~Happy Birthday Lil Bit~

Happy Birthday, Little Kelsey. Today you are "3". You went from being Uncle Bruce's Lil Wild Haired Baby, to his Lil Bit... When you were a baby, your hair was just wild, but your mom always did it so cute when she would take you somewhere. Then all of a sudden one day it was halfway down your back. The darkest color of brown to match your beautiful dark eyes.. The newest addition to our growing Family. My 3rd Little Grand Daughter. You are so petite, yet a little live wire. You are never still, always moving. I remember the minute you were born. Your mom and dad let me be part of your birth. You are so beautiful. You were born with a head full of hair, we knew you would be, your mom had heartburn the entire time she carried you. But as she says, you were so worth it. You are so petite, yet think you can do anything the other girls can do and most of the time you do exactly as they do.. Not always a good thing, but most of the time it all works out OK.. Just know that we will always LOVE YOU, wheither you are called: Lil Bit, Kelsey Bug, Kelsey Bell, or any of the other names that we sometimes call you. You are a joy to our family. Happy 3rd Birthday, Sweetheart...

~Birds and Quilts and Lazy Days~

Sunday, as I was sewing Larry called me to come look at something out side, Our yard was covered in hundreds of these birds, they were shaped kinda like a quail, but not the right color. Their chests were a vibrant yellow with a black "v". I looked them up on the internet and they are a Western MeadowLark. They were so pretty and so many of them. I told him that was probably a sign of weather to come. and Monday afternoon it started. So when I got in from work, Larry and I went out to the storage

building to dig out some yarn, in case the roads were really bad and I could not go to work on Tuesday, Well, not thinking, I started down the steps and down I went, not on my feet, and then Larry tried to help me and he went down right behind me, kicking me in the back with his boot. Boy did that hurt. We were both concerned about my neck, luckily it has not hurt me at all, but have a huge bruise on my back and my back side. I can hardly sit down, I have to sit to one cheek or the other, I think I cracked my tailbone, and no need to go to the doc, since they cannot do anything for that anyway. I will be OK. So I was not going to work on Tuesday even if the weather did permit, which it did not anyway. So I was home all day.

Then today, we were on inclement weather schedule, so we did not have to be there until 10. SO I left here about 8:30 and stopped to top off the gas tank, just for the extra weight. There I was told there was a fatality accident at Ico and the road would be closed until about 11 for clean up. An 18 year old girl lost her life, there was black ice on the bridge, the same bridge I slid on a couple of week ago. So I went back home and decided it was not worth it again today. Besides, it hurt really bad to sit..

I did get some yarn out Monday evening, but did not touch it yesterday, but I have been working on caps this morning. I almost have a garbage bag full to be sent to AR Children's Hospital for their KNittin for Noggins program. I try to contribute to that each year. Last year I had a little over 200 caps to donate.. I have not counted this years.

I decided this year I was going to make each of the girls a quilt for Christmas. I have Cember's top finished. Mom is going to take it to her quilter the next time she goes down there, no hurry. I asked them what were their 2 favorite colors, Cember said Pink and purple, well I found what I think is some really pretty fabric and did hers. Gabby said Pink and Blue, I have enough of the pink left from Cember's to do Gabby's if I can find some Blue like it. Kelsey, just said Blue, Not sure what I will do on her's. Here is a pic of Cem's. I made a full size to be used as a spread. I think it turned out really pretty. I love bright colored quilts.. If only I had the fabric for the others I could get them done as well. I may get energetic enough to make the boys and Mandy and Deanna one as well. We will have to see about that.. I couple of years ago I did Buck and Mandy one with Dale Earnheart Cheater Blocks. They are Big Nascar fans and he was their driver. It turned out really pretty. Just forgot to get a pic of it before I gave it to them. I will have to get them to take one for me. Well, my backside is hurting so I have got to get out of this chair for a bit.

Hope you all are safe and warm...

God Bless and Keep each one of you.

Love Ya

Nan

~Busy Fun Filled Exhausting Weekend~

Yes it was all that and MORE!!!! I took 4 little girls, Cember, Gabby, Maranda, and Kelsey to the lake house for the weekend. We left at 3 PM on Friday, Drove to the lake house (1 hr 15 min) and got it all turned on and heating up. I put the girls in the lower bedroom where I could heat that part real fast and they played, while I unloaded and got the rest of the house warm. That only took about an hour, then we ate and played Sorry and other board game, since it was dark and cold outside. That was a late nite, not going to bed until aroun 1:30 AM.

Saturday after breakfast and a quick straighten up, they were out to play, met some new neighbor girls and they all played together, I kept Kelsey inside with me until it warmed up a little more.

Then outside we went, I raked the back yard and burned the leaves. then moved to the front and side, too windy there to burn, so we raked and jumped and raked and jumped for about 3 hours (cheap entertainment, except for the blisters). There were showers to be had that night and boy was that water dirty.. But what fun we had.

