country roads...

got some photos yesterday afternoon...

we went out to pick up a kennel that someone posted on facebook that we could have...

so we can continue with our rescues...

found some new places to go back and visit in different seasons...

it started raining on us while we were out and the wind picked up...

and it didn't take long for the temps to drop dramatically while we were gone...

it got downright cold out there...

30s for highs for the rest of the week now...

we were in the 50s through Christmas...

it didn't really feel like Christmas, but the weather so was nice to have...

didn't have to worry about the kids getting here or getting home...

all the iffy weather they were talking about missed us completely...

just need to boogie through these next two months with no blizzards and no flu...

and we will be knocking on Spring's door!

so far, we have not had the winter they were forecasting at all...

exactly the opposite...

which is fine with me...

got the Christmas totes sorted, stuff packed back up today...

left the trees per request from Craig...

and we have to do the outside lights, but we do leave those up until New Year's...

DH has a morning doctor's appointment so he can get his high blood pressure medicine for the next year...

will hit Walmart again and eat lunch at Burger King...

haven't been there is awhile...

so its time...

and this should be my last outing for a bit...

the flu is going around here like crazy!

kind of scared of the doctor's office, but he needs his meds...

;0)

he is off until Friday, so we can get all of this all put back to normal before he goes back to work...

love having him home...

bath time...

the kitty car wash was open for business...

and these poor little ones were so dirty!

and this little face that I thought was just filthy...

isn't!

just colored pretty...

those eyes get me every time...

who could have something so tiny look right into your eyes and your heart not melt?

this one is long haired and fluffed up so big when dried...

I will get more photos this weekend...

and this is our little Annie...

(Patches)

the one that has crashed on me twice now and we had to pull out of the adoption list...

she had a home and was going to her new mama...

and many things just got in the way of that happening...

all for reason...

not sure if she would have survived if she had been in transport...

when she went down...

she is my girl and shadows me all day long...

she curls up to me at nap time and bed time...

and Charlie is just crazy about her...

they play so well together...

I got up and she followed me in here...

sleeping on the table behind the laptop...

waiting for me to go back to bed...

I renamed her since she will be staying with us for all time...

I posted the loss of our kennel on facebook yesterday...

and one of our adoption families is donating theirs to us for our rescues...

picking it up later this morning...

;0)

we are blessed to be surrounded by supporting people in our community...

God sure takes care of these babies...

from getting them to us...

to having others help us when we need it...

and finding them the right families to take into their homes...

;0)

have a good weekend!

Merry Christmas...

from our crazy house to yours...

we had our Christmas last night...

Charlie...

had a wonderful time...

and so did the rest of them...

we got 3 babies in the evening before Christmas eve...

there's 3 of them...

went out to get our small kennel to house them in...

and it was gone...

stolen...

filed a police report that night...

we do between 30-50 animal rescues a year...

losing that kennel just cut in half what we will be able to do...

:(

these babies are feral, but we have them tamed down pretty good already...

didn't take too long...

I had to use gloves the first couple of times on the one on the left there...

she had a really bad attitude and can hiss up a storm...

now, she's the biggest cuddler...

clean up today and baths for the babies...

and a blow dry to fluff them up even more...

then I am going to start posting them for adoption...

hope your Christmases are wonderful...

and that you have the best times with your families and friends...

;0)

remembering and praying for all those deployed this morning and far away from their families...

there's a few on the naughty list here...

Mr Wiggles opened the cat stocking early...

and then he wouldn't share...

but when he took a potty break, others jumped in...

they didn't get it opened...

but the wrapping paper was shredded all over the place...

with the help of the dog...

I have no idea how Christmas eve is going to go...

glad the kids will be here to chase things down...

never getting catnip toys for the cats for Christmas again...

well, I am sick...

tummy thing and everything is running right through me...

hoping it doesn't last too much longer...

so here I am up, still up at 4am...

been to the bathroom many times tonight...

going to try to lay down for a little bit...

so hope you have a good day...

not much time to get those last minute things done...

clean house?

probably not going to happen here...

it will just have to go the way it is...

;0)

it was a wonderful day...

I got to meet a reindeer!

this doesn't happen every day, you know...

and it was my very first time to meet one!

her name is Hallelujah!

and she was born on Easter 3 years ago...

and she is so pretty...

I have no idea how many kids went through the fire station today, but they said the crowds were good...

this is our fire chief, sitting on santa's lap...

and santa is the assistant fire chief...

they used this outside to fly the flag!

after meeting Hallelujah, we decided to head for Paris...

again...

we had Craig's friend, Tia with us...

and we went shopping again and ate triple cheeseburgers and fries at McDonald's...

they were really good...

went through the park with all the lights and then drove around town a bit...

came home and talked while the guys watched football...

sugar is low, so fixing something to eat before I head for bed...

hope you had a good day!

the lights of Paris at Christmas time...

the lights of Paris at Christmas time...

and the sign at McDonald's there...

some of us ate supper here after shopping at the big, bad walmart...

the intelligent one went to Burger King...

of course we ate in the parking lot in the van...

