Have You Ever Wonder

I haven't been here lately.  I wished I could say that I've been too busy, but that's not the case either.  It just seems that something goes wrong one thing right after another.  I moved into the place of my dreams.  Granted it was a little more money than I wanted to spend but it's a wonderful place.  I had to downsize a bit, but I survived that too.  Right after my decision to make the move, pay my deposit, etc., with moving (including moving) my boss cut my hours from 40/wk to 25/wk.  Wow!  Does that ever hurt my paycheck.  My plans were to pay off all my credit cards, etc., (whatever was out there waiting to be paid off) when I started collecting my SS.  Well . . . having my hours cut sorta put a stop to that idea.  It was a good idea and would have worked out well except for the hour cut.  My hours were cut, but my duties were not.  In fact I've had some additional duties added to my responsibilities!!!

Spent a long weekend in Des Moines with my family.  My brother & his family (Mark, Sandie, Josh, Keely, Jer & Griff); my sister and her family (Glee, Ron, Mike, Beth, Karsten, Jackson & Tristan) my family (son Jim and wife Mandy and children (Charlotte & Oliver) and my daughter Barbie.  It's always great getting together with everyone.  Josh & family, Jim & family and daughter Barb all live in the Des Moines area.  We spent a lot of time in the pool at the hotel we booked into.  Took a train ride in Boone (that was cool), the majority of the family went to Living History Farm and spent a day at the Blank Park Zoo.  We also took in a ballgame.  It was a beautiful night for a ball game!  I wished I could spend more time with my sister on a one-to-one basis and the same for my brother and his wife.  But that doesn't seem to happen.  I do talk to my sister on the phone often.  Everyone is so busy with their own lives . . . and that's the way it should be.  I dearly love my grandchildren and wished I could spend more time with them too.  Jim is very busy with his job and Mandy certainly keeps busy being a mom to those little ones of their's as well as running her own photography business.  (BTW - She takes great pictures.)    

Have you ever wondered why you continue on?  Or why?  I'm guess I'm to that point in my life right now.  I can't seem to please anyone, including myself.   I seem to be having a wonderful pity party!  But life goes on whether I'm happy with it or not.  No matter what, the sun will rise tomorrow . . . and so will I.  Enough said.

Moving!!

I did it!  I found a new place with NO STEPS!  I absolutely love it!  I've been here now 2 1/2 weeks and am still 'moving in.'  Actually my living room looks pretty good and the majority of the kitchen does also, but my craft room/spare bedroom is a mess!  Although it's looking better than it was Memorial Day weekend.

I actually spent my first night in my new home on May 22nd.  That was moving day for me.  I hired a local trucking company to move the majority of my big stuff.  I did not realize how much stuff I have accumulated over the past 15 years/going on 16 years in my old place.  My girlfriend, Betsy, and I moved a bunch of boxes, etc., every evening for about a week and then the big stuff went.  Memorial Day weekend my children came to help!  Thank goodness!  Barb came in on Friday night and we found a place for her to sleep (the living room sofa) and did some moving of things, going through boxes (getting rid of a lot of stuff -- and I thought I had already done that!).  We made quite a few trips to St. Vinny's and Goodwill that weekend.  Jim came on Saturday to help out too.  He's my electronics expert.  Betsy joined Barb and I on Saturday morning and we got the living room pretty much situated the way it currently is.  I kept my mother's buffet and hutch and that's a big piece of furniture so had to work around it.  My new place does not have an eat -in kitchen.  It has a bar (two or three bar stools will fit) and overlooks the living room.  I have an open view from my patio doors (which is the outside wall of the living room).  I'm sure eventually someone will put up more buildings but for right now, I have an open field and can see the artieral very well from here.  As well as the back of Wellmark and the Westside Fitness Center. 

I had a wonderful surprise on Saturday afternoon.  I had texted Jim to see what time he was coming to find out he was already on the road and according to him halfway here.  His halfway was Cascade . . . he didn't have far to come to get here by then.  He called when he got into Dubuque for directions and, of course, missed the turn to the new complex I'm in.  When he got here we went out to meet him and my surprise was my wonderful granddaughter Charlotte!  She came with him to help 'grandma Joy clean her messy house!" and to surprise me.  It was a great surprise!!  And she really was a help plus the fact of having her here was wonderful!  My children did a lot of leg work and running that I am no longer able to do.  My new place has two bathrooms, two bedrooms, a laundry room (with washer/dryer), kitchen, and living room.  There's also a garage.  It's wonderful.  I'm sure I am going to be very happy here!! 

