~What a BUSY Time~

Sorry, I am so behind on posting.. Things have been really busy... So where do I start...

After the stocking stuffin party, things got crazy...Actually just prior to the stuffin party, the boys began the framing of the foundation for the Big Pout House.. Yes we have HIRED them to build us another shop to store the tractors. This one will be 30 x 60', yes, that is quite large, but over time, I am sure not LARGE enough, but all we can afford. Just went DEEPER in DEBT. I don't like that, but we need to protect them from the weather.. The 16th they pourded 35 yards of concrete and the concrete finishers were out here off and on all night working the concrete foundation.. I locked up and went to bed at 10 since I had to be up at 5 to get ready for work. Speaking of Work: Things started falling apart at work, of course they always do when I am trying to finish up somethings getting ready for some time off.. I had 6 days of Vacation that I had to take or I would loose it.. So I am going to take it..

Larry ends up in IOWA where it is -20 or so at nite... That is COLD and since his surgery, he has become ALMOST as cold natured as I am... So he was miserable.. Tony turned "39" as did Sheri, 18 minutes before Tony did... Then there was the night of the 17th... We were having our Christmas Goody day at work, which when the sign up list came out, my name was already on it for Cinnamon Rolls... Then Gab had asked me to make some for her party at school, having always been told "you CANNOT bring homemade goodies to school" I thought I was safe there and it would be the "SCHOOLS FAULT" I could not do that for her. I told her I would need a note from her teacher stating she could bring Homemade Cinnamon rolls to school... Well on Tuesday the 15th... Mandy calls me and tells me she has "THE NOTE" So on Thursday I make 2 batches of Cinnamon rollls.. I have rolls rising EVERYWHERE.... But boy did the house SMELL WONDERFUL... I LOVE BAKING>.. I guess I get that from MOM... Mom is going to take tem to Gabby at school for me, since she is going to Maranda's party.. Thanks SO MUCH MOM... LOVE YOU.... Gabby was disappointed because only 8 of her Cinnamon rolls were eatten at school. I told her that was OK, now they have several for Breakfast. She shared them with Bebe and Pappy...
Then on to Christmas at my house on the 21st. I always have all my kids and mom and dad to my house for Dinner and Christmas.. So this year we are having pork roast, potatoes, carrots, rice, rolls and some type of dessert... I started the pork roast on Sunday nite, then came home early from work and put the taters and carrots in with it, then drained off some juice and cooked the Garden Harvest wild rice in that. Mom did the rolls for me and made an apple pie. I did a coconut cream pie and some Christmas goodies, fudge, skillet cookies and cracker candy. It turned out really good, Deanna's mom, sister and Nephew joined us. It was alot of fun... Everyone seemed to have a really good time. I got Cember and Gab 12 pair of Toe socks, then Lil bit wanted some, so I set about finding her some. I did find them and got them ordered and they arrived on the 26th... So now she has some Kelsey size ones.
I finished up work on the 23rd for the year. They let us all go home at 2:30 that day... We had to go to my sister in laws on the 24th to assist them with some things, Then Christmas day was real quiet, just me and Larry at home.. That was kinda nice, but did not seem like Christmas..
On Saturday the 26th, we spent the day in Little Rock just looking,,, Then went to dinner at Red Lobster for our 14th Anniversary on the 27th.. We both ended up sick all nite over that, not sure what did it, maybe the fried foods that we had and are no longer accustomed to... Have not had FRIED since Larry's surgery... Oh well..
THen we had Family Christmas at mom and dad's on the 27th. All but 3 of the Family were there. That was real nice... Mom and I made all the Grand and Great grands a quilt except the 4 oldest... I think that went over really well.. They all seemed to like them... I really enjoyed helping make all the tops. We had a lady do the actual quilting for us with her quilting machine. Boy I would love to know how to do that and have a set up like she has. It is AWESOME... Oh well, maybe someday.. I told her when she gets her new machine (she wants a new one), Let me know and I may be interested in her current one... She wants a computerized one... Not likely to happen.. But I can dream...
Yesterday I had to go into the office to take care of an invoice for an interpreter and get her paid. She had sent in her paperwork written in PENCIL twice and ended up not having money to buy her kids Christmas. I hate that, but there was nothing I could do, My hands were tied. I told the coordinator, I would have the secretary watch for the corrected paperwork to come in and call me and I would make a trip to the office and get it processed and hand carry it to payables for them to process the check. Hopefully that went out this morning. I know it will be late, but maybe they will enjoy their christmas anyway. YOu have to follow STATE rules on invoices or they do not get processed... That is just how it is... Then last nite we picked up one of Larry's sisters and went to Hot Springs to look at the Christmas light display in the park, only to get over there and find out there was a problem and they were not working. What a disappointment, so we went and had dinner at Olive Garden instead. That was good..
So here we are at New Years Eve.. The boys have worked everyday this week and have the walls framed, squared and blandexed. The trusses were delivered yesterday, I am not sure if they will hand set them Friday and Saturday, or get a crane on Monday to assist with that.. I guess we will find out later today about that...