I was froze to the bone and didn't want to get out again...

then we drove around a bit before heading home...

I loved this window!

that is a life sized vintage santa!

he was so awesome...

they did have some pretty lights over there...

I loved the angels...

they were big ones, too...

got plans today to get some things done...

all of us are home for today...

so need to get the laundry put up that I did yesterday and do some major cleaning...

so I can take next week off...

time to get moving!

have a fun day!

I think I have found something...

to keep me busy next year...

with an idea from a dear friend...

I have this idea of making stockings...

throughout the year...

starting out with the basic shape like this...

but putting my touch on them with something like this...

they would be small, one of a kind projects...

ones that I can handle...

using up the tubs of scraps that I have seemed to collect...

and I won't have to worry about selling them or having them pile up around here...

I will make them for the toy drive for next year...

I will start out with girly ones...

for the high school girls and then go down to the babies...

then the rest will follow...

its a project that I can pick up and put down, pick up again...

as the year plays out...

they are small enough to create one in an afternoon or evening...

I can shop at thrift stores for fabrics...

and trimmings...

and it might be something they keep and use year after year...

;0)

I may never have any grandchildren of my own...

but God has given me a town full of them...

to help their families pull CHRISTmas off without them knowing...

of the struggles in their lives right now...

so children can remain children just a bit longer...

and they can dream of things we have forgotten about...

;0)

 so that's the plan...

even on bad days, I can work on stockings...

got some plans tonight of shopping and cruising the streets of Paris in search of the most awesome CHRISTmas lights over there...

if DH is up to it when he gets home...

DO NOT want to shop this weekend or next week...

I am thinking tonight will be the slowest time of all the remaining days...

we have a very short list to finish up...

and then we can just sit back and wait for it to come...

so, are you done shopping????

got your tree up?

some don't have it up yet, can you believe that?

we have been working on CHRISTmas since the first of October...

you would think I would be sick of it by now...

but I'm not...

its a good year...

;0)

look at her now...

this is our very own little Miss A...

aka princess boom boom...

she got to meet Santa and his Mrs last night...

this is her big brother, who had his Christmas program last night, too...

he is in the pre school class...

she's the one I baby sat the summer before last when she was first born...

my, has she grown...

they both have...

and isn't this the best Santa ever?

real whiskers and all!

and to think I used to baby sit their mama when she was that little...

time sure passes faster than we want it to...

we went shopping last night for that 10 year old girly, girl...

and we found some wonderful things...

then we grabbed supper and ate it in the park...

drove around and looked at Christmas lights before heading home...

watched A Christmas Carol...

got to make that toy delivery this morning...

like to keep on top of those this time of the year...

you just never know how many calls you will get, so like to get them done as soon as possible in case another one comes in...

hope you have a great day!

the magic of Christmas in our little town...

been taking short drives to look at the lights in the evenings...

taking calls, making deliveries and have another shopping trip to do...

buying for a 10 year old little girl who like girly things...

got caught up on the book work for the toy drive...

dropped off items at the school and picked up an envelope with $80 in it...

the kids at the grade school raised money for our kids...

now that's sweet!

got another donation in the mail, too...

so we are not done yet...

we be making a trip to town tonight, not sure yet...

I know we need to go Thursday...

or so...

spent Sunday with the old man cleaning house...

yesterday was book work and phone calls...

and a nap...

today is delivery, sorting through toy totes and bagging for a couple of other kids...

pick up here and there and grabbed the mail...

store run and have to go back...

Charlie is out of dog food...

and I am not letting him have people food again!

gave him the poopies...

not a good thing...

we are on our umpteenth day of clouds, clouds and more clouds...

BUT!

the forecast is calling for sunshine tomorrow!

I need my batteries recharged so bad...

I might even be laying out...

(those of you who know me, know how likely that is to happen)

not many more days left until Christmas...

I think we are ready, or soon will be...

need to visit a neighbor...

it will be a year on the 18th since his dad passes away...

so want to check in on him and make sure he is ok...

those first things are the hardest ones...

not that any are easy, but they do get easier...

so off with you...

you have cookies to bake and gifts to wrap...

tinsel to hang and don't forget the mistletoe!

so get that jingle music blasting and get to it!

;0)

our Kids Shopping Night!

Thursday night we opened up the shop and let the kids in...

we had some really wonderful donations...

took us a few days to set this all up at the fire hall...

and the kids were few this year...

we were competing against a basketball game...

the whole town goes, you know...

but the kids who came got some awesome gifts!

and we had a bunch of awesome helpers on hand...

some of the best people around...

and my friends...

spent today shopping...

for the toy drive and little bit for us...

Craig took me out for lunch...

McHugh's Double Drive through...

oh, its been too long since we went there...

going back real soon!

came home, unloaded...

messed around and waited for Steve to get home...

took off for the fire hall to grab the wrapping paper and empty boxes...

we are officially out of there!

took them to the furniture store to put upstairs...

grabbed the rest of the gifts for the 5 year old little girl...

came home, ate supper and took a nap...

got up again...

