Its February

I love February. It means we are getting closer to the end of winter. I also have always enjoyed Valentines Day. I think it is the lovely cards. I used to look forward to them when I was a child. Wish I had some of them now. Today's child
Valentines are just missing something.

In grade school, we would make a Valentine's box for others to put their cards in. That, too, was fun. I remember decorating an oatmeal box. Mama always helped decorate it and make it pretty. Then when I brought the Valentines home we would pour over each one. We had double the fun cause my little sister, Cammie would have Valentines to look at too.

All that of course went by the wayside in Junior High. It wasn't until I was an adult and married that new lovely Valentines came into my life. I loved receiving them and giving them. I would carefully pick each one for my Marvin. Later I would get cards for my sons and now my grandchildren.

Through the years, of course, my parents and grandparents gave Valentines. I do still have some. But, I still miss the ones children gave one another back in the day.

I love the vintage Valentines and always look forward to Karen's class where we make our own. Now, I need to get busy and make my cards for my family and friends.

Not much going on in my life right now. Just being me. Oh, my cousin, Dwight, invited me to join Facebook. Imagine my surprise and delight when many of you have shown up as friends.

February 13 is my Father's 80th. How is it possible that the man who could do anything and was always there and so strong is now 80 and not quite able to do what he could. I know it must frustrate him. He has a wicked sense of humor. Sometime I will have to share some of his emails to me with you.

Cammie, Billy and myself are taking him out to dinner on the 15th. We are going to Zanies in Lewiston. (probably spelled that wrong. Not that Zanies.
Here are a few pictures of my Father then and now.
Dad at 16 with his Mother.
Dad at about 12.

Dad and his brother, Marvin. A successful fishing trip.

Cammie and me with our Dad. About 1956.

Dad and Billy about 1966.

Dad and my mother's brother, Noland. Their birthdays are just a week apart. This is Dad's 75th birthday.

Dad and my Grandson, Daniel. 2007

Dad playing Texas Holdem New Years Day 2008. Kirk, Billy's son and my Nephew is sitting next to him. No Dad is not on the bottle that is Madison's Billy's Granddaughter by his daughter, Jamie. This was a very fun day. We had a blast. Kirk won. We play poker every once in awhile.


Dad and my insane Brother-in-Law, Derek. He is very proud of his Scottish Heritage and wears his Kilt for special occasions. This is at my cousin Steven's wedding May 2008.

There now you have a snapshot of my Father. Hope we all reach 80.
Have a great day, enjoy life, and laugh often.

Happy New Year

Do you think the Angels are ever going to quit shaking out their feather beds and pillows? I guess they just can't get them comfortable enough to suit them.

What? You didn't know that snow flakes were the feathers coming from the feather beds as God and the Angels shook them and their feather pillows.

Shelby and I were snowed in at my Brother, Bill's, house on Friday the 2. I am grateful for the maintenance man here at home. When he can, he plows out our driveways.
This is what greeted us on Saturday. A way to get in. Yeah!


But now, once again, Shelby and I are snow bound. I am not even going to attempt to shovel today as we are supposed to get rain and warmer weather. Perhaps nature will take care of it for me. I just can't tackle the snow that is much deeper than she is tall just on the door step. let alone in the yard.
This is the porch.

and then down the steps

I had a grand time with my Brother Bill and Sister in law Debbie for New Years. Morgan was a hoot. He told me I never have to go home ever. He was very upset when I did go home. Told him that I would come back on Martin Luther King's Birthday weekend for another sleep over.

When I did get home, I had no TV as the dish was covered. I could see it from my front door. So I figured I would just trot around back and brush it off. Well, that was a funny hah hah! I could no more get back there than I could sprout wings and fly.

I learned real quick that I just am not as young and capable as I once was. I didn't put on gloves or coat cause I was just going around back. I hadn't gone far when the going got impossible and I fell face first into the snow. Upon regaining my feet I fell forward again. The third time I got scared as my hands hurt from the cold. I had already figured out that I had to get back into the house and was attempting to turn around. After falling two more times backward, I finally regained my balance and made it slowly back to the house. It took some time to thaw my hands as you don't do that quickly or you cause damage. I decided, that if this should happen again, I can live without TV.

I scared myself pretty good. I could picture myself not being able to get back to the house even though it was just a short distance from the door my heart was pounding and I couldn't catch my breath.

I was so very very glad to get inside safe and sound. Now, I can look forward to seeing all of you in this New Year. So Happy New Year and we will get through this.

See you all soon.

Merry Merry Happy Happy

First I want to wish each and everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Shelby and me.
Once again, the snow has us snow bound. In a couple hours, I will dig out to my car.
I have to keep a path dug out for Shelby. Snow seems to fall before I can keep the stairs and a potty path completely clear.
Hope you and the snow are fairing ok.

Went to Matthew's on the 8th and stayed for a few days to help out Angie. She had her other foot operated on. They had to remove some dead bone; fuse some other bone; and break and repair the break in other places. She won't be Walking or putting any pressure on it at all for at least 8 weeks.

Kymberly takes good care of Mommy making sure she has her pillows to prop her foot on.Angie said that when she was born both of her feet were twisted to one side so she has had foot problems all of her life. I hope they are fixed.

As you can see, we celebrated Christmas. Glad we could cause no way could I get there now. Here are a few Christmas photos.



Last year Kymberly was too little to understand. This year she gets it. Presents!

