Phillip Andrew

This is the 26th anniversary of the night that I really acknowledged the loss of mine and Tom's first conceived child, Phillip Andrew.
We were so excited to be expecting a baby! "He" was named Phillip Andrew- months before any test would be able to determine a sex. We "just knew".

I was due July 16th. My best friend Angie, and another good friend Crystal  had also found out they were pregnant... we were all due the same day!
Such different results for each of us! (Crystal had Josh early... July 3rd or so... Angie had Michael 3 weeks late... in August. He was a whopper. 12 lbs. 14 oz!)

 Tom and I had gone to a Steve Taylor concert on a college campus in Dallas that night. I remember the beautiful pink and blue sunset clouds... all the while I was cramping. I had actually miscarried late in the night of the 29th, though I suspect the baby had been gone for some time. ( I had been having contractions for almost a week.)

I was new to "The Faith Movement". Tom kept telling me that if I only had enough faith, the baby would be OK. I just had to Believe It.
It was a sore trial to my faith when the bleeding started. 

We were at a laundromat doing laundry. I sent Tom next door to a 7-11 store for "pads". He came back with panty liners and was too embarassed to go back. Besides, there should only be spotting... I would not lose this baby, if I had enough faith.
There was so much blood, after we had gone to bed.  I got up, used towel after towel. Tom slept on. I had wanted him to wake up and HELP ME. Help me believe this was not happening. Help me shore up the deficit of my faith, which must be... since I could not see how a baby could survive so much blood loss.

Eventually, the bleeding slowed to almost nothing. I put the towels into the washing machine and soaked them in cold water. I went back to bed.

The next day, I tried calling our Pastors, and was never able to reach them. I needed answers... where had my faith gone wrong?
Tom and I were invited to a new years party at my Aunts house. It was the regular Bible Study night, and the group had wanted to see in the new year... 1985!

We got to Aunt Jean's house. Tom went into my cousin Mike's room and started playing video games. I had tried all day to think of a way to talk to him about our... MY... loss. Every mention of bleeding brought out a quick "Just have FAITH!" from him.
I was put to work in party preparation.... peeling vegetables and making dips. Setting out chips, arranging tables. When the evangelist who taught at the Bible study (Johnnie Lou) arrived... I took her aside. I needed to find out what I had done wrong.
How could I have had more faith? How could not speaking of losing the baby reverse what had happened? I needed answers.

It took Johnnie Lou very few minutes to see I was devastated, and the baby was gone.
She called Tom out and made him listen to me.

I cannot remember now if we stayed until midnight or not. Within a few days, a big snowstorm struck. Out playing in the snow with Tom and the boys... the cramping began again. I went to the bathroom and passed all that remained in my uterus... a fist sized clump of hardened tissue.

It took me several months before daring to try again to conceive. We did, though... and the baby that came was Rebekah Rene.

Had Phillip survived... Becky would not be Becky.

God has his plans... and his restorations. I went on to have four more sons after Becky.
It took me a very long time to realize it was no lack of faith on my part that kept Phillip Andrew from sticking in my womb. It was all God's divine appointment. He has His plans... and one day I believe I will meet Phillip.
At the time, it was one of the greatest losses of my life.

Our momentary grief is nothing in God's grand scheme of things. But our grief is none the less, grief. We mourn our losses.

And a new year dawns.

The best laid plans

Often have to be scrapped and re-invented!
The plan to go get the twins from Becky, meeting at my dad's this weekend.. has been scrapped. Daniel and Sam wanted to stay an extra few days, to see the new year in with a bonfire with friends. (They may have to scrap the bonfire if it is as windy there as it is HERE!)
Becky has also been allowing the boys to do some "real" driving on the property there. Here, they have been allowed to start the cars, and pull forward or back up, but not really drive anywhere. Stephen has been teaching Daniel to run a trapline.
We had pretty much figured to just roll the plans to meet over until next weekend.
But then the reality of January actually being TOMORROW hit.
I have to work the 3rd at an inventory in Rogers. Then the following Sunday (the 9th), my whole store has to show up at another store (mandatory-be-there-or-lose-your-job) for inventory of the main supply hub in our area. This is the same weekend Stephen had other plans for as well.
Since I am normally off on Sundays, I didn't even think of that inventory being only slightly more than a week away.... after all, it isn't until January 9th!
The great meet and retrieve the boys plan flexs and rolls with the new info. We will meet (somewhere!) on the  15th.... after I get off work. By then, the boys will have been gone an entire MONTH!