Jim, Barb and Charlotte went shopping later Saturday afternoon.  Jim decided I really needed a different TV for the extra bedroom so off they went.  They found one (a beautiful 24 inch, HD with DVD player).  I am also the owner of a new toaster (Barb really didn't like my old one), chrome storage cube for my bathroom for towels, etc., and an over the stool storage for the guest bathroom.  Oh, and a new computer desk!  Jim spent a lot of time trying to get the TV hooked up and finally decided it didn't work.  That went back on Sunday morning!  Got back home with the other new one and took him about 5 minutes to get everything set up.  Putting the computer desk together took much longer, but it looks great.  While putting the desk together the topic of a new computer for Mom (aka Joy) came up.  Jim has an HP laptop that's he's been trying to sell and told me he'd give it to me for $150 so I now have a new laptop coming too.  He did not get the printer hooked up to either the laptop or the desktop and I haven't had the time to fool with it.  Actually I'll probably call a friend and see if he can take some time to check out what's going on and get me hooked up again!!!  Maybe this weekend!  

I have definitely downsized, but in a good way.  I'm still finding things that I really don't need anymore and St. Vicient DePaul is just down the road.  My biggest problem seems to be getting my scrapbooking stuff in order.  It's coming, it's coming!  Found a lot of pictures I had forgotten about and am anxious to get back to working on some books for family and friends.  

As usual, when I added my pictures I had them in no particular order, but there they are, with short explanations of what's happening!

 I packed up the boxes and eventually we got them all stuck in Betsy's van and ready to move to my new address on Radford Road.

The movers put the buffet and hutch next to the patio doors, which after looking at the room, we decided was not a good place for it.  The TV and fireplace are not sitting in that area.  Barb and Betsy are trying to figure out how to get that darn drawer out so we could move it easier!  Don't tell Bets I put her picture on here!!!

We took some time on Saturday afternoon to take some pictures of me and my favorite granddaughter.  She was ready for the picture, but Grandma wasn't!  But she's such a cutie you gotta love her!!!

Charlotte told me she came to help clean up my messy house and that is exactly what she's doing.  She was moving my computer desk chair out of the spare bedroom into the living room so they could work on the computer desk and the TV.  Betsy was there to help!

 Charlotte found out how much fun it was using the hammer on the cardboard that the computer desk came in that she decided to build her own project.  She had a great time.  They only had to move her a couple of times!!!

 Charlotte is just checking out what everyone is doing.  Jim's hard at it putting that desk together!!!

 I took possession of my new place on May 17th.  On May 18th Betsy and I moved a bunch of things into the apartment.  Welcome!  First thing to move in was toilet paper!  Gotta have that if you have a crew in to help move!!!  That would be my front door!!!

 We found some colored pencils and paper so that Charlotte could make a card for her Mommy.  I got to help sharpen the pencils.  She made a great card for Mandy.

 My little helper.  She brought her friends along to help too.  She also found a new one here that kept her company part of the time.  She's quite the little helper!!!

 Charlotte loves to measure things and Barb bought a piece of furniture to put the filing cabinet on.  She helped measure the space needed.  She does a great job!!!

 What a great picture (of me).  Charlotte got distracted by who knows what!!!  A great memory for me.

 Welcome to my new place.  Betsy caught me just as I was opening the door to the new place.  It was a bit windy that day, but we are kinda out in the country!

 Grandma, can I tell you something?  Heard that a lot Memorial Day weekend.  It was great!!!

 Just me and my girl!

 The majority of the big stuff I own!  They filled up the truck and Betsy, Tanya, Jim, Hannah, Ruby and Bri helped moved the rest of it a few days later.

 We're still sharpening pencils and making a card.  Don't you just love boxes when unpacking and moving.

 My three helpers . . . Jim & Barb are working on the computer desk, Charlotte is helping!

  Working hard on her project!!!

