys!
• I got to meet Sunni's LITTLE boy Gage on Wednesday. He came to the office to visit his aunt, who is my boss. He enjoyed listening to our Club music, dancing in the office, and being completely pampered the whole time he was with us. We tried putting him down - promise - it just didn't make any of us happy! :) It was so fun - he's a cute baby, only 1 month old - and I needed a baby fix. Thank you Sunni!
• Gabe continues to talk to us about God & Heaven. He's so excited about everything. He says the most honest and pure things. It's just so heart-warming to have those discussions. He threw Grandma Peggy for a loop this week, too, but they talked through it. He's a sensitive kid and really thinks about things. He's amazing.
• Ashton... follows his big brother non-stop, but plays on his own pretty good too. Eats like a champ. Is persistent about getting what he wants. Is a little needy at bed time. Is showing more personality as far as expressions, conversation and song. He's still a snuggle bug, but he also wants to play the "pow-game" with his dad and brother (yes, it involves fists-a-flying!)
• Grandma Peggy - such a blessing. I've needed something "extra" about every day this week - lately it's been in the mornings and at night. Late pick-up Monday, driving to get the boys from Dillons yesterday morning, keeping them late while we trailered the truck, coming and getting them this morning, taking Gabe to school & taking me to get Jermie's truck. Wow. Thank You!
• Last thought: I need to spend some time downloading, editing and posting pictures. It's been awhile! :)

Have a good pre-Thanksgiving weekend everyone!

Tidbits

What a great weekend we just had.

Friday night was my candle party - everyone showed up, had fun, stayed after to chat and play a little Sing Star... Sarah booked a party so I got tons of free stuff - and I love shopping this time of year - Christmas Presents! :) It was a fun night. Jermie and I were surprised everyone headed home early though, so at 11 we stayed up with the Sing Star and rocked some duets :).

Saturday morning we got a call from Fonda & Joe that they wanted to come down later that afternoon, so that gave the boys something to look forward to! I actually napped most of the late morning/early afternoon away, then woke up to dash around the house getting sheets cleaned and everything ready for company. Jermie grilled steaks and we had a great dinner with them. Stayed up late talking - a great day at home and with family.

Sunday morning we had one of Jermie's famous big breakfasts and then hung out talking most of the morning. At lunch time we decided to go to Gambinos (where Ashton lost his new favorite toy - the frog he got from Maverik's - sad!) Then decided to do some shopping in Ark City and Ponca City. (Nothing for me to get excited about though - Orschelns and Lowes - boo!)

Talking to Fonda, I decided to give the candle lady a call back and see if I could still get a couple half-priced items, and I was told I had until midnight to get in a new order. So, Fonda and I talked over what she wanted, I poured through the catalogue, I registered online and got a hostess coupon for $50 in product for only $5, and then I had a whole second round of shopping for free and discounted things! Yay! A great way to end the evening.

The boys loved seeing Fonda and Joe and it was a good time hanging out with them. A fun, impromptu weekend and visit - very nice.

Now, the week has started and somehow my house is a total trainwreck. Laundry on the couch, dishes in the sink, toys and shoes everywhere. UGH. Top thing on my to-do list is take care of that this evening.

Let me leave you with words of wisdom from Gabe.

He said to me this morning,
"Mom, I think I saw God when I was in your tummy."

"Really - wow..." - me, a little stunned and speechless.

Gabe: "Yeah, that was awhile ago, but I still remember it."

WOW. :) What a sweetie. I'm so blessed.

Veterans Day

Veterans Day - just returned to the office from the Veterans Day program at WHS. All the elementary students sing, the high school choir and band perform, and we have a great speaker every year. This year's speaker had an especially unique military experience - he served as a Tuskegee Airmen - the all-black Army Air Corps pilots during WWII. He talked about President Truman and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt -- and told everyone to Google them if they didn't know who he was making reference to. He was funny, talked from the heart, and told everyone to get a good education. Liked the program very much.

My favorite part is when the band plays the songs of each of the armed forces, and those who served in those branches stand and salute and are applauded. I don't know why - but I love it.

I love all the old WWII veterans. So many of them wore their old military jackets, hats, etc. So many of their wives in sweet red and blue. When I first started working at the newspaper, there was even a WWI veteran - about 100 years old - and that was cool. Doc. He used to be in Lions Club too.

