Our Christmas eve...

Doug's girlfriend, Paula...

Craig...

a little pudgier than normal...

but he made a good santa handing out gifts...

our tree this year with half the presents gone...

Paula again with her crazy Christmas sweater on...

DH, looking guilty...

and loving his retirement...

Doug...

still a kid at heart...

and he is still losing weight...

we are all good here...

DH and I and the fire chief got all the toy drive stuff packed up and put away on Sunday...

we waited for a warmer day to do it...

the plan is over the course of the next 5 years is to hand the toy drive over the fire department...

it takes awhile to people in a small town to warm up to new things, so I will be pulling them in from now on in all the PR and posts on facebook...

they have been really great to work with so far...

so super excited about them taking it over...

we will still help if we can, but we are getting older...

LOL

in 5 years, DH will be 70...

that's a lot to think about...

will we be able to do it in 5 years?

probably not...

looking forward to spring...

ready to get back outside already...

need to paint our bedroom and finish the kitchen...

some more purging...

the more we toss, the better we fell and the easier it is to get around, to clean and to find stuff...

thinking in that next 5 years time frame again...

just getting ready to be old and boring...

have a fun New Years...

2021 has got to be better for all of us...

 

Merry CHRISTmas!

I hope you are all well...

we are...

we have done the toy drive...

have 3 more children to deliver to tomorrow afternoon...

this  year's total is 52...

we had almost 20 from last year either move out of our district or age out of the program...

so we had many new ones this year...

Covid 19 has been hard on so many...

I am hoping to find time to blog again after the first of the year...

so many things going on...

a complete bathroom gut was the latest...

DH lost his brother in September...

not to Covid...

he had a massive stroke...

our niece lost her boyfriend a month later...

but we are moving forward...

loving DH's retirement...

be well and I will be back next year... 

success for me is...

achieving the ultimate goal of gaining entrance into Heaven when my time comes...

and for me to do that...

I believe that success is being a better person than I was the day before...

that I continue to grow in God's plan for me...

success is being able to trust God's plan when you can't see past the sorrow...

it's knowing that someone bigger has your back...

being the best person I can be and showing it...

let other's see the light behind it all...

it's not always easy to do all that...

in times like these...

we can lose our tempers...

we can fumble and we can be pushed into places we don't want to be...

it is so evident that evil is alive and well in the world...

that it's trying to tear us all apart...

our families, our friends, our neighbors...

but we must stand firm on the rock...

we must be the lighthouse so others can find their way from the darkness...

and it's a darkness so thick that is swallowing so many...

some will never see...

but there are those who will...

and for those, pray them through the blackness...

pray them through the heartaches...

pray them through the lies that are falling like fall leaves...

we are many...

we are the silent majority...

and we are not alone...

we have all of Heaven in the wings...

put on the armor of God and be blessed... 

What is success?

there seems to be an endless list of answers for that question...

what does it mean for you?

money?

job position?

best house on the block?

family? 

travel?

leave a comment...

 

I know who you are...

without meeting you or talking to you...

I know who you are...

no matter what anyone else has told you...

the world, society, the mass media...

no matter what names or labels they place on you...

it's all designed to deceive you...

to rob you of the truth...

because, sweet friend...

you are  His child...

that's who you are...

and that defines you...

that completes you...

that satisfies you...

if you choose...

as a CHILD OF GOD...

you are entitled to so many things...

but the greatest...

is His love...

now,

WHO ARE YOU? 

Who are you?

WHO ARE YOU? 

do you know?

trying something new...

so leave a comment below and we will continue tomorrow...

have a blessed day 

the time just flies...

spring has come and gone...

summer is fleeing and we can see signs of fall already...

we've been catching up on things around here...

pulling weeds, trimming trees and watering...

and taking care of little things...

that's Ditzy with a snake...

watching the latest on what's happening in our country...

staying safe and aware...

I am wide awake...

hope you are all well...

its the best we can do right now...