(They took their schoolwork with them. Homeschooling is wonderful! And the boys are pretty self-motivated. When they aren't, Becky is a good motivator.)

Perhaps you remember several weeks ago, Tom and I re-potted the big tree...

Treelets

and I rescued its "babies". The babies have begun to get roots, so I transplanted several of them into pots with soil today. Mr C came in for his lunch and asked what kind of plant did I have?
I told him it was the babies from the big tree. He asked if I was trying to turn the house into a forest!
I told him, no... but that I CAN give the babies away.

Maybe they will make nice house warming gifts for Ben and Tommy...  maybe I should take one down to Dad and Kathie... since the big tree actually came from Kathie's dad's house....

Maybe I can give one each to my Mom and Becky... and see who kills theirs first.

Right now, I think I may start my black-eyed peas... have them for supper today as well as for tomorrow. Perhaps I will even put the "recipe" on the cooking blog.
Have a blessed day!

I have noticed....

I have noticed that if any two or more of my kids get together (those that are not normally together)... they sort of forget there are other people in the world.
Mr C was delighted to get phone calls from some of his kids on his birthday.... but one of those who called (without naming any names....) forgot to put her brothers on the phone. Mr C was sad.

Now, instead of getting a phone call, I get a blog comment- informing me that the brothers have unanimously decided to stay another week at Becky's. So, I guess they will find out from reading my blog, Dad said OK.
He is perfectly willing to stay home this weekend and watch football. Endless football. Game after game after game after game aftergameaftergame...

And since we aren't traveling this weekend... I stopped by the grocery store after work this morning to lay in some supplies. I got a small pork roast and one jar of sauerkraut. I already have a bag of blackeyed peas. Guess I ought to thaw some Blue and Gold Bacon to season the peas with. (We have been rationing the Blue and Gold. I am pretty sure I have one package of bacon left.)

Why yes, I DID say I was supposed to work all day today and tomorrow. But Boss decided things are too slow to require my presence there today... and reduced tomorrow to just working the morning.

I suppose, since I have a newfound day ahead of me, I ought to try to accomplish something around here. And I do need to CALL the Dad, who was expecting us this weekend! (He doesn't read my blog.)

Have a blessed day!

The Early Bird

I was finished at work this morning before anyone else even arrived. I was home shortly after Tom left for work. Here by ten past seven.
Now I have had my second cup of tea, and decided NOT to go back to bed. Not yet anyway. (Still having problems with the sinus/teeth/  headache so going back to bed isn't entirely out of the question.)

Boss asked me to work Thursday and Friday, until I hit 8 hours each day, so it may be close to 4 pm before I get home. Other than coming home to let the dogs out on my lunch break, I could stay there all day. It is so quiet around here.

I suppose I should get a start on my New year's resolution: Walk a mnimum of 50 miles per month- shooting for 600 miles next year. Get a start now so I will be ready to do two miles a day right off the bat- as we will be gone on the first and second! I will have to make up miles right out of the gate.

2010 has been a nice "breather" year... no major events. No weddings, births, deaths, divorces. No new houses, cars, jobs. My "major events" were Ben moving out, and my 50th birthday. Both were pretty low key events. 2010 plodded along maintaining a status quo. That is perfectly fine with me!

I hope that you have all had good years,and are looking forward to 2011 with joy and anticipation. Have a blessed day!

Weekend!

Mr C and I got up early Saturday and drove down to my Dad's house in East Texas. We took the TSD with us, as we didn't have any other choice. Jaffa, as usual, enhanced the drama of our trip with his carsickess.
Repeatedly.

We arrived just past noon, and I helped my Moms (Mom Rose and Step-Mom Kathie) with the final bits of preparartion for the meal.
My SIL Ruby and brother Robbie were there from Tennessee, as well as my youngest brother Roger. There were no kids at all... which was really sort of sad. We were joined by my Dad and Kathie's friends Ellen and Arnie.

We sat around visiting after the meal was cleaned up. Got up Sunday, had breakfast, and visited awhile longer before heading down the road home. (This time with the TSD well drugged. No horking on the return trip!)

