Great weekend visit

This past weekend was a total blast!!!  My sister flew in from D.C. and her companion was her granddaughter.  They arrived Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. We drove down to pick them up and they walked out of the terminal and we were right there - couldn't have worked out any better. We were SO excited to have them here and looked forward to our time together.

I'd been working on a special new recipe for bean burritos. A friend at church had received the recipe from her favorite mexican restaurant. You prepare this spice mixture and then add 2 teaspoons per one pound of pinto beans along with enough water to cover them in a slow cooker. You then cook the beans for 24 hours.  We also had the recipe for 2 special sauces for the beans. When we were ready to serve we had corn shells, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, cheese and they were delicious. We had a great dinner together Friday night.

We talked for a while then the famous words we'd hear often over the weekend came - "Can we play a game?" from our little guest.  So off to the closet and out came, Farkle, Uno and Blokus.

   Wikipedia

For a six year old - she played a mean hand of Uno. It wasn't long and we were all getting tired so off to bed and needed rest to prepare for our Saturday.

After breakfast we girls left for the mall. My sister was looking for a couple particular items for her granddaughter and this little miss loves shopping almost as much as her Nana and Great Auntie!! We had a delightful day. It was an experience to watch this little girl shop. It was even more fun watching her try on her many outfits.  We came upon some great sales. This Nana (sorry, both sisters are called Nana to their respective grandchildren) found some wonderful things for her own granddaughter for her upcoming birthday. We went to a new shoe store and found the tennis shoes that had been on the list of items needed.

We left the mall (we won't say just how long we had been there!!!) and headed over to Whole Foods. We had a ball while there. My sister helped me find gluten free products and the cart was quickly getting full of all sort of new things to try. Most exciting of all was the find of  Xochitl chips - they are amazing!! Thin, crisp, delicious and gluten free!!!  Everyone loves them - even the COP.

We talked, we played games, we went shopping - couldn't have asked for a more wonderful weekend. My niece is an intelligent and well mannered young lady. She knows her games - so be on the lookout if she asks you to play a game with her, it won't be an easy game. She loves to win.

It was a wonderful weekend. I love being with my sister and it was great having her here in Georgia and we're glad her granddaughter came along for the visit. Can't get any better than to have two Southern Sisters together.

What did you do over this past weekend?

SOOOO Cold but still got in the pool

It's a beautiful day today and all is well with the world except it's SOOOO COLD. I'm just not a cold person. Most days you'll find me walking around in so many layers that you'd think I was trying to get ready to go into a deep freezer or something. But alas, I'm just trying to be comfortable while in the house!

Each night my routine is a very quick change into flannel P.J.'s (long legged and long sleeves) and getting into bed where my dear, sweet husband has already turned on the electric blanket. His side is a one (1) and my side is five (5). His side has just the sheet and my side has the sheet and two, yes I did say two, blankets in addition to the electric blanket.  Before going to sleep I'll turn down the electric blanket to one so as not to fry during the night. Can't explain why I'm so cold but I've learned that layering is an art.


This morning I was particularly proud of both the COP and I because even the cold weather and even colder wind at 8:30 a.m. didn't keep us from the pool for water aerobics.  Water aerobics gives us the standard benefits of any exercise, but the use of water in water aerobics supports the body and reduces the risk of muscle or joint injury. It also allows a greater range of motion. It can also prevent overheating through continuous cooling of the body. Most classes last 45 minutes to an hour.

Yes the COP went with me on his day off to water aerobics. Gotta tell you he even went Monday morning with me too.  This morning, however, when we went to sign in the lady on duty told us the pool was rather cool at 85 degrees.  A few of the regulars even decided to not go to class.

Wikipedia

The COP and I looked at one another and then just smiled and said - "Let's go for it."  My normal routine includes jumping into the shower at a tepid temperature and then walking down to the pool and getting in quickly. When I do that, the pool feels warm after the tepid shower. This morning, however, just didn't feel the same - it was very cool water when I got in the pool. Surprisingly,  we had a large class.  The COP and I quickly got to the deeper end of the pool so that we'd have more water over our shoulders. But we need not have worried so much because our instructor was ready to help all of us get warm. She proceeded to run us through our paces at a very quick pace and she increased our work-out with weights. So we stayed warm until the end where you're doing your cool down for your muscles and body and boy did that cool down hit you hard this morning!!!  But we did it...we didn't let the cold weather keep us from getting our exercise. So another one down and the next one hopefully will find the water warmer.

We can hope can't we?

How are you starting off the year in getting healthier?

