Merry Christmas...

I hope your Christmas is everything you dreamed it would be...

and that its full of joy...

another day...

my clearance $2.50 tree I got last year...

we did another 2 kids this morning...

we are doing 3 more tomorrow morning...

that will make 53 this year...

I have not been feeling so hot....

since end of summer...

2 rounds of Z-Pac, inhalers and steroids...

and may have to do it again...

I have much to share with you, but that will be another post...

tonight, I am tired...

we have tried for 2 nights to do a family night in Paris and I have not felt like it....

maybe tomorrow night...

Merry Christmas...

the toy drive is all but finished...

we will continue to keep our ears open for any last minute needs...

we have done 50 kids this year and 10 gift cards are going to high schoolers who might need gas money to get to school or work...

we had wonderful volunteers this year...

so much cooperation from the fire department and the school...

the editor of the local newspaper goes out of her way to get notices in the paper without charging us a thing...

toy item donations were way down this year...

but the monetary donations were awesome!

and the early fall 75% off shopping we did at 2 walmarts helped out so much!

the clinic here in town had the Grinch collect toys for 2 hours one night at a drive through toy drop off...

it was good weather up until the toy drive...

but we got snow the next two days and have about 5 inches on the ground and its cold out...

supposed to warm up Sat and be in the 40s for about a week, so this will all melt...

all the Christmas shopping and wrapping is done...

decor done as much as is going to happen this year...

and so it goes...

had a week long fibro flair...

and it was during distribution...

but everyone pulled together and did it while I sat most of the time and watched...

so, it all worked out and I am so thankful for each and everyone of them...

this town is so blessed with so many who care about others...

and we are so blessed to be able to work with them for one common goal...

I love that about living here...

we are blessed beyond measure...

Merry Christmas...

dinner is here Christmas eve...

:)

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you all have a wonderful day...

we are doing our dinner on Saturday...

Craig is working Wed- Sun this year...

so we let Doug and Paula pick a day good for them...

and we will be eating late...

probably about 6pm...

then on Monday...

both guys are off...

we are dragging the trees and decor out...

we'll see what we can do with it this year...

and sometime, we need to go up and work on the toy drive...

thankful for so many things...

we are so blessed...

so put your big girl pants on...

(the baggier the better)

and start stuffin'!

been elfing it...

we are set up...

but we need more...

possibility of adding another 10 families to the list...

I am tired and fighting a cold...

but we have good help this year...

donation box at the clinic...

they did a drive thru drop for toys the 21st...

Craig is on the end...

we had fun and got some donations, so not bad for the first year...

how are you?

surviving?

getting ready for Thanksgiving?

going to do ours Saturday night...

poor Craig has to work Wed- Sun...

oh well...

it is what it is...

have good days!

What have I been up to?

toy drive stuff...

made this this morning...

I send it to Walmart online photos and have them printed in 5x7s...

then we post them around town...

cheaper and better quality than using the printer...

I had to make the backgrounds...

so if you can use them in your decor somehow...

take the images...

you can use an editor and put whatever saying you want on them...

(if you need help, let me know and I can do it for you)

hope you are having a good day...

I am hurting a bit here...

sun is shining so go figure...

taking an easy day...

we set up the toy drive tomorrow!

catching up...

the beginning of the snowstorm...

which is what we should have gotten, but there ended up being a little bit more...

fall has been interrupted...

so I stay in and clean, cook and watch the birds...

its warmer today and the snow is melting...

we can see the grass in some areas, under the leaves...

which we didn't get to...

we have to shovel the yard before we can rake it...

the guys said no way...

I am not sure why...

have a good day

arctic blast and all that rot...

we got 3 1/2 inches of snow on top of ice...

and its still out there...

BIG UGH

but, I am warm inside...

so just to get caught up with you all...

I did the meds and am much better...

its not completely gone...

still a bit of a cough...

but major difference...

loved being on the steroids...

I felt "normal"...

no fibro...

had energy...

but it didn't last...

oh, well...

I did get a lot of cleaning done...

:O)

DH had some longs days...

but he has come home at normal time the last 2 days and its wonderful to have him back...

he has been working on getting everything ready to retire at the end of June...

"next winter, when the snows come, I will be sitting here(kitchen table) in my jammies and a cup of coffee and watch it happen"

he is so ready...

the babies have been a handful and will be ready to go this weekend...

yay for them and us!

and this weekend we start setting up the toy drive...

SO...

life has been happening around here...

and I will get some photos soon and get those posted...

have good days!

bronchitis...

be back when I feel better...

got meds at the dr's office...

it doesn't look much like fall...

most things are still green, just a little dry...

but the walnuts are everywhere...

and if you look at the very top, things are happening there...

got this on an online garage sale from a girl Craig went to school with...

its a scentsy wax melt thingy...

and from a friend...

they are so good...

