Excitement!

I'm so excited! Mandy called me last Friday to tell me that they're having a girl!! After all they have been through I am so thankful that we have finally arrived at a point where it looks like all is well and we're expecting a GIRL!!! Now I can start looking for all those cute little girl things out there.

Speaking of babies -- I met two of my great-nephews over the weekend. My brother's boys were both home (Cedar Falls) with their new grandbabies. Nick & Danelle are currently living in Virigina Beach (Nick is in the Navy) and Josh and Keeley are in Johnston. Josh isn't that far away but we never seem to get together and this was a great opportunity to see all. Nick's little guy is Juneno (I'm sure I didn't spell that right but you get the idea) and Josh's little guy is Jerret, or Jer for short. Both boys were born real close together datewise, but this is the first they've all been together. The boys are darling and it was great seeing everyone else too. Sandie's sisters were there with some of their kids and we haven't seen any of them forever either. Real home week!!! So . . . my brother has 2 little grandsons, my sister has one and I'm going to have a granddaughter! How cool is that!!!

I took some pictures and was going to post some but this afternoon Ken came and picked up my tower. I've been having some trouble with the speed and an unusual noise so they came and got it to check it out. He thought from what I told him and from the looks of the tower that it may be the fan and the fact that the whole machine needs a good vacuuming and cleaning. I'll be very happy if that's all that's wrong. We discussed memory, etc., and I know one thing I need to do when I get my big buddy back -- burn CD's of all my pictures. I have so many in there and would feel terrible if I loose them all.

I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. My children will be here as well as my sister and some of her family. Jim, Mandy and Odie are coming Wednesday night and will be spending Thanksgiving Day with their dad and his wife. Odie and I are going to get everything ready for our big meal on Friday. I have to do the grocery shopping tomorrow night after work. I talked to my friend the butcher and he put back a turkey breast and was going to take care of a ham for me too. I figured with everyone but me having turkey on Thanksgiving they may want another choice of meat. Barbie will join us on Thursday evening and all are here for the weekend. One of our projects will be putting up my tree. I have all but 3 boxes already upstairs and ready to go. I need help in arranging my room(s). Hopefully we'll have time to arrange my craft/spare bedroom. Mandy is excellent at doing that kind of thing and she'll be here so . . . I'm going to put her to work!!

Glee, Ron, Beth and Jackson will be joining us on Friday. Karsten and Mike both have to work. Told both of them I'd send home some turkey and dressing. Mark & Sandie are going to try and make it, but have something on in the morning so guess we'll just wait and see. I'm looking forward to seeing Jackson again. Hey Beth, I've got my laundry basket all ready for him! He can push it around to his delight!! Jackson is such a sweet little boy and he's definitely all boy. What a cutie!! I'm sure we'll have some pictures of all this fun.

I'm going through some special training at work for the next couple of days. Actually I have one day in already. I'm going to become more involved with our Head Start program as far as personnel is concerned. The program has a tracking program called Child Plus and I already have it loaded on my computer and have been messing around with it. Now I'll actually know what I'm doing. They can track almost everything they do in the program. Helps me too with my statistics for my CSBG reports. It's interesting. The Head Start group are a real fine bunch of people to work with. I'm enjoying it and learning something too.

I don't know if my house is going to be as clean as I'd like it for all my guests, but I can assure everyone the food with be good. I've just been so tired lately that when I get home I usually take an hour or so before I go back at it. Almost got the spare bedroom ready for occupancy!!

Hope every one has a great Thanksgiving. We all have much to be thankful for. Peace to all. Enjoy your holiday.

Ditto

I must have craft fairs on the brain! Last weekend there was a big one here in Dubuque at the Grand River Center. That's such a cool place to go to anyway but this made it extra special.

Glee & Beth stopped by around 9:30 and we took off. I told them I'd drive because Glee always drives to everything. Found a place to park in the parking garage. Didn't have to walk in that wind that way.

I was so excited when we paid our way in. I got an Alaskan quarter for my change. The guy gave it to me then took it back and gave me a half dollar. I requested the quarter back . . . of course he had to dig through his money bag but we found it!! Beth & Glee thought maybe he was hitting on me! That'll be the day!

The show was great. I actually found a bunch of things I wanted. I even finished some of my shopping for members of my family. And we really had a good time just wondering around. I've been told to always bring my cell in case I get lost! How do they know that they aren't the ones lost????

We decided to go out for lunch before they had to return home. We stopped at Mario's. One of my favorite places to eat. Had a great lunch and then hit the road again. Glee & Beth went out to Sam's but I decided I was too tired and drug my stuff upstairs and watched the end of the Hawkeye game and then took my nap. It was a good day shopping.