Not once in the time we were there did I think to take out my camera and take pictures. However.... I did think to look at Dad's road atlas... since we didn't bring ours along.
Every trip, we drive by a sign that says "OK Scenic Hwy 1". I wanted to see where it went.
I saw it intersected with a road we would eventually cross anyway... so Mr C agreed we could take the long way home!

We stayed on Hwy 271 out of Gilmer, up through Hugo and Antlers. What  beautiful stretches of road there are along 271 on both sides of Antlers!
I thought we had surely missed the turn-off for HWY 1 (we were approaching from the opposite end we normally see). Satisfied with the beauty of 271, we just continued towards home... and then there it was! The Hwy 1 turnoff.

I remembered I had the camera!

The white blaze in the middle of the hill is the road.

To fully appreciate the picture, stand in the freezer and turn a fan on "high".

The road continued climbing and winding- we drove along the ridge of the far mountain that appears ahead  as dark blue in this picture.

You can't fully appreciate the sheer majesty of the views through pictures. Just impossible. we WILL be taking this route again.
These are part of the Kiamichi  (Kie-uh-mee-chee) Mountains, a sub range of the Ouachita (Wah-shit-tah)  Mountains. Yes, Oklahoma has REAL mountains!

We saw where the Winding Stairs Trail crossed the highway, as well as the back packers camp. Daniel wants to someday hike the Appalachain Trail... so Tom and I are thinking this would be a good starter trail. We decided to try to hike it late this spring or early in the summer.

I would of enjoyed it much more if we had taken a picnic lunch... or any lunch at all... and had not had a sinus infection which is screaming through my teeth. High altitudes and blocked sinuses are a painful combination.

Have a wonderful afternoon!

Didn't I swear off Wal Mart until after the Holidays?

As usual, as the holidays approach, I am less and less inclined to shop at the WalMart Super Center, despite their superior prices.  Yet I have been there two days in the past week. Yesterday, I took the Toyota down to WM for new tires, as soon as I got off work. Amazingly (or perhaps not) I had four new tires and a hefty bill in under an hour. I was home ... all the way back to the house, by shortly after 10:00 am. TLE (Tire Lube Express) at WalMart was practically deserted. The entire store was far less crowded than I expected. There were shoppers... people pushing shopping carts with the dazed, glazed, empty expression of the clueless sent out to obtain meaningful gifts for everyone on their list. I can see why the "gift aisle" is popular.... pre-packaged thoughtfulness!

So, we got new tires on the car- going ahead and getting them this week, instead of next month, as we planned to pick up the twins this weekend at my Dad's, meeting Becky and Stephen there on Saturday. But the best laid plans... Becky and Stephen can't make it, we learned later yesterday afternoon. Tom decided we could go ahead to Dad's, since we were invited to a family dinner there.

Mr C's birthday is coming up... it's MONDAY if any of my dear procrastinating Children wish to rush right out and get him a card in the mail. I haven't made any elaborate plans...perhaps I can force him to go out for dinner. Best not hold my breath on THAT!

May you all have a very blessed week- Tell someone that you love them! (And MEAN it!)

The Weekend is almost over...

Since I get to count Monday as a day off!
Mr C has been sick all weekend, as well as most of Friday. Today, his cold (or whatever it is) seems to be trying to sneak up on me.
We had supper early, as the way I was feeling by the time we got back from town leads me to believe that cooking supper would NOT happen if I were to postpone it to our proper suppertime.

We went to town to get work boots for Mr C., as his shoes are becoming quite religious. (Holey). With the soles falling off his last pair of footwear, we had put off getting him shoes longer than prudent. So I dragged him off to The Shoe Dept.
The Shoe Dept. is across from WalMart... and Mr C tried on several pair while I wandered the store under the watchful eye of the manager, who seemed to follow me as if I were about to stuff something into my purse. (My purse with the broken strap... another purchase I need to make, but refuse to pay $10 or more for such an item! How someone can pay for a designer bag is just beyond me...)

