Not that this past year was that awful, we had our share of trials and tragedy…first and foremost in our minds is the loss in August of our daughter in law’s sweet dad Ed.  He was only 53 years old, way to young and what a huge loss this has been for our family..You could not help but love Ed, he was bigger than life itself..and them bam..gone.  But not forgotten and we know he is watching over our sweet daughter in law, son and his sweet wife Karen.

On the good news front, we found out in October that we are going to be first time grandparents at the end of May and that certainly lifted our spirits.  Hubs and I have had a terrible financial struggle all year, but we made it through and when we found out the good baby news, it seemed to give us a reason to plod along, and that is what we are doing. 

We can only think that 2011 gives us good things only, we all need a break here!  But then many others in so much worse shape than we are and we remember those, also.

No huge plans for New Years, as usual.  We are not party people, our plans are to have an early dinner with our neighbors and then be home in time to watch the ball drop, New York time, which is 9 pm our time.  Maybe we can watch a movie, or there might be something on TV..Like I said, we are not the most exciting party people out there..Our idea of a good time is not bar hopping or fighting with the drunk drivers to get home safely.

We will wake up tomorrow and begin anew..we will be married 34 years this upcoming April and wow what a ride it has been!  But we have so much to look forward to…we find out the gender of the baby in a couple of weeks, then we can really make plans.

Many thanks to our sweet Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and I will be linking up to her post.  Please stop by and wish her a Happy New Year and visit some of the pinkies if you can..and here are some fun pink images for you to enjoy..

P.S. be sure to stop by next Saturday, January 8th, I am going to have a giveaway!

Happy New Year!

Well, another Christmas has come and gone, another year is about in the tank, and it all went so fast!

We had a wonderful Christmas with our kids.  We were not able to spend the day with our older son Dan but did see him before we left for Scott and Lainie’s.  Never seems quite right to not all be together, but it is what it is.  Maybe next year.  And this time next year we will have a ‘maybe’ crawling grandbaby to celebrate and make the season all that much more special!

Here are just a few pictures of our Christmas celebration – enjoy!

Thanks for joining me on my Christmas 2010 journey!  Many blessings to you all and a wonderful and hopeful New Year!

This is just a short post wishing all a very Merry Christmas!  We are at our son and daughter in law’s home, we arrived after a long drive yesterday.  They live in Northern California..so a 9 hour drive for us..All was well and we arrived safely…plans for a laid back holiday for us, this time next year we will have a possibly crawling baby grandchild and lots to look forward to and keep us busy!

Just a few images of our Christmas so far..

Welcome to our Home!

Our son and daughter in law’s tree, love it!

So far that’s it will have more to share later I am sure.

Please stop by to see our sweet hostess Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and wish her a Merry Christmas..she works so hard at providing our Pink Saturdays each and every week. 

Merry Christmas to all my sweet blog friends and loving wishes for a wonderful holiday and blessed 2011..

Hugs and love,

Barb

Nothing in particular going on, or anything very important..Just a post…

I have been sleeping a lot..I have been in the midst of a ‘fibro flare’ for way over a week now..aside from the pain, I tend to be very sleepy.  Maybe that is God’s way of helping me with the pain?  I have been sleeping in the guest room lately, that bed has a feather bed and feels better on my sore body, but am going to give our bed a try tonight.  I miss my hubby and my bedroom badly..we have a temperpedic mattress which has been wonderful, but I find it a bit too hard with the pain.  But I am trying!

I missed Christmas Bunco Monday night.  I only live about 60-90 miles from the girls, but it might as well be 600 miles..I don’t drive much anymore and with our finances I don’t always have a full tank of gas to get anywhere anyway.  Makes it very hard, but I was having this flare up and no way could I make it.  I have been away from my Bunco group for so long over our moves, etc..over the last 6 years, My dear bestest friends live about 60 miles away but it seems like forever, too.  Both are busy with their lives with work and school, I hope I see them soon because I miss them both badly.  I hope they know how much I love them:)

Had to give Halo a bath, oh boy did he STINK!  He is all curled up now in a blankie and looks so sweet and innocent, NOT!  Here he is all cuddled up after his bath..at least now he smells better!