Well, here we are at the beginning of the last week of 2009!!!  Can't believe it in a way, it's gone by so quickly.  Much has happened this year and I'm really looking forward to 2010.

There is much to get done this week. We're hosting a huge New Year's Eve party Thursday night - so we've been planning food and games. Everyone will be arriving around 7 pm and who knows when they will be leaving (gotta say, with our ages you can be pretty sure it will be shortly after midnight). There is a list a real Southern mile long of things to accomplish in the next couple of days.

Monday we went to three grocery stores with two more to do today. I stayed on the computer for a couple of hours working on sending our resumes, updating calendars and making calls. Went to water aerobics first thing yesterday morning with my friend.

As we all do, my thoughts turn to what has transpired this year and what I pray and hope for in 2010. Gotta say, a few things I don't even have to think about - birth of two new grandsons and finding a new job.

Here's our first grandson who is due around the first of February....isn't is the cutest???

And now our second grandson who is due around the first of April...another darling little one - so cute!!

We're beyond excited waiting on the safe arrival of both of these special guys. Their Mom's are both doing well and look amazing as expectant Mothers-to-be. I'm looking forward to being there as soon as these precious little ones arrive.  I'm busy planning ways to pamper the new Moms and just love these little boys.

I'm busy seeking a new position and praying 2010 will bring this new opportunity quickly. The Cop and I both will be working on us in this new year - spiritually and health wise. We're making a good head start on both of these already.

Right now I'm trying to get my mind wrapped around the fact that in just a few days I have to take down all the Christmas decorations. It's a lot of work but more importantly, I miss the decorations. It's sad when wrapping each ornament up and placing everything in the decoration room to wait for 11 months until I can bring them back out.

I'm glad the Cop and I will be working in 2010 on things together. It always helps to have a partner when making major changes in your life for the positive. So come this time next year, I'll post the results of our efforts...so stay tuned.

Have you made some promises to yourself for improvement for 2010?

Decorating for Christmas

Well, Christmas has come and gone but I still have my trees up and will have until after the first of the year. We're having a big New Year's Eve party here so we'll take everything done the first week of January. It makes me sad because I just love the decorations. It gives me such pleasure to sit and watch the trees when they're all aglow.

This is from my purple and gold tree.......

Here's the "red" tree......

I love Santa's and have large and small ones all over the house and on the trees. Who could resist????

 

 My newest tree is a white and gold one. We didn't decorate downstairs this year as much as usual since all the children couldn't come home for the holidays. We did put up our Christmas village with the new trees that have working lights and also a lighted water fountain. It looked really great. I prepared my Santa display with three trees but added warm lights all through the Santa's and that really gave it that something special the display needed.  Next year with the children and grandchildren here, we'll put up the trees downstairs too.

It's such fun to decorate each tree. Memories of Christmas past flood our hearts and makes us happy. The Cop and I have such fun doing this together. Granted, he gives me plenty of space because he says I know just where I want to place each ornament. Me, I think he just enjoys watching so much...but it works for us. I couldn't do any of the decorating without his muscle and his enjoyment in the process too.

Hope you enjoyed decorating this year...I'm waiting for pictures to be shared on emails, flickr, etc.  It's time for you to start sending them out to us.  I love looking at pictures almost as much as decorating!!!!

Christmas 2009

Our family agreed that this year's Christmas would be special in that all our gifts would be home made. Well that sounds good in theory and we have some very talented children, but Kent and I began to think - what could we make for 8 children and 15 grandchildren that would mean something and that they would enjoy receiving?

A big task but one we gladly accepted. We made plans - we talked with friends to seek their advice - we searched the internet for ideas and then we were inspired. We began acquiring supplies and we had a blast. Kent and I had such fun at JoAnn's and Michael's. In fact, I had to keep Kent in check - he kept finding new projects to do (perhaps they will work out for next year!!). We worked hard together and we had a lot of fun. Yes, we had hands that became tired and cramped from all the cutting and tying but the end results were beautiful. Each family received a personalized blanket with colors we thought they would enjoy and had the family name stitched on them.

Here's most of them all folded up and stacked waiting to be separated into individual family shipping boxes.

 

 Here's one completed - they really looked terrific. Have to say, they're very warm too!!

We baked and dipped candies and had such a good time. Everything was made and given with lots of love. Our family means the world to both of us and this Christmas was a special time to share our love through the labor of our hands.

Family - we hope you enjoy your blankets and that the goodies tasted good. We love you and now can't wait for Christmas 2010 - just wait till you open your boxes!!!