 

 I haven't posted for months...

probably no one noticed...

will be back soon...

retirement is wonderful...

warmer days, rainy days...

spring is happening...

is spurts...

a little bit here...

a little bit there...

leaves are coming on...

we needed the rain we've gotten today...

still safe here...

no school until fall now...

must wear masks out beginning the first of May...

still stay at home orders...

planted some new plants this morning right before the rain happened...

given to us from a friend...

hostas and all kinds of things...

will show you later...

a little cooler today...

the roses are leafing out...

the island is doing well...

the hostas are nice, too...

mowed 3 times now...

the tulips have lasted a very long time this year...

got more of these coming, too...

peonies are up...

and the sedum...

our governor tried to block the sales of anything garden related...

that didn't last long...

too many people complained and he opened it back up...

so...

we should be able to get the garden in this year...

have good days...

spring is still happening...

in spite of all the chaos in the world...

it cannot stop spring from coming...

the purple sand cherry bushes Craig gave $1 each for a couple of years ago...

are doing very well...

and the bees have been all over them...

there's a load of laundry in the dryer and the windows are open...

the birds are singing...

and the squirrels are doing their thing...

its a great day to be stuck at home...

new rule today:

you cannot get into Walmart or Aldis without a mask...

haven't been there in quite a while...

so nothing new for me...

Craig is off today, but they started the rule today that they Have to wear a mask now...

headline for today:

Illinois Governor spent $17 million on defective masks...

MADE IN CHINA

duct tape won't even fix that stupid...

its all the dead people in cook county who voted for him's fault...

yep- they vote here...

I sure hope people wake up and vote him out...

voter ID would help a bunch here...

just on the state level...

and it's Illinois...

the Land Of Lincoln...

oh well...

he's just a dumber version of Pelosi...

have good days!

we are still here...

well, we are well so far...

DH is still working...

Craig was working but they sent him home for a week...

doc cleared him to go back to work on Sunday...

they sent him home last Sunday with the sniffles...

he's been standing outside letting people in when its their turn...

in all this spring weather that's been everywhere from 29-70...

got flooring going in sometime in the next week or so...

sheet vinyl with the critters, but with a wood look...

so tired of having things torn up around here, but will be worth it...

on nice days, we are outside working...

the rest in here...

spring is happening and the yard has been mowed twice...

got my mower serviced and back...

poor Jody is still here waiting for the chance to go home...

we do not mind her being here...

but her family is very anxious...

I sure don't blame them at all...

things are moving along just the same...

DH is signed up for everything he needs to do to retire in June...

the time is really going by fast...

and our lives haven't really changed that much here...

we don't have a social life anyway...

and I stay home when the flu season hits...

so its the same for me...

the only thing different is that we stock up more and keep things 2 and 3 deep...

we do not wait to run out of anything...

I hope all of you are doing ok...

and your families...

we did a small Easter dinner with just the four of us...

Doug and Paula did theirs...

we missed Doug's birthday, too...

but will do it all in one when we can get together later...

we have lost a few of the most awesome people in our town lately and they had only private just family services...

makes it hard on them, I am sure...

no covid 19 in our town...

only 11 in the county and none in Paris where our hospital is...

which is awesome...

upstate is a different story around and in Chicago, but that's so far away from us...

be safe and be well...

I will get some photos soon when it warms up again...

reposting this today...its timeless...

http://tete-beyondthegardengate.blogspot.com/2010/09/who-is-your-hero.html

Hello-

we are safe...

we have supplies...

we can stay in for weeks if need be...

praying for you...

praying for all of us...

God always wins.

Happy Valentine's Day

it's going slowly here...

still painting and working on the purging...

ceilings are a pain in the butt...

got the carpenters coming back on Monday to finish the closet doors and bathroom door...

had to wait on the insurance money to get in...

we are doing ok...

tired most of the time, but ok...

nothing ever seems to get done completely...

got another storm coming in now and it shouldn't amount to much, but there could be ice...

then it will warm up in the high 40s and low 50s...

I think spring is just around the corner...

and I am ready for warmer weather...

sunny days...

and more green...