Craig and I bagged all the toy drive stuff up in bags, ready to deliver tomorrow and Tuesday...

got our stuff wrapped...

did dishes, bathed the dog...

and finally just finished my CHRISTmas cards!

I am so late...

always have them out no later than the 5th...

well...

yeah...

no excuse...

laundry and some major house work when we get up...

DH has to work and I think he's happy about not being here...

wonder why?

so, I am off to bed...

got much to get done and I can rest on Sunday!

;0)

have a wonderful weekend!

I need your help...your prayers...

this is my surgeon...

the one who changed my life...

our lives...

he is also a surgeon in the Army Reserves...

and he is being deployed...

to Afghanistan...

mid December, so he could already be on his way there...

he has a 3-4 month deployment and this is his 3rd deployment since 2009...

he is to be in a surgical unit attached to a Special Forces unit...

working on the ones who are too seriously injured to be transported...

real darn close to the fighting if not in the middle of it from what I have read...

this is the man who took out my gall bladder after others wouldn't...

it took me 18 years to find him...

he is also my boob doctor and has calmed all my fears with my fibroid lumps...

and keeps a very close eye on things to make sure none of them change...

he also drained 2 of them last summer for me that were very painful...

he is kind and gentle and explains everything so well...

without talking down to you...

he is just so different from what I have had to deal with before...

he is such an amazing doctor and so needed in our small hospital...

he is the only full time general surgeon!

he is such a blessing to all of us!

there will be such a void for his staff and patients while he is gone...

they do have others coming in to take his place...

but it won't be the same until he's back home...

so, here is what I need for you to do...

pray...

pray for God to send angels to surround him for protection...

angels to protect his surgical unit...

and the Special Forces unit he is attached to...

prayers for safe journeys there and back...

prayers for the hospital staff and patients here...

prayers for his family...

and his friends...

we so need him back in one piece, upright and breathing!

he has so much more to do here...

so many more lives to touch...

  

you can click HERE for a link to an interview they did of him before his deployment...

it was done by EIU, the college Craig attended and graduated from...

you can also see our wonderful hospital and clinic where we go and some of the most wonderful people who work there...

heading up to do the Kids Shopping Night in a few hours...

;0)

got another call for the toy drive...

need to gather up a bag of toys for a 5 year old little girl...

we have most of hers in the left over totes, but need to find an age appropriate game and of course a coloring book and crayons...

we ran completely out of those...

picking things up for 5 high school kids tomorrow and shopping for a 17 year old boy and a junior high age boy...

we also got another $100 donation in the mail yesterday!

its still coming in...

this program has been so blessed this year with donations and amazing helper elves...

I am so thankful that God allows me to be a part of this every year...

that he sent me my surgeon so its all possible now...

that some of our past families are prospering with good jobs and can give back...

;0)

CHRISTmas is about giving...

giving freely...

so whatever you give...

money, a toy, a kind word or just a smile...

give it with all your heart...

to get what you need the most of...

which is love...

you must first give it away...

;0)

edited:

if you are having trouble hearing the interview for Dr. Nadeau...

go back now and click on the link...

then close out this window or turn off the player at the bottom of the page...

you may also need to turn up the volume on youtube to hear it well...

it's the most wonderful time of the year...

I finally got some better pics today...

it was cloudy and with the regular lights off and the CHRISTmas lights on...

they came out much better...

I love this votive cup...

I have no idea where I got it, but it might be Home Interiors...

I have had it forever, it seems...

this santa is from Walmart or Kmart...

many years ago...

the same with this one...

I don't put many of them out any more...

and have weeded much of my stuff the last few years...

when DH got home from work this afternoon, we made a run up town with the left over toy totes...

had one meet me up there to get toys for an almost 4 year old...

and we put the rest upstairs...

the man who owns the furniture and carpet store lets us store our things up there... 

which really helps us out a lot...

if we get a call for another family, we can run up there and pick through the totes and get it to them...

;0)

tonight after supper, Craig and I ran back up to the fire hall and unpacked boxes of gently used items...

to get ready for the Kid's Shopping Night...

so area kids can come and shop for their parents/ grandparents...

all items are donated...

and its gift wrapped before they leave...

everything is marked a nickle, a dime or a quarter...

if they don't have enough, we recount the money and make sure its exactly what they need...

"wink, wink"

so they can leave with the best presents ever for their families...

if a child cannot pay, that's ok, too...

we send them on their way with their favorite picks...

;0)

I will take my camera and get pics of the fun on Thursday night when we open up...

and then this is happening here this year...

I can't wait for that!

I have never seen a reindeer in person!

I made the flyer yesterday for them...

today was a lazy day for me until the guys got home...

I laid around and slept most of it...

love my electric blanket when its cold out!

it was cool, some wind and rain...

just plain dreary...

but great for not doing a thing!

I think I am going to be ok...

I hurt so bad last night, I was wondering...

but, God is good and I'm still kicking, just not as high...

need to do some Christmas shopping sometime this week...

a little for the toy drive and then the rest of ours...

then we should be ready...

have fudge, cookies, candy canes...

got to get my cards out, though...

so what are you doing to get ready for CHRISTmas?