Not much on tv, my feet are burning badly tonight..that is a big part of the fibromyalgia..it’s the nerve endings..some times it’s hard to walk..sometimes I feel a lot older than 57.  But in my mind I am much younger, lol.

Ok aside from my dumb stuff, looking very much forward to spending Christmas with the kids..Family and friends are what it’s all about in life, it’s what we live for.

Like I said, just a post.

Happy Pink Saturday, I am a tad late in posting…was not feeling well the last few days and just could not write..My mind was blank..Not that it’s functioning right now but I have not missed a Pink Saturday in months and I don’t plan to miss one today, either.

Our sweet hostess Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound has asked us to post about a favorite Christmas movie..as much as I love National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

, my all time favorite has got to be White Christmas with Bing Crosby.  I L.O.V.E. to watch that movie..I don’t think a season goes by without watching it at some point! 

A very close third is

It would not be the Christmas season without all of these fun movies..they take us back to a simpler time and make us laugh and a good break from some of the stress of the season!

Have a wonderful week!

I was a participant recently in a wonderful ornament exchange hosted by Marsha of Marsha's Musings..I received the most wonderful package from Diane who lives in snowy Pennsylvania!  I am jealous – Diane has recently been on a cruise, lucky duck!

Diane does not have a blog, and I forgot to take pictures of what I sent to her, but it was a darling owl ornament and some fun goodies to go along.  But I received the most wonderful package from here, here are a few pictures!

I love snowmen and Diane did not disappoint!  Hubs and I are keeping the Christmas decorating down to a low roar this year, soo these were more welcomed than Diane could ever have known!

The pillow is so cute, it is a felt like fabric..

This guy has a special place on my mantle..

And let’s not forget my little tree!

This cute little place will soon hold cookies or fudge, yum!

Diane, thank you so much, this was fun and best of all I made a new friend!

Hugs sent to you!

Happy Saturday to all and can you believe we are only 3 weeks until Christmas Day?  Can it be?  Unbelievable. 

A big thank you to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for being our hostess with the mostest each week.  And thank you for reading my silly musings week in and week out.  I love my followers, thank you for being there and leaving such sweet comments!

Since it’s December, Beverly would like us to post a favorite holiday recipe this week.  No, it doesn’t need to be pink, lol!  One of my favorites is my mom’s cookies called Russian Tea Cakes..I love these.  Mom found them in a Betty Crocker cookbook when I was young, so guessing this recipe is at least 50 years old..Its easy and they just melt in your mouth..

Russian Tea Cakes

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts

1/4 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 400ºF.
2. Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.
5. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Enjoy!

Now that you are enjoying some delicious cookies and maybe some tea or coffee, I would like to introduce you to Viola of Along a Widowed Road.  Viola has a son and a young daughter and I enjoy her blog so much..She is a new, as of last week, Pink Saturday participant, so head on over and say hi to this sweet gal!

Lastly, I found the answer to a prayer.  They are called SIMPLE DELIGHTS Lotion Bars lovingly made and sold by Jill Jones who lives in west Texas! 

Jill kindly sent me a lotion bar that has the most wonderful cocoa scent.  YUM!  I really wanted to try this as I have the worst, driest feet this side of Tokyo..we live in the desert and with the dryness and low humidity and wind here, my feet take a beating..I won’t post any before and after pictures, but after a week of using one of Jill’s lotion bars, my feet are smooth…the difference was noticeable after the first use…I am hooked and encourage any of you that have dry skin to give them a try..She also has lip balms…I can think of no better gift or stocking stuffer for a friend, family member or yourself!  She is running a special right now, buy 5 bars medium or large get one free (SAME SIZE) 

Please check out Jill’s Smilebox presentation and her website is Pathway to Purpose!  Tell Jill I sent you!  You can order via her website and her email is mjones6@suddenlink.net. 

Have a wonderful Pink Saturday, and oh I have to post ONE pink picture.  My daughter in law’s stepmom and my friend Karen sent this to me…isn’t this just SWEET?

The Dachshund & Pink Pig 

This Dachshund is fostering this little guy for another mom who couldn't take care of him.
He had his eyes closed, but now they are open. 

He is just a little bigger than her other pups.
She loves this little guy as much as the other puppies and she is nursing him back to health.
He is the cleanest pig-puppy ever, because she licks him all the time!
HIS NAME IS PINK.