Once Mr C had procured his footwear, we noticed that WalMart wasn't any more crowded than usual. (Probably owing to it being Monday, and noonish. Those who had $$ and weekends off hit the store yesterday and the day before... those who are still procrastinating their shopping will arrive in the late afternoon...)
So I got our short list of grocery and sundry items from the store I generally foreswear at this time of year. ( I even looked at purses, but didn't get one!)  WalMart may not have been the mad house anticipated at this time of year, but it was bad enough. Old home week... let's block aisles to chat with friends we haven't seen in nearly 24 hours! Let's sit in the floor so no one else can get to the products while we scrutinize the fine print on the organic coffees from Timbuktu. Let's block entire sections of the store with carts of merchandise awaiting put out, leaving NO access at all to the area! I finally got to the checkout and got my stuff organized on the belt, as the person ahead is checking out.
Get to the NyQuil (in Original Green Death Flavor). The register prompts the cashier to check my ID... "Is Customer 18 or older?"
The cashier is puzzled about what to do, keeps trying to scan the next items without responding. I finally tell her, she has to respond to the prompt... and YES I am over 18. She hit "NO/ Sale Cancelled". So she flagged down a manager... what does she do? The MANAGER didn't know... he flagged down a CSM. Even the CSM seemed perplexed. I finally intervened, as the line behind me built. "Clear the screen. Now, re-scan the item. Now tell it YES, I am over 18."
By the time we got home... head-cold wooziness was attacking me. I took a newly purchased dose of Emergence C, put away groceries, and fixed a late lunch/ early supper. Then I cleaned up the kitchen. I was ready to call it a day shortly after 5:00 pm. But that really IS too early to head to bed.

Did I mention Mr C has been sick all weekend? ARGH. I think God is working on teaching me patience. He refuses to take anything for feeling bad. But he moans continuously. I think he knows my patience has worn completely out. Or maybe it is because I am starting to fell bad myself. Anyway, I am quite crabby.

Have a blessed night. I am going to TAKE SOME DOPE here in a minute, and head off to bed at the crack of dark.

Down the drain... (or in the trash!)

I was trying to make a cow hand-puppet for my grandson. I had the higest hopes, the best vision of what it was to look like.

It was going to have a little pink udder, and a ribbon sewn around its neck with a cowbell attached.

The material shreds rather than sews, so it kept developing holes in it. The head wouldn't lay correctly, and its (perfect!) little ears ended up too close to its neck. In sewing the sides of the head to the pink insides of the mouth, I caught the main part of the body and narrowed it too much for my hand to fit inside. Turning it right side out... holes developed at the ends of the cows hands, along the sides of the head, and around the mouth... this material just shredded instead of  sewing together. I never got as far as sewing on the udder, the ridiculously long eyelashes I had got for its beady brown eyes.

I ordered a cow puppet from Amazon instead. I had purchased materials to attempt an alligator/ dinosaur puppet as well, but I am just not up to it today. I hope the ordered puppet arrives in time... it is for my son's son, and he is unable to choose the gift this year.

This is similar to what I was AIMING for... but mine was to have the wide open mouth so it could "talk". (This is NOT the one I ordered... not even close to the one I ordered. I found this one later.)

Brief Ramble

Kimber and I at the Really Big Chair outside of "oops!"

Fajita Chicken Alfredo

I really have had a couple of lazy afternoons. I had a nap yesterday, and was awakened by a call from Mr C... letting me know he was working OverTime. This afternoon, I have put away yesterday's dishes from supper, washed the accumulated dishes from today, got a roast on to cook, and started a load of clothes. I also put up a recipe for Fajita Chicken Alfredo on our cooking blog.

I actually considered dragging out the sewing machine for a couple of small projects, but so far haven't mustered up enough gitty-up. I still need to address a couple of birthday cards... I "frogrot" to give Becky her card before she left, and tomorrow is her birthday. My "LG" will be 25!

Mr C is working overtime again tonight... that makes something like 3 times he has worked over since going back from vacation.

Well, that is all I can think of for now. Thanks for reading, Have a blessed day!

Generations

Kimber discovers suds

Ty and Kimber coming clean!

My Granny... she will be 96 in a few weeks.

My Aunt Jean and I. Everyone says I look just like her, but I'm a bit plumper.

A few more pictures from the last week!

Tyrel

Tyrel Quiets the Duck

It has been lots of fun having the kids here this past week. You never know WHAT Tyrel is going to say next. He had been playing with the stuffed duck, quacking loudly. He had been shushed several times... and tried to explain it was the DUCK, not Tyrel, making all the noise. A few minutes later, he came to show us that he was keeping the duck quiet, because Kimber was taking a nap. (The duck has several linking toy rings around its bill.)