I'm sure it'll be sometime before everything is where I want it.  I keep moving things from one place to another.  I also have a garage full of Christmas things that need to be organized and put up on a pallet or 2x4's.  That should take me at least a day to do!!  Pictures and shelves, etc., are still sitting in boxes or in the corner of my bedroom waiting to be put up.  Some, I'm sure, will not grace my walls again, but then again you never know.  Might come up with a whole different wall arrangement!  I'm very happy here.  Right now there is a beautiful breeze coming in my patio doors.  Finally figured out how to get the windows open!!!  Oh, did I tell you I have central air in this place?  I'm thrilled to death about that!!!  Barb has already programmed my thermostat.  It's great to have kids that can help out the way mine have.  I don't know what I'd do without them.

Charlotte has a dance rectial tonight.  I wished I would have known about it a little earlier but Barb promised to take pictures for me.  I just can't get down there this weekend.  We have our family gathering coming up at the end of the month.  I'm looking forward to that.  Oliver will be able to join us in some of the fun.  Last year he was so good, he spent the majority of the time either in the stroller or someone held him.  Maybe that was good . . . we might have to take turns running after him this year.  Can't wait to see everyone!

It's about time for me to do something constructive . . right now it's time to get something to eat.  Peace to all!



What???

Well, I posted the pictures and was going to add some more but the blog wouldn't let me.  Please don't tell me I'm having the same problem that Beth had on her's!!!

But I shall continue . . . I'm celebrating today.  We have our own "Biggest Looser" at work.  I decided this year to participate.  I've won one week.  I made myself a goal of loosing 10 pounds in the 15 weeks we're doing the project.  We're in Week 12 (I think) and I've made my goal (plus one extra pound).  Barb was here this weekend and commented on my jeans (they look a little baggy, but nothing terrible).  But we went shopping anyway . . . and I'm happy to report that I was able to get into a pair of jeans 2 sizes smaller than the last time I went shopping.  So we bought two pair!!!!  Now my next goal is to loose another 10 lbs. in the next 15 weeks.  10 pounds is an attainable goal so . . . I'm going for it again.  If I don't make the 10 I know that I will still loose something.  Here's to success!!!!

It was nice having Barb here for the weekend.  Other than shopping she helped with a bunch of odds and ends.  She's better on the steps than I am.  After shopping part of Saturday I was more than ready to come home and take a nap (and rest my legs and feet).  We had our Easter dinner for supper on Saturday night.  I didn't get a ham but gave Barb some options and she chose meatloaf, scalloped potatoes and green beans.  Everything turned out well and tasted great!  We got up Sunday morning, took our showers, and I made a nice breakfast before we went to church.  Barb left for her dad's shortly after the noon hour for a late lunch.  It was great having her here.  

I think I spent the majority of Sunday afternoon resting (aka napping).  Watched some NCAA basketball (my brackets are shot so might as well root for the underdog!).  It was a relaxing afternoon.

 Busy at work right now.  Have an annual report I'm working on, the usual employee newsletter, have a major grant due in June, meeting end of this month in Des Moines (hope to spend some time with my kiddos and grandchildren), our agency newsletter is due, getting a board packet ready to go and have a presentation to give out at NICC next week for a resource fair.  Probably should get going on some brochures to take along and be presentable!!  I'd rather be busy than looking for work, but I never seem to get to that point.  Something always comes up that needs to be done yesterday.

Had a surprise visit from my son last night.  Jim came back for the wake of a friends' mother.  Marty was his bestman and he wanted to pay his respects and also attend the funeral today.  It was nice having him here for the short time he stayed.  Haven't heard anything back so am assuming he got home okay.  Said he was going to have a full day's work waiting for him when he got back!!!  Busy time of year for him too.

Enough.  This is my rambling . . . .  take care out there.  Later . . . .

Ramblings

It's been a long time since I've written anything.  Probably because my life is pretty boring right now!  Oh things happen, but nothing to get too excited about.  I do have some pictures to share of my daughter and grandchildren.  Back in February (before sunshine) I had a meeting in Des Moines and was invited to my son and his wife's place for supper.  My grandchldren are the cutest little people in the world.  Barb gets along with both of them so well.  Oliver is at the moment making a little strange with his grandmother (breaks my heart that he doesn't want to come to