Work has been very busy and getting more so. I'm scheduled for training 2 days next week. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. My family will all be here. Hopefully my brother and his wife will be able to join us. They're going to try. Unfortunately Karsten has to work but he's sending his little boy and wife. We'll send him back some turkey and dressing!!

We're planning on putting up my tree Thanksgiving weekend. I have so much stuff to drag upstairs. I've already started it and have almost everything up here. Now, we have to put the tree together and put the lights on. I wished now I would have bought a tree with the lights already on it, but they're so heavy!! Barb promised to string the lights for me! I love Christmas and the color that goes along with it. My tree goes up early and comes down late. Last year it was February before I got it down. Got busy on the weekends and never got to it until them. The colors were great!!

Back to work for me. I really had a great time this past weekend. I love craft fairs!!

Craft Fairs

I'm a little slow in getting things on my blog lately! Guess I'm just getting old . . .

Last weekend (November 1-2) my sister Glee, my niece Beth and myself made a trip to Ankeny. We spent the weekend with Barb and went to the North Pole Craft Fair in Ankeny. It's a fantastic craft fair and we really had a great time.

Glee & Beth picked me up around 7:00 p.m. and we were off on our adventure. It's always an adventure when you're with my sister and niece! We had some good laughs before we even got to Ankeny. It was Halloween so we asked Barb for some treats when we got there. She obliged and gave us some! She said she actually had about 20 kids this year. The development that she lives in doesn't have a lot of kids so this was an exciting Halloween for her.

Beth brought us pictures of Jackson in his Tigger outfit. What a darling Tigger!! I think he could really bounce like Tigger too! Jackson is at the stage in his life where nothing much scares him and he's climbing all over everything. He has the bruises to prove it! Beth says every time they take him to daycare they ask if the bruises were done at home or at the center!!! He'll grow out of that! (I hope!)

We all found something at the fair. We started out at one of the middle schools hoping the crowds would thin out a bit at the high school. It was crowded but not as much as last year. At least it didn't seem that way! We decided later Saturday evening that we had missed a room at the high school but there wasn't a lot we could do about it then. It was fun!!!

We went out for supper on Saturday evening. Came back and played some board games. Barb & I rule on Trivia Pursuit! We did a lot of laughing and even gained back the hour we lost in April (or whenever we went to daylight time).

Went out for breakfast on Sunday morning. That's where the pictures were taken. There's some others but I thought since Christmas is coming and I want some presents too I better not put them on!! We did a little more shopping on Sunday morning and then took off for home. It was a great weekend and we're hoping to do it again soon.

Work has been extremely busy lately and very stressful. Maybe it's me! We have Tuesday off as it's Veteran's Day and I'm looking forward to doing some shopping and probably some scrapping! I'm collecting lists from my family so that I can get my shopping done. We had snow flurries on Saturday morning. I guess it's that time of year but I'm not ready for it yet!!

I have finally finished Jim & Mandy's wedding album. I literally took it apart and put it back together again. It actually is two books cuz there's so many pictures. It turned out real well and I'm very happy with it. Hope they will be too!!

My family is coming here for Thanksgiving. Barb, Jim & Mandy will be spending Thanksgiving Day with their Dad and his wife but will be here for the evening. We decided two big meals on one day was more than they could handle so . . . we're having turkey again on Friday. Both Barb and Mandy expressed an interest in shopping on Friday so while they shop I'll dog sit and make the meal. Glee, Ron and Jackson are coming. Hopefully Mike will be along too. Both Beth and Karsten have to work and we couldn't figure out when to have a meal when they could be here so we'll miss them and I'll even send home some turkey and dressing for them! I'm looking forward to having Jackson around for a few hours. He's such a cute little kid! I'm also looking forward to having my daughter, son and daughter-in-law here for a couple of days. They've promised to help put my tree together and maybe even help with the decorating! I love my tree and all the ornaments but it is a chore to get all the lights up, etc. It'll be a real family project this year!!

Cold weather is here and I suppose it won't be leaving us for a while. I finally had to break down and put some heat on. I put my down comforter on the bed and put away the summer quilt I use. I have a new look to my spare bedroom so when my kids come they can actually sleep in a bed. I just have to go out and get some sheets for it. Notice in a couple ads they have flannel sheets on sale so . . . off I will go!

I've spent a lot of time this weekend watching football. I really do love that game. My Colts pulled one off this afternoon. Our Hawkeyes did the same on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately our Cyclones didn't do as well. Maybe next year guys!!

Well it's time to get at a couple of things before bed. Hope all have a good week at work. I have board meeting this week as well as the holiday in the middle. Maybe I can leave early on Friday and do a little shopping them too.

Take care all.