Sunday after breakfast we went to a nursing rehab center to visit an elder lady that used to live beside us at the lake house. She is an awesome person. She is one of those people that I could sit and listen to all day, only she has a lung disease and cannot hold out to talk. Her and her husband built the log house that she just moved out of. It took them 7 years to build it. They cut down all the trees and debarked them and built the house. She was 49 when they started it, that just happens to be the age I am now and I could not begin to build a house especially like that one. She just loves the girls and they love her, everytime we go to the lake house, they have to go see Ms Norma. Cember and Gabby found the note on her door Oct. 07, that she had been taken to the ER early that morning. So they were immediately scared. I found someone that knew what was going on and tried to reassure them she would be OK. She was not able to come back to the log house after that, so now everytime we are there, we have to go see her. We always take her a little goody bag, this time we framed a picture I had taken of her with them in Oct. She loved it.

Then back to the leaf pile for about an hour, till it was too cool, then in for supper, baths and some more games of Sorry and other board games. Mostly Sorry..

Monday morning, UP, breakfast, clean the lakehouse, and load up. Then we came to Little Rock to Build a Bear. every Christmas they get me a gift card to Build a Bear and I take the girls and let them build me a bear. That is always alot of fun, only I did not think about all the Little Rock schools being out and there being a Girl Scout party at Build a Bear. that turned out to be a 3 hour ordeal,, but still fun.. Then to Wendy's for some food and then to their perspective homes. What a fun time was had, Making Memories.... The one on the Left is Valentine my 2008 bear, the one in the middle is Angel my 2006 Bear and the one on the Right is Merry my 2007 bear.

~My Birthday~

Well, I am almost at the "50" mark, Not quite, but close.. Here is what my kids got me for my birthday...

This is a blanket 30" x 60" with a picture of the 3 of my girls and the fall arrangement we had just put together on my front porch. I absolutely LOVE IT!! I have never seen anything like that. I have it hanging on my wall in my office for right now, until everyone gets a chance to see it, Then it is coming to my house. IT is so soft and so warm. It is just AWESOME!

Now what is going on here, Not much. I spent most of Friday nite and Saturday nursing a sick headache (From my neck I am sure). Late Saturday it got alot better, Then Sunday, It was gone, Thank the Good Lord. I had done so well for the last couple of weeks, no headache and no burning pain from my head down to the middle of my back. Then Saturday it flared, but Sunday it was gone again, and has not been back. Larry asked what I wanted to do for my birthday, He would take me to eat or go where ever I wanted to go, Guess what I wanted to do?? You got it, We sanded and primed on MY tractor. I cannot wait to get it finished. We only like 9 more parts being ready to put it back together. Don't get me wrong, I love to go out to dinner with him, but I really want to get this finished and move on to other things, It is getting close to Spring and we have more landscaping to do, I want the tractor finished so I can use it. Then, too, I am trying to get that credit card paid off and I can't do that if we keep using it. But since we moved, I really like to just stay home and do things around here. After we got through with what we could get done yesterday, we came in and I took a shower to get all the rust dust and paint off me, then I put on my warm jammies and sat on the couch working on hats for Children's Hospital under the Down blanket mom and dad got us for Christmas, I love that thing, It is so warm... I keep it on the couch to cover up with, I am the most cold natured person you could ever know. I always have a blanket handy. Even in the summer time, I have a blanket over me on the couch.

I am thinking it is going to be a lake house weekend with the girls. Not sure yet, Buck is going up tomorrow to make sure we have no busted pipes and to leave the faucets open, so they do not freeze in these next few nights fridged temps, One night it is supposed to get down to 16, that is COLD.. This is a long weekend for me and for them. They are out of school on Monday and that would be a good time to go to Build a Bear and let them build my bear.. I may have to work on Monday, since the legislature is in session. Not sure, Hopefully will know by Wednesday. Sometimes we have to have a skeleton crew there and since I am the only one in Purchasing, I usually have to be there. Oh well.. May have to do the Build a Bear on Sunday afternoon before coming home. We will see..

OH, I almost forgot, The builder finally got the electrician over here to wire up the door bell at the back door, normally they do not do that, but we requested it (did not realize it was not wired in until after we moved in), since everyone that knows us comes to the back door (closest one to the driveway), and with it being in the Laundry room and that door stays shut, we cannot hear them knock.. So now I have a doorbell there and the first one to use it was the Fed Ex guy..

Well for now I will sign off, Got Laundry to get folded and another load to get in the washer. Good Nite all and May God Richly Bless YOU!!!!

~Way Behind~

I usually do this at work. I get there real early and our system there is much faster and I cannot start working until 7, but they changed the security on our system and it will not allow me into this. By the time I get into town, go to physical therapy, do water aerobics and get home, it is bed time and I do not feel like getting on here then. But, on Wednesday's I do not have therapy or aerobics, I usually have the girls, but Larry's week got cancelled yesterday after he had driven to Springdale on Monday. So, let's see if I can get caught up.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Daughter-in-Law, Deanna on Monday, Jan. 5th. She turned "26", awe, to be 26 again and know then what I know now, boy would I have done alot of things differently. At 26 I was divorced with 3 little ones... Deanna is married to my middle son, Rocky and they have a beautiful daughter Kelsey that will be "3" later this month.