So for now. I am wishing EVERYONE the HAPPIEST of NEW YEARS, and may you be MORE BLESSED in 2010 than you were in 2009.!!!!!! I know Larry and I were really blessed in 2009, I still have him and that is just by the Grace of GOD that I do.. As Larry told the doctors after his surgery, "For some unknown reason, God just did not want is life yet" and for that I am so THANKFUL.... LOVE TO ALL and to ALL a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

~Stocking Stuffin~

I finished crocheting all the stockings (small about 4") for the kids school classes.. So, on Tuesday nite, I had 6 of them over to the house for a stocking stuffin party.. Kiefer is not having a Party, but he wanted to come over any way and I was glad to have him. He does not come often, because it is ALL GIRLS!!!!! He is unfortunately the only boy around now.. James's boys are all in Texarkana and so there is just girls.. Kinda strange after all those years of JUST BOYS!!!!! He is almost a teenager and does not want to hang out with girl COUSINS!!!!! I don't think he is quite into liking girls just yet... Not sure on that, but he tells me he does not have nor want a girlfriend.. Bruce told him to stay away from them, they just cost you MONEY!!!!!!!

Any way, we all got in a circle to stuff the stockins.. I think there were 159 of them, we put candy canes and a couple other pieces of Candy in them, place them in a ziploc and put a Merry Christmas From: sticker on each one. I make them with a loop so the child can hang the stocking on their own tree when they get home.. Wonder how many I have made over the years?? I did this for my boys all through their school party years... Now, my grand daughters and nieces and used to for my nephews, all the boys have gotten out of the party thing, except Justin and he is home schooled, so he will not need any this year.. I enjoy doing this with them.. It is crazy trying to get everything together for it and get everyone in their places, but after we get going, it goes fairly smoothly.. So now, they are all stuffed and taken to School for their Party on the 18th.. I even had a few left over, so I have a jump on next years. Wonder how many will be needed then. Normally Middle School does not have parties, but Cember's homeroom voted to have a small one so I did for her. If Gabby, Maranda and Briauna's class does not have one next year, I will just have lil bit to make for and I probably have enough from this year to do hers. What will I do with all that time??? I am sure I will find something to do... I think I have finished up all my little Christmas gifts I make every year and it is still 2 weeks till Christmas. How did I manage to do that. I am usually working up to the last minute on those.

Oh well, I guess since I found out my Lil Bit is getting a new BIG GIRL bed for Christmas, I have time to at least get her a quilt top done for it. Mom and I have made all the Grand and Great Grands a quilt for Christmas from Mamaw & Papaw.. We did Kelsey's for her Toddler bed, now she is getting a full size bed and her room is being changed from Back Yardigans, to Tinker Bell. I am doing new curtains and I guess I will have time to do her quilt, at least the top and then get it quilted and finished after Christmas. Or maybe I will save that for her Birthday in January.. Hard to believe she will be "4"... Decisions, decisions, decisions.... Ain't if fun being a Grown Up??? sometimes "NOT"