I also made Sugar Cookies with the kids. Matthew wanted to put some on the Christmas Tree. I used Spelt flour and Egg Replacer. They turned out pretty good and didn't taste bad either.

They sure had fun.
Both Marquis and Daniel did a wonderful job of decorating. My boys loved decorating.

Kymberly also had a great time.

Though she would rather eat the frosting than put it on the cookies.

She had so much fun that day that she didn't take a nap. She was playing and just toppled over sound asleep about 4 pm.

On the 12th, it snowed. Matthew and his children went outside and moved snow to make a snow fort. They hadn't finished it when I left. They were just in the process of moving the snow and piling it.




Even Kymberly tried her hand at digging.

Then figured they were doing a good enough job that they didn't need her help after all.


If the boys are going to do something, she is not going to be left out.

She has finally come to know who I am and gives me hugs and kisses and comes to me to be held.

All in all I had a very pleasant visit and was glad I could give Angie a hand. She needed the help.
Matthew is home more now that he is no longer working for Schwan. He is working at Chewelah Peaks Learning Center as an instructor. Right now there is not much going on up there. More skiing next door at 49 North than children coming to the Center. So he can be home more and help her. He is glad to be able to be home and be with his family. Before, he hardly saw them, especially, his children.

Well, for Christmas, if I can get there, I am going to my Brother's, Billy, in Union Town and spend the day and maybe longer with him, Debbie, Travis, Erica and MORGAN. Bill's other children and their families are supposed to be there. That will be Kirk and Laura with Wyatt and Meghan--Brian and Molly with baby Mason--and Jamie and Chris with baby Madison. Good thing they have a big house.

Hope you all have the very best and enjoy your Christmas.

Life is good

Can you believe all this snow. Of course, it was due. Poor little Shelby.


Prayers help. Tanna and Kevin have had good news. The medication she is on is helping. Her white blood count has gone down. The CML was caught in its very earliest stages. The ATF is still looking at her and Kevin's prospective job is holding the position open. So thanks one and all.
Thank you all. I hope these happy faces stay this way.

Last month was my Morgan's birthday. What a wonderful day it was. Can't beleive it has been a month. Wyatt and Meghan came and Jamie brought little baby Madison.


Yeah for Spiderman!

Meggie had a lot of fun. Hard to beleive we almost lost this precious little girl. She was born with her intestines outside her body. Now at 5 she is thriving and growing. Such a happy child.




I gave him a Spiderman place setting. Here his mommie watches and Wyatt helps Morgan. His Birthday cake, of course, was Spiderman.



Yeah, for 4th Birthdays and Spiderman, Me!

Always the Spiderman. Great Grandpa, my Dad, also came. Here he is watching Morgan enjoying unwrapping a gift.
Jamie hands Madison to her loving Grandpa. He sure enjoys his little ones. Both Wyatt and Madison were born on his Birthday.

Madison has sure grown. She is cheerful and bright.

I just love this picture. This is my sweet neice, Erica, taking a nap with Madison. Such a beautiful girl. However, she is a teenage best seen sleeping though she is sweet she is still a teenage girl.

After the birthday, the adults played some poker. It is fun to play with the family. We give each other a hard time. We each put in $5 and just have fun.


After Morgan's birthday came Thanksgiving. Kirk and Laura always make sure I am not alone. It is fun to go to their house. I had pictures but for the life of me I can't find them. It was a very pleasant day. Laura is a wonderful cook.

Now we await Christmas.

Good Day

Life has a way of sliding sideways sometimes and the last little while has been just such a time for me.
This is not a pitty party. It is just why I have not communicated lately.
1. I was under going my some medical needs. I have hurt a lot lately and found out that it is Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis. Treatment and appointments continue. It is just one more corner I must round and not an impediment to my life.

2. My Aunt Joan died of cancer. After 13 plus years of remission of Breast Cancer, cancer returned only this time in her bones. She lived for only a week and half after diagnosis. She is my Father's Brother, David's, wife.

3. The news that slide my world most sideways and for awhile off track all together was the news that my Daughter in Law, Tanna--Kevin's wife, has Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML).
She and Kevin had just put in their paper work for discharge from the Airforce. Tanna was undergoing routine medical examination so she could take a job with the ATF. This CML raised its ugly head.
Apparently she can not be covered by any insurance Kevin may get with any company he might go to work for outside the Air force. Doesn't make sense to me. I thought as long as you were covered by insurance without a break in coverage then you were covered by any other insurance. He has had to turn down a comparable job outside the Air Force with the one he is currently doing because of this insurance problem. Tanna may be medically discharged. All this is speculative and holds get concern.
The only cure is a bone marrow transplant. Kevin is checking into this as we speak.
Prayers are greatly appreciated.

As if this were not enough, as I was talking to my sister last night, she said, "Guess I can tell you now. " Tell me what! It turns out that at the time her daughter knew and she knew that the baby Alicia was carrying was not going to survive--Derrik, Cammie's husband, found out that his cancer had returned. He didn't even tell her for some time. Guess he has been undergoing Chemo since May. What?!
She says Chemo is through and that he appears cancer free once again.
You know a person should really share these things. It eases the burden and gives people the opportunity to pray. I just don't get it.

Good things did happen lately also. Morgan had a 4th Birthday and we had Thanksgivings. More on these in a different post a little later.

For now, I am headed up to Paper Pals and get my mind off the fact that today is my dear husband's, Marvin, Birthday. He would have been 63 today. Oh how I miss him.