I am not feeling good today...

think I have a cold and not allergies...

just moving slower than my slow...

Craig made two pots of chili this morning...

one for them and one for me...

I don't like hot chili...

mine is really mild...

DH is working noon- 5 today...

Sunday's are shorter hours unless they have to load cars or run the dryer...

which they didn't have to do this morning...

its 71 out and I have only been out there about 10 minutes...

just not feeling like it...

think its time to see the NP...

have good days!

a total cat day here...

the new babies...

about 4 weeks old...

got about 4 to go...

my Annie...

Mr Wiggles...

can't fix the couch...

squatters are everywhere...

they love the sun spot...

both guys are working today and  its beautiful outside...

stuck in here with them...

could be worse...

they could be awake...

Craig is off tomorrow, so hoping to get out and do something out there...

Craig won concert tickets from one of the radio stations here...

he got 2 tickets for George Thorogood on Wed night...

and 2 tickets for Kansas last night...

he took his dad both nights...

they had a really good time both nights...

but old DH was dragging Thurs and not sure how he is doing today...

LOL

it was only 45 minutes north of here, so not a long way to go...

Craig is doing really great on the CPAP machine...

he is so rested and his energy level is increasing daily...

its just amazing...

he looks 10 years younger!

I am so glad he finally got into the doctor's office and got things started on getting to here...

he has another sleep study to do on the 29th and they will adjust the levels on the machine to where it is perfect for him...

fall is finally happening here...

a few leaves turning now...

harvest is still going...

DH is working some overtime, but that just started...

they haven't had much hauled in yet, but have 3 farmers bringing in today...

he will get off at 6 and work half a day tomorrow...

his next day off will be Friday...

they are on a rotation of 13 days on, 1 off during harvest...

its going to be a long harvest this year...

slow to plant and slow to harvest...

and depending on how the rains come from here on out, will determine how long it takes...

some of the corn and beans still aren't ready to come out...

we shall see...

they are cutting beans like crazy...

they have to come out before the frost or they lose them...

you can pick corn in a snow storm...

hope your days are good and  you are enjoying this season...

it's going great here...

Craig got his C-PAP machine and is doing great with it...

sleeping all night long and not getting up at all...

he didn't need time getting used to the mask like they said he would...

he put it on and went right to sleep...

he looks so rested now...

he said his focus is back...

he doesn't need naps all the time...

its a good thing!

the other two...

a sweet little girl...

she's a cuddler, too...

and another girlie...

both still looking for a home...

with Bob, the gray and white one...

heard the word frost on the weather tonight...

hoping it doesn't...

but we need some fall colors around here...

its all still green...

DH had to work today, so was home alone...

bottle feeding and resting up for tomorrow morning...

Craig is getting his CPAP machine and getting fitted for his mask...

it all comes with an on hands instruction class with the pharmacist...

he said it takes about half an hour, so we are doing lunch after we get done there...

it was a pretty day watching it from inside...

we went for a walk before supper and talked the neighbors...

got a bit chilly after the sun started down...

which is pretty early now...

brought one of my ferns inside and gave another one away...

if we do frost, they won't make it out there...

we shall see if I kill this one, too...

looking forward to a good week...

hope you have a good one, too...

Blinky who is now CJ, left this morning...

his new mama is one of our dear old babysitters...

she was and is such an awesome person and I could not be happier that she got this baby...

she has fibro, too...

so we understand each other very well...

she lives 3 towns away now...

but we have been friends on facebook forever...

it got so cold here last night...

34!

that's just not right...

winter coat to run to the dollar store last night...

and one trip out on the deck this morning had me turning around and doing inside stuff today...

should warm up the next 10 days...

so this will be the coldest day...

for now...

y'all have a great weekend...

adopted....

this little girl found her furever home today...

and its going to be a wonderful home...

know her mama...

and just like that, there were 4...

well, we took in 2 bottle feeders yesterday afternoon...

you will meet them soon...

Susie- DH is fine, just old...

Doug, our oldest, has lost the 41 pounds in 3 months...

he is overweight and his A1C was high...

not enough to be type 2 yet, but on his way...

he has done such an amazing job the last three months in changing so much...

and he has dropped some weight and feels so much better...

blood tests show major improvement and still has a couple of things to keep working on...

but it takes time and the staff at the dr's office is very impressed with his hard work so far!

it rained here last night and all day today and got cold and nasty...

could see the low 30s tonight...

we shall see...

too windy to frost just yet...

but it is cold enough for me...

had to drag a coat out this afternoon to go out...

need to find the gloves, hats, ear muffs, too...

not ready for this...