The babies were a bit under the weather the last couple of days. Running a fever, coughing and snotty noses... and very restive last night. Mr C was up at his usual pre-dawn hours. Tyrel and the twins got up and joined him. I elected to stay in bed and TRY to sleep. Becky was staying in bed with Kimber, trying to grab a few more minutes of rest.

I hear Tyrel announce he is going potty.

Then he says, "I'm sitting on the potty now! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom!.....  Are you getting up yet, Mom? Mom. Mom. Mom. MOM! ....... Are you getting up yet Mom?"

 (Thirty second pause)

"Mom. Mom. Are you getting up yet Mom?"..... ( another pause)...... "Mom! Are you getting up yet?"

Becky tiredly replies, "No.... I hadn't planned on it."

"Oh." says Tyrel, "I was just checking."

His favorite question is the same as most three year olds, "Why?"

It doesn't matter what he is told to do... the reply is "Why?"

He asks why after asking, and being informed of what you are doing.

And once you explain why you are doing whatever you are doing... he asks "Why?" again.

An explanation for your explanation is requested. Sometimes, though, he just says "Oh." and walks away, satisfied that you have answered his questions.

Random Shots and Busted Rears

Just a few random shots from the past week.

Kimber, wearing the dress Cowgranny made her!

Grumpaw and the Grandkids

Connor, Tyrel, Tom, and Alana

Alana, Tyrel, Rose, Tammy, and Connor

Becky is stranded here for awhile. The rear end went out on her pick-up truck, and getting parts for it has been a comedy   tragedy of errors. First of all, trying to get the parts the mechanic said we needed, we had to submit a "special order" to O'Reilly's. The info on the special order came back as "unavailable to purchase through O'Reilly's". So my boss called the mechanic... and had him dig into the rear end and see exactly the "gear ratio" that was needed, so that Boss could try to find a correct rear end. He requested Mechanic to look to his sources, while Boss looked to his. A call back from the Mechanic gave Boss exactly what part to order... one that COULD be had through usual channels at O'Reilly's... the same day! The order was placed.
Then., the local warehouse that "had" the part discovered, oops... they did NOT have the part after all.  So the part was ordered through the closest warehouse that had it... Oklahoma City. It would arrive by 11:30 the next day. At 1:30 the next day, we called O'Reilly's to see if the part had been delivered to the Mechanic. OOPS again... it was still on the shelf!
So the part was delivered hastily to the shop. The Mechanic was in the middle of finishing up a vehicle he DID have parts for, so Becky's truck was put off until Mechanic finished. THEN he got on Becky's truck and got it torn apart just before they closed.
Once he got to the point of putting the new part in this morning... he discovered that the NEW part was MISSING PIECES! VITAL pieces.... The parts requisition chase started again. New  New parts were ordered, and will be here in the morning.  But tomorrow is Saturday, and this shop takes weekends off. So.... Monday is the very earliest possible time to get the truck. Monday AFTERNOON.... and that is provided all goes well.
Becky's DH suggested Becky just plan to stay this entire next week.

Which means... LOTS more pictures! Yay!

Random funnies

When my oldest two boys were growing up,for some reason they called the very last bit of banana in the peel, "The POWER BITE". Once you ate the power bite, you had super power! They would run around like crazy.

The POWER BITE

Daniel showed me that he was eating "Annies Cheddar Bunnies". Bunnies are quick multipliers!

Two Bunnies

Boy are they fast!

Zoom!

December is racing by. I have really enjoyed getting to spend the day with Becky, the babies, and my Mom. In the morning, I abandon them and go back to work. Once I get home,w e plan to go to "oops!" so that Becky can get some candles. Hopefully, I can afford a few as well. ("oops!" is a candle factory outlet, and an import store that sells all sorts of interesting items. It is located in Tontitown, AR.)

Both Tyrel and Kimber have taken right up with "Umpaw", as usual. Kimber has allowed me to tote her around, but she has gone to Umpaw and climbed right into his lap... all her own idea. Seems Mr C is a natural with little ones! He may look crabby to everyone else, but little kids take right to him. Connor and Alana came out for supper, and played with their cousins for a little while. I took them home a bit early, as Alana wasn't feeling well. Connor was so sweet and patient with both of the little ones. He held his temper when Tyrel was trying to pound him, poke and kick him.