Rocky met Deanna while she was here from Perris, CA visiting her dad, who lives close to James. They began long distance dating, then Rocky went to Bosnia with the National Guard, upon his return from that tour in Oct. 2001 she moved to Arkansas. They married Sept. 28, 2002, at the home of Roy & Audrey Harrington (Audrey is her Great Aunt), then Oct. 2003, Rocky was deployed to Iraq. What a stressful time to be so far apart only a year after being married, but they survived. Now they have this Beautiful little girl. Happy Birthday, Deanna. Thank you for being my grand-daughters mother. You are wonderful..




Then on Tuesday, January 6th, Happy Birthday, Briauna... Briauna hit the "DOUBLE DIGITS" yesterday. She is now "10". I was there when she was born, in fact I have been there when all the kids (grand and great-grand, not the step) were born. She was so tiny and what a surprise when we found out she was coming. Pam had made the statement on Mother's Day, there was not way she was Pregnant(you have to be "exposed"), then guess what "she was"(told off on herself). Briauna is the first Grand daughter of my parents. there is a great-granddaughter just 9 months older than her. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Bri. May this year bring you a better year than last. I still like your hair better SHORT!!!!!!

~A BRAND NEW YEAR~ *UPDATED*

A new Beginning, a time to start over. A time to learn from the mistakes of last year and not to repeat them in this new year. A time of new resolutions, how many will be kept and how many forgotten in a few short days, weeks,,, a time to reflect on the resolutions made last year, how many kept, how many forgotten... I cannot remember any I made,, showing my age here a little bit..

How did I bring in the new year:: Quietly at home watching "The Christmas Shoes", crying my eyes out all alone. Larry went to bed around 8:30 and was probably asleep by 9. Bruce had gone on a competetion Coon Hunt with his buddy. Bruce has a registered coon dog: Mac.. He is huge and a beautiful dog. I am just not a dog person, but Mac is pretty. I will have to get a pic and post it (a new resolution)..

Reflections of last year:
January: Celebrated JR, Deanna (Rocky's Wife), Briauna, Rochelle, Kelsey, Gabriel (Kevin's baby), Caylum and my birthdays. James and Amie's Anniversary

February: Celebrated Kiefer, Brent H, Leila and Roy's Birthdays, Tony and Rochelle's Anniversary. Thought of Vanessa on what would have been her birthday.

January and February: Watching the completion of our new home..

March: Larry, Bruce and I moved into a new home on March 26th, Larry on the 27th (his ??th Birthday).. Celebrated Bruce, Raymond, Damon, Sue, Rocky, Daddy, Frances, Austin, Joanne/Rochelle, Madi and Larry's Birthdays, Thought of David and Leonard on what would have been their birthdays.

April: Celebrated Cember, Kelly (Kevin's wife), Kiara and Lindsay Alfords Birthdays.

May: Celebrated Mandy (Buck's wife), James, Jarod and Maranda's Birthdays, Buck and Mandy's Anniversary

June: Celebrated Buck , Mother, Josh and Uncle David's Birthdays. Sue and David's Anniversary

July: Celebrated Harold, Chris H and Ollie (Brandi Alford) birthdays, Thought of Grandma and Grandpa Brown on what would have been their birthday's.

August: Celebrated Brandi, Ken, Gavin, Evan, Nic and Rosie's Birthdays. Got my porch swing that was built for me by my Uncle Roy out of Cypress wood. 3rd Annual Family (my kids and I) weekend at the cabin on Lake DeGray

September: Celebrated Gabby, Chris G (Rochelle/Tony), Jeanette, Tina, Joseph and Missy's Birthdays, Rocky and Deanna's Anniversary. Mourned the lost of Jeffrey.

October: Celebrated Kevin, Kyle, Cole, Aleigha (Raymond), Joey (Charles), Shawn and Pam's Birthdays.

November: Celebrated Justin, Rodney, Dylan, Ethan and Charles Birthdays

December: Celebrated Keela, Tony, Sheri, Amie and Randi (Rochelle/Tony) Birthdays, Mom and dad, and Larry and My Anniversaries. Mom and Dad had their 50th Anniversary,,, CONGRATULATIONS.

Sorry, I did not list every family members birthdays or Anniversary, This is the only ones I have on my calendar. I would love to have them all. Please send me the ones you your family, so I can add them to my calendar. I would like to recognize everyones Birthday/Anniversary this year (a resolution, Can I accomplish it???)

A TOAST to EVERYONE;; May this year bring you happiness, health, and wealth (not necessarily monitarily). HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!