60s and low 70s would be just fine...

have good weekends...

another baby leaving here in the morning...

need a buddy?

this one is something else...

up for adoption...

Doug went to the dr this morning...

saw our np...

he has lost 41 pounds...

got his blood work done and we are waiting on the results to see if he needs to change anything or keep going like he has been...

he is doing so good at following directions on what he needs to do...

DH is in harvest now...

taking in corn the last two days and working longer hours...

got some rain coming in...

we have been so dry...

have great weekends!

fall finally happened...

we were in the 90s last week...

it's in the 70s now and 50s at night...

turned the furnace on...

so where have I been?

oh, where to begin...

#1- taking care of babies...

they are now ready to go...

#2- a guy DH works with came and stayed with us for 4 days...

thought it would be longer, but he decided to go home and face what was going on there...

SHE was hitting on him...

#3- Craig did the sleep study and got the results back...

severe sleep apnea...

he is scheduled to get his machine and mask fitting next Monday and then on the 29th, he does the next sleep study with his machine and mask...

they will adjust the settings to make sure its where it needs to be for him...

#4- chasing down a possibility on getting his car fixed...

there is another one here that is a perfect match motor and transmission wise...

intentions are to put our motor and transmission in the other car...

the transmission is going out of the other one...

Problem: the guy hit a raccoon and tore up the underside in front...

then he crunched the left fender a bit...

need to see if he did damage underneath...

it needs front breaks...

everyone is in harvest and will be next month or so before it can be done...

we need to decide on which way to go...

#5- mad dash to unearth the fall and winter clothes...

get everything through the wash and determine what to keep and what to let go...

(had no idea I had so many clothes)

so one big bag in the trash...

3 walmart bags to a friend...

and very little back in the closet...

goal was to go down to 10 outfits...

got it to 17...

and I am good with that...

(DH said it looks like I moved out)

#6- squeezed in our bi-monthly shopping trip to Ruler Foods...

(miss Kroger, but next best thing)

and Walmart, Rural King and Goodwill...

we are stocked until the first of December or when harvest is over...

#7- sneaking in yard work here and there...

pulling the tomato plants this weekend...

they are tired and so are we...

#8- got a new phone...

discovered last night via my nerdy son that I can download the photos on the camera to my laptop...

and then post here...

oh, the possibilities with that...

plus tons of other stuff that just happens day to day...

allergies, colds, chin hair plucking...

you know, things that just come and go...

well- have a great day and expect me in here more often...

missed you guys...

3 days left...

a couple of the babies...

the are super sweet and cuddly, and starting to talk to me when I look in on them...

had a visitor yesterday afternoon...

and she looks pregnant...

doesn't she?

just hanging on the window...

wrong time of the year to be having babies...

got the dryer fixed yesterday...

had trouble with it getting hot at times...

it was the dial thing...

but it would work...

just had to run it a few times sometimes...

the estimate on the car isn't going to be good...

our body man, Brian, said if it was full coverage...

they would have totaled it out...

the rocker panel is going to be a fortune...

so we will see...

he isn't finished with the estimate...

we will probably just put enough in it to get it functional, safe and road legal...

and we might have to save up to do that...

but we are good on transportation now, so we can do that...

starting to feel a little better...

DH and I think we have had a touch of some kind of bug...

cold? flu?

its a lot like allergies with a low grade fever sometimes and feeling tired off and on...

maybe there is something going around...

we haven't felt really bad but we lose our  zip when we are doing things really fast...

many breaks to get things done during the day...

 3 days left of warmer weather!

then we will be in the mid 70s most of the time...

and the nights are going to be cool enough to use the fire pit on the weekends...

the weekends will be spent getting the rest of the flower beds ready for winter...

the nuts are really falling off the walnut trees...

cleaning up and getting things put away...

so we are ready if it turns cold quick...

I think we will have a warm winter with moderate rainfall...

its how it looks in my yard...

we don't rake and burn leaves in the fall...

I use the mower and mulch and blow them into the flower beds...

and we put the walnuts in them, too...

so the squirrels can find them in the winter...

we rake it all out and burn in the spring...

keeps the plants safe through the winter with a covering...

have good days...

Craig is off tomorrow and we have 3 totes of toys in the living room that he needs to get to storage...

so we can have the living room back...

:O)

we are scraping our popcorn ceilings...

hallway is done...

doing the living room and kitchen, too...

don't like all the dust...

but it will be worth it when we get it done...

then painting...

ready to have that done...

then onto the kitchen cabinets that are left...

our fall/winter project...

will be glad when its all done...

just takes time...

hugs and prayers...

have great days...