We made enchiladas for supper, and did a picture tutorial for the recipe blog. I hope we can get that up tomorrow! We used Becky's camera, and it takes NICE pictures.
Tomorrow, Becky may "frost" Grandma Rose's hair.  I can hardly wait to see how she looks. The box says it is "for Light Brown to Dark Brown Long Hair". At the moment, Grandma Rose has short grayish hair. I can't remember last time she had long hair, so it will be a real change!

I am up "late" for me (It is after 9:00 pm!) because Becky is taking a bath, and Tyrel didn't want to go to bed yet. Both "Umpaw" and I have to go to work in the morning... and even though I leave earlier, Mr C is always awake first. He is usually up by 4:00, sometimes earlier. I lounge around til 4:45... them dash out the door by 5:15. Umpaw went to bed half an hour ago. I was sure ready to go... but here I am!

The month is speeding by. The whole year has rushed by, it seems. The grandkids are all getting so big. Heck, even my KIDS are getting big! When we first moved in to this house, the twins didn't have to duck to shut the cabinet doors. Now, they don't need a step ladder to reach items on the top cabinet shelves.


Well, I see Ty has nodded off asleep on the couch, so I am headed to bed. Have a blessed week! Thanks for reading!

Saturday!

Today was an OK day at work. Not too long, but not a fast in-and-out either. Got home around 8:30. Did my treadmill, then got laundry going. I wore out in a hurry, and actually had to have a nap. I thought I had missed the Pampered chef party, but my friend called me shortly after my nap... I still had an hour until the party started.

I left a few minutes early... HOORAY for me! I was the LAST car through Centerton before the police closed off the highway and main drags for a Christmas Parade and festival. So glad to have missed THAT delay. Kind of scared me when two police cars pulled out behind me with blue lights flashing... until I realized they were closing the road, NOT pulling me over.

The Pampered chef lady made skillet lasagna... the same dish she made at my party a couple of years ago. Since she has pretty much had our same group every two or three months for the last four years or so, we all know one another fairly well, and have tried pretty much every dish in her party repertoire. My friend Cindi made chicken and dumplings, as well as cookies. I came home too full to try the Chineasy Chicken Daniel made while I was gone.

I really just ordered some cinnamon for myself, and a bowl set my mom had wanted (after me bragging about mine!) I got to visit with old friends, and make a couple of new ones. One of the people was a younger Mom of five, who has kids from 14 down to 8. She has home schooled for several years, although her kids are currently in PS. We had a lot in common. I miss my old acquaintances at Eagle, but do not miss the boss there! The worst part of the party was coming home reeking of cigarette smoke... even though I stayed inside and all the smokers went OUTside.

The housework ended before my nap, so I will be cleaning tomorrow.  (Note I said "ended", NOT was finished....) Most of the laundry is done... including ANOTHER (YES! ANOTHER! GRRR!!!!!!! ) Re- Wash of blankets the dogs burrowed into ...because SOMEONE didn't put them away. (This was a load of  "reds", including my Ohio State blanket, Ohio State snuggie, Pajamas, and the twins flannel red bedsheets.)

Well, even though I have had a nap, it is well past my bedtime. I can hardly keep my eyes open. Please pray for safe travels for Becky and My mom tomorrow. Have a blessed night!

~Tammy~

Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

It is a sunny, slightly on the cool side, afternoon. Colder weather is supposed to hit tonight, and stick around all week. (Mom and Becky, bring warm clothes!) My work week is almost over... tomorrow is "Friday"... I am usually done well before 8 in the morning.

We will probably spend the rest of Saturday getting things ready for Mom and Becky's visit. While we looked pretty good for Thanksgiving, I have really slacked off of things in the week since. I haven't peeked into the boys bathroom... I am sure it is in NEED.

I got back on the treadmill this afternoon... having only walked about once a week in the last five weeks. I need to get back on it every day... I was worn out after half a mile.
Oh, I must remember! Tomorrow I am invited to a Pampered Chef Party. If you need anything from them, be sure and give me a call tonight. (I am notorious for forgetting something like this until after it is over, even when I fully intend to attend!)

Jenna, since Becky and Gma Rose will be here the early part of this coming week, I'd like to have Connor and Alana come out after school and visit for a few hours, either Monday or Tuesday, if they don't already have plans. I can get them home before bedtime!