I am trying my best to keep up with the guys...

but its getting to me...

ha

made a big pot of vegetable soup this afternoon...

hoping it last a couple of days...

have a good week and a fun heart day!

unexpected...

but it is fixed now...

more later on that...

living room south window...

stand still on ceilings being finished...

Craig has tummy problems...

could be gall bladder or ulcer...

got meds yesterday...

will let you know...

purged so much last weekend...

feels good to do that...

more to go...

started a group on facebook...

it's called:

De-crapping My House:

My clutter is your treasure.

its a closed group...

I have already been giving things away...

but there is much more to go...

if no one wants something...

in the trash it goes...

it feels good to de-clutter...

have had this 10 years and never used it once...

I gave it to my father in law for Christmas one year...

took food to church dinners with it...

got to rid of things because this is coming up next...

Craig has scraped the ceilings...

needs to go back and touch up a few spots...

he started painting in the hallway...

got a guy coming to put bead board on the south wall in the living room and removed the ceiling fan and cover the mirror with bead board...

going a flush mount light to match the one over the table...

that will happen tomorrow or Thursday...

got much to do and would like it done before spring weather happens...

but, we will just continue to get things done on Craig's days off...

have a good week...

what one child receives...

this is a typical pick for one child...

some items are bigger than others so pile sizes vary...

but this is the amount of items they get from the toy drive...

then there are other items that people donate that don't fit into these categories that are added on...

we are so blessed to be able to provide for the children in our school district...

we had a very good year with great donations...

one of my favorite parts of doing this is watching how so many come together for one common goal....

the children...

that no matter where you at in life, everyone can help...

every single penny adds up to this going out many times...

we had 48 children in the program this time...

we had plenty of things for them to choose from and even left overs to begin next year...

the fact that we have never had to turn any child away because there wasn't enough is amazing...

and for that, I am so grateful...

God is good to these children...

time after time...

to those of you who donate to programs like this...

know that you make a difference in the life of a child...

and their family...

and to all those in the background working to make things happen...

:)

in the middle of it...

or maybe just the middle of the start of it...

we are doing some upgrades here...

got Craig scrapping the popcorn ceilings...

he has done the hallway and living room...

its a mess...

but it looks so much better and will be totally awesome when its painted...

it was a tan color- the way it came...

so anxious to have white ceilings with a small bit of texture...

easy to clean texture...

the trim is going white...

so we will tape off below the crown molding and do the ceilings and that together...

then we are going a medium gray on the walls and the rest of the trim will be white...

and we will also paint a few things in a darker gray...

like the doors and odd furniture...

(just bought a piano bench for the front door entrance that needs redone)

its really great to sit and take your shoes off and on...

and I put my gloves and scarves in the bench...

we have had weather that's been all over the place...

snow covered right before Christmas...

to the 50s for the 24th and the 25th...

these photos were taken on the 25th...

the snow was 99% gone by then...

but it made travel good for people who have places to go...

so, ceilings painted 1st...

then the walls...

then the flooring will be pulled and new put down...

that could take us a couple of months to get done...

only working on it when the guys have days off...

AND...

I am giving Craig my play room area...

so he can game in there and have him computer in there....

so he can have an actual bedroom...

where he only sleeps and keeps his clothes...

so...

it is going in the kitchen where I am sitting now...

where my laptop is...

this small table is going in a corned in my bedroom...

for my make up, hair and all that stuff...

so when I get out of the shower it will all be right there for me...

and not in the kitchen...

there are several pieces of furniture to move from room to room, too...

and DH's desk is going in our bedroom also...

its in the living room and he will not keep it nice...

so I am going to hide him from view of anyone just coming in to visit...

:)

I think I have it all planned out, but you can never tell until you actually move something into place on if it will work or not...

so may have to change the plans as we go along...

you know how it goes...

will try to get pics of before and afters to post when we get done with the different areas...

we just have too much stuff!

so a lot more is going...

and that will be a good thing...

have a great day!