Its been a while.

Lots of catching up to do.  There were birthdays, Valentines, and lots of ordinary things this past while.

I have been as usual knitting like crazy, but I am actually making money with it. Each day I find new patterns or ideas and think, there is not enough life left for me to knit everything on my mind.

Things are picking up at work finally. Pools are rolling in, and that makes Dave happy.  We have been blessed with plenty of pool table work to keep up afloat this winter. I actually got to work Tuesdays this winter...a first.

It is Catholic Schools Week and there is a ton of scholarship applications I have been buys filling out for next school year. I cannot believe Jack will go...I will have an empty nest in the week next year...amazing, scary....

The weather has been mild for NW OH. The littles have gotten to play outside a bit. Sledding only once as there has been little snow.  We had an afternoon swim at the YMCA which was nice. I have had a few dinners with my Stallions group..always a nice evening. B bought a new truck, so now E finally has a car!

On the entertainment front Whitney Houston died 2 weeks ago...the night before the Grammys.  Drugs and a bath tub don't mix. She was only 48.

I continue to be an emotional train wreck. I hate this up and down stuff. Maybe it is time to cry Uncle and go to the Dr. for some help.

Catching up on some photos of life. Libbey High School is being torn down. This process has been a fearsome thing to behold.

Wordless Wednesday

January. Cold. Endless.Gray. Solitariness.

Midway point for the longest month of the year...at least for me. I have had a chest flu. Work is slow. Knitting, knitting and more knitting for me. At least I have been able to turn a hobby into a money maker. Some photographer friends of mine are starting to buy my knits.

D bought me a car starter for Christmas, and I am loving every minute of it! I hate the cold.

E celebrated 21 yrs on the 6th. We had a great time. H is next. She is the big 18 on the 26th. We have not decided what we will be doing yet.

Time marches on. I wonder at times where it goes, and at times wonder if it could go much slower. I feel old, and miss my kids even when I am in the same room with them. I think Mother Nature is finally catching up with me and my emotions. It seems as if with my first 3 kids officially grown there is this great unknown for me. I am scared. I don't know how to be without them. I love W and J, but I don't know how to be me without J, E, and H. I think about losing my mom and it takes my breath. I miss my sister. She is working full time now and has one in college. So many changes so very fast, and all at the same time. Has me turned upside down. Such is life. Need to catch up on my photo editing....will back track later. Lots of good stuff to post.

Santa AND the Tooth Fairy

Christmas 2011 has come and gone. All in all it was very nice. The boys have turned a corner and we can now go to my sisters house and I can acutally relax and visit. They head for the basement and play.

The boys got a Wii this year and it is all they want to play. W finally went back to school today. I hated to see him go. I am now living for Easter break lol.

On Christmas Eve W came to us and said "I think I have a wiggly tooth" and he did. Flash forward one day, and we are at Christmas dinner at R's house and he comes to us saying he thinks his tooth came out. Sure enough...MIA. We never did find it..I was kind of bummed about that. So the Tooth Fairy made a visit to our house on the heels of Santa.

I am avoiding the depressing job of taking the tree down. I need to, but it is so cozy and I enjoy it so much. Maybe this weekend.

E and B bought the new years license's for Tucker and Moose. 25 bucks a piece. Jan 1st they bump the fee to 50 bucks a piece...what a scam. Anyway, all legal for another year.

This year I hope B finds a good job that makes him happy. In the meantime, he can do openings for DSP. It's good money but only lasts so long.

Our dryer took a poop, so we need to come up with about 60 bucks to fix it. Meanwhile off to the laundromat we go again to dry clothes. UGH.

I have a feeling I can't describe, but I sense big changes this year..for all of us. I only hope they are good ones.

God Bless the food before us, the friends among us, and the love between us

Thanks Giving 2011 is now in the books. What a great day! Our morning was spent delivering hot meals to the needy. A friend of mine her at work hooked us up with the amazing well-oiled machine that is Augsburg Lutheran church. 412 meals delivered. We had so much fun! Everyone was so thankful to have the meal. We were invited into the homes of total strangers. It truly IS better to give than receive.


Home for a quick rest, clean up, and off to J and G's for dinner with the family. A perfect day as always. The boys were so good I would not have known they were there. The meal was so good, and the pie...wow! G's sister made a pumpkin pecan pie. The taste was so unique and amazing. I cannot wait to get the recipe.


My friends husband thinks he may be able to get Bill a job working for Jeep. Fingers crossed and praying like crazy.


Tree is up. Went with colored lights this year for the kids. It is beyond cozy. The boys are excited. B and I are trying not to stress, but we have yet to get an unemployment check. Anytime now!

Free Falling

Well, life sure has its ups and downs. Bill came home Wednesday night to tell me he had been laid off yet again. Only this time he won't be called back. His boss is thinking of closing up shop. So here we go again on our roller coaster ride of unemployment benefits and the great unknown. 


I think having been through this once before has left us a bit less stressed than the last time...but having to start over at 44 won't be easy. This comes as a mixed blessing (my optimistic soul talking) as Bill is no spring chicken. He has a lot of miles on his body. He really could use a job that doesn't take such a toll, and something indoors would be good. Another positive, they predict a bad winter, and I have one less thing to worry about with him not being stuck out in it.


In other breaking news...Bills sister and her hubby bought us a brand new wood burning stove. We are all so excited! What a gift!  Our furnace went kaput last spring. I have always always wanted a fireplace. They are so cozy. I cannot wait for that first fire...which if today's weather is any indication, won't be far off.  I will post pics once it is up and running. B and I need to pick out some tile so he can make a safe pad for it to sit on. 


H has moved back home and I am happy to have her. She belongs with her family. My sister has been so good to us, and I hope she is not too unhappy, but H needs to be with us. 


It's Friday and I am glad. It is very chilly. I get to spend some much needed girl time with an old friend tomorrow and I look forward to the laughter.

A couple of Italians, and some sugar skulls for Halloween.

Halloween 2011 in the books.

We had a flurry of activity. Saturday we took the boys out to B's sisters house in Swanton. They had Trick-or-Treat 2 days early. Smart thinking if you ask me. Halloween on a Monday is rough on kids and parents alike. So anyway, we took the boys and they had a great time.

Monday brought W's class party including a trip to a retirement home for more candy.

Monday evening up to T's house in Temperance for more candy. I think we are good on sugar for about 6 months!

On Monday, E and H spent some fun time painting their faces into these skeletal creatures called Sugar Skulls. They looked pretty impressive, and got a lot of compliments.

J and I have had menue discussions on...dare I breathe the words...Thanks Giving Dinner. I cannot believe it is November 1st. Stores are loaded with Christmas goodies. We also discussed the big cookie bake and set a date of Dec 10th. Lord help me, it will be on us before we know it.

Our furnace died, so B will be busy this week fixing that....and this just in, my oven won't light. So add that to his list. Holidays and no oven = no fun!  Thank God he is my Mr. Fix It. Not much he can't fix.

We are also in the market for a wood burner...R saw one in the paper the other day for 150 bucks, so we will go look into that. We are (so they say) in for a doozy of a winter, so I would like to be able to survive off the grid as far as heat goes, in case of power outages.

The east coast has already had a rare snow blast leaving 100's of 1,000's without phone and power. I fear my Aunt in NJ is one of them, as I have not heard from her this week. I even tried to call but my call would not go through. So I sit and wait to hear.

Well that is about it for now. Knit knit knit for me.

Here are some pictures to mark our holiday.