That's all I can think of for today. Have a blessed evening!

Night Sky

On my way to work this morning, I was admiring bright Venus appearing in close proximity to the sliver of Moon in the Eastern sky. It was crisp, cold, and brilliant as I drove to work. I caught, from the corner of my eye, what appeared to be a long, comet-like streak leading directly to Venus. I had to stop and look. Yep, there was a streak in the sky pointing directly at the star. (Yes, I KNOW it is a planet!)

As I drove on to work, the long arrow-like streak moved, until it was underlining the crescent of Moon. The streak was a band of clouds caught in a high jet-stream. It was so beautiful... I wish I could of taken a picture to share. But not only does my camera NOT take night-sky pictures... a picture just doesn't do justice to the grandeur.

The stars and Moon (and PLANETS!) are one reason I love going in to work so early.

Another reason I like working in the early morning is that I can get so much more done before I have the distractions of co-workers ad customers. (Customers are the REASON we are in business, but it is sure difficult to attend to the necessary tasks that have to be taken care of to stay in business, when you are serving a customer.) A third bonus to working early: I have energy to get things done. By noon... I'm what is done. I have been yawning my head off since noon... but so far haven't given up and taken a nap.
******************

December marks the start of our main birthday month of the year. Tomorrow is Tom's sister Teeny's birthday. The 7th is granddaughter Jade's, and my Uncle Doug's. The 8th is my sister Lalani's birthday, as well as another relative who wishes to remain anonymous. The 9th is this relative's daughter's birthday. The 12th is my eldest son Christopher's birthday, followed by my daughter's on the 16th. Close friend Angie was born Dec. 18th. My nephew Jeremy has his birthday on the 22nd, and my twin cousins Douglas and Daniel on the 24th. DH Tom's birthday is the 27th... which is the last December birthday for us, but my Granny's is Jan 3rd. So a very busy birthday month ahead.

Daniel and Sam are looking forward to going to their sister's house for a visit. When she leaves here, they will accompany her. This will be their first visit to her house all year... possibly in closer to two years. They are pretty geeked over it. (Oh bad word choice... these two are GEEKED over everything, all the time. They are perpetual geeks.) They have been making their lists and checking them... hmmm... hourly. Not lists of clothes and stuff... those kinds of lists are for girls. (I will be lucky if they remember to pack clothes at all.) They have lists of must-not-be-forgotten items like paintball guns, masks, cloaks, staffs, and games. As they promised to also do school work if allowed to go, they better be adding THAT to their lists!

Well, it is either time for another cup of tea, or a nap. Have a blessed afternoon!

Introducing: Our Cooking Blog!

While still very rudimentary, The Cow Crew is pleased to announce the launch of our new cooking blog. Inspired by Becky, it will be a collaborative effort from all the "chefs" in our family.
"Cooking with the Cow Crew"

I am not sure how to work all the links yet, but will try to classify them and add a search engine to the blog as it becomes necessary. I have tried to make permanent links to the Pantry, as well as the "Meet the Cooks" posts. So far, I have just one recipe up, the Oven-Fried spicy chicken (Original Blog titled here: "In which I Channel the Pioneer Woman")
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 In Other News:
Yesterday was Mr C's first day back to work. He worked overtime!
Then, got up at 3 am with a fever and severe headache... so had to report in sick today.
He has begun to feel better, and is now gone to the storage locker to return some items we had need of over the last week or so.
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 I worked a bit extra today... not even past a normal time, but for at least an hour after my job was "done". We are less than 2 weeks from the wall to wall inventory of our store. Many areas of disarray remain. I cleared two of them this morning.
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My treadmill is now back in its useful location. It has been in the laundry room stacked with stuff for a week or so. I am going to have to get back on it soon! Since going to Ohio in October, I have probably only logged 25 miles on my walking. I need a new goal... I'm letting myself fall off again.
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I am looking forward to seeing Becky and the kids next week, and, I hope my Mom as well. Sam asked how they were getting back from Texas... and Tom says he will likely be driving down to get them. (They needed to know their return plans, so they would be able to pack - or not pack- their paintball guns and knives and other boyish essentials). (The sewing stuff dragged out yesterday continues to litter the table... no actions taken. Awaiting size info from Becky!)
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Well, that is all for today. thanks for reading!