Isn’t this precious?

How’s that for a title!  I love making up words..beauteous, loverly, all kinds of words describe these cute aprons I made.  Is it self serving to be proud of my handiwork??  If it is, then I plead guilty!

I make them for my pleasure, but also to help keep me in fabric by selling..I have quite a few that need a new home, they would make a fun Christmas gift for your mom, daughter, friend, sister or even your Nana! 

Check out my post HERE to see what I have available..Regularly priced at $24.95 for half aprons, until TOMORROW, December 4th, I am offering these already crafted aprons for $21.00, which is 15% off.  Shiggaboom!  Shipping is $4.90 for priority mail, get one in time to put under the tree…or here’s a novel thought, treat yourself!

Tomorrow is Pink Saturday and we will all be posting a favorite Christmas recipe so be sure to come back tomorrow!

Well, the winner of the $55 CSN gift certificate giveaway is none other than TA-DA!

Suzanne of Southern Inspiration!  Suzanne, email me and I can give you the info to claim your awesome prize!  And I want to see what you order, ok?!

Thank you everyone for participating and I wish I could give each of you a gift card but hey CSN is big on gift card giveaways and I’m sure I’ll be offering another one soon!

Just a quick reminder that if you have not left a comment on THIS BLOG POST to go over right away and do so..I am giving away a $55 gift card from CSN Stores. 

Can you tell I am coveting a new bedding set for the guest room..oh well, can’t win my own giveaway, or could I??? Nah!! 

Giveaway ends tonight at 9 p.m. Pacific Time..Hop to it!

Wow I just typed that November date and I cannot believe this year is almost in the books..It’s true the older we get, the faster it goes!

I love this meme and for some reason have not participated lately, well will change that RIGHT NOW!  Also, head over to see Java at Never Growing Old and join in the fun..It’s fun to get to know each other a bit better!

Ok here are the questions for this week…

1.  What is your favorite way to eat chicken?  Fried

2.  Have you decorated for Christmas yet?  A little bit so far

3.  What is your favorite article of clothing?  My capris, I am lucky to be able to wear them most of the year here

4.  Do you pay your bills online or write checks the old way?   Lately I have been writing checks, seems to be easier for me to keep on track.

5.  Do you make Christmas cookies?  I try..Last year I burnt every single one..I don’t know what I was doing wrong, I think I was just in too much of a hurry:-/

Shawnee at Shawnee's Tangled Tales is having a wonderful giveaway of a Thirty One apron like this one

Or this one

Head right over to enter as the deadline is Monday, November 29th..

I am going to post this for Pink Saturday, there is absolutely NOTHING pink in this post.  Nada.  Zip.  But I don’t feel real well tonight and it’s the best I can manage

Oh wait, here’s some pink

Me in Pink..lol  anyway, follow along on this post, I have the luck of getting such wonderful swap sisters, Amy is no exception!  and please visit Miss Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and visit my Pink sisters!  It’s my fave day of the week, my Pink Saturdays!

Sweet Amy, aka Lil Miss Muffin Pan, was my swap sister.  Thank goodness my hubs went out to do yard work today or the FED EX box might have sat out there another day or so…EGADS.  and thank goodness Amy posted a Hey Did You Get It? post which caught my attention!  Attention noted!

For someone who calls herself a ‘novice’ seamstress, I have to say I think she is lyin through her teeth, lol!!  My apron is gorgeolus!

It’s even reversible and I have no favorite, yet..and the tuck ins are amazing!  Amy spelled out S.N.O.W. and here are my treats!

SOCKS to warm my feet!

and is this sweet, for my new grandbaby to be…is that wonderful, honest it made me cry I was so touched

A reversible oven mitt, and cute ornament

I have to tell you what was in this ROOSTER bag, a neck warmer.  Amy noted that she thought it might help to warm in the microwave and warm my

hurting areas when my fibromyalgia is kicking up it’s heels..Wow.  another tearjerker..Happy tears.

Here I am with the reverse side of the apron, Amy was concerned about the fit, but it’s fine!

Ok here is a face shot, I don’t normally photograph myself, but I made an exception for this lovely apron!

Thank you so much Amy, I will treasure the apron and the goodies always.  Ok gonna cry again…so touched