I'm a sucker for an old guy in a cool hat. :)

So, anyways, Happy Veterans Day. Tell a Veteran thank you. :)

Fall Pic

Here's a nice Fall pic from Grandma Peggy. :)

And something new Gabe's school is doing - his artwork is being put online so moms and dads can buy it on coffee cups and mouse pads and magnets and all sorts of fun things. The site just started, and so far these are Gabe's only two Masterpieces I can view online.

The printed pieces are pretty pricey - but still a fun idea - and probably totally worth it!

:)

I feel like winter is creeping in. The beautiful leaves are falling, farmers are out there harvesting the fluffy white cotton fields and pretty red milo, so my drive is getting brown and dull. Rain all tomorrow and Friday. No fun! :)

Guess I am looking forward to Friday night though - PartyLite Candle party at my house!

Happy Hump Day.

Another Year

My dad passed away two years ago today.

I've been listening to a lot of Neil Diamond CDs and thinking back to my last memories of my dad. The great thing is, they're all terrific memories. Most of them center on birthday parties for his grandkids, which were not 'optional' but always a definate, "we'll be there." Or the help he was giving us roofing our house. I wish he were here to help us now and I wish he were here to see these boys grow! Ashton is the age now that Gabe was when my dad passed away. I remember the birthday party for Kaden where dad was letting Gabe jump out to grab on to this tall fireman's pole and then helping him slide down - I was practically closing my eyes to see Gabe acting so brave and dad encouraging it so much! With Ashton, he grabbed the car seat carrier to load him in the van for me, then got annoyed that the car seat and holder weren't fastening correctly! He was such a happy, helpful, hands-on grandpa. I guess that's why all 4 of his kids gave him grandsons right around the same time, so we could each know and enjoy our dad in a new dimension - in the fun role of Grandpa. Terrific memories. What a caring man!

We all miss him SO much.
I spent the day on Sunday in Toronto with family. Boys playing t-ball. What a coach my dad would have made to this group of future ball players!

I visited the gravesite on Sunday with Grandma Ludwig, who left a beautiful flower arrangement. Every time I go to the cemetery and the flags aren't up, I always miss them and want them there in his honor. He was a very patriotic person & I'll be honoring him this Veterans Day. So many great qualities he passed on to us kids. I hope we can each do as well with our boys so they can grow up to be the kind of men their Grandpa would be proud of.

I'm sure they will. :)

Good memories of a great person. I know we were lucky & blessed to have him - and to have the loving parents we did.

So many people don't have any idea what it means to get the respect and positive encouragement of a man like my dad! To have a man like him to go to for help and strength. To have a man like that in your corner no matter what... He was strong and smart and should have lived forever!

I'm listening to Neil Diamond in his memory.
I'm sad in his honor.
I'm proud to forever be his daughter.

SPOOKS PARTY II

Spooks Party II

All Hallows Eve, 2010

We Had Fun!

We had ribbons to give out for

Best Boys Costume

Most Original Costume

Most Creative Costume

Two for 'Prettiest Girl' Costumes

...

Too Hard to Pick & No one wanted to!

NO Awards given out! :)

Everyone had Great Costumes this year!

We had a TON of food & snacks, many choices for the thirsty,

card games, Sing Star & washers...

lots of good times and great people.

Thank You Spooks Party-Goers! Had a great time!

Trick or Treat!

For Halloween night we mixed the costumes up a bit and Gabe wore Maverik's costume from last year so he could hide by the porch and scare Trick or Treaters as they came by... (He loved that 'scary creepy' costume!) Problem was - not too many Trick or Treaters came by! (Did anyone else have this happen this year?) A few blocks from us a church was having a Trunk or Treat and I could hear it going on even when I was ready for bed... But- we do have some neighbors who sent their kiddos or grandkids over & so the boys and I went to their homes too (across the street only -Gabe was a little disappointed we didn't walk all around like we did last year!)

Still, as Halloweens go, this is still the best ever since Gabe had a school party, we went to his Fall Fest as a family w my mom, and he got to enjoy so much company this weekend. Loved it!

Anyways, here's the pirate & spooky skelleton!


Gabe & the neighbor, Lance.

And one causalty:

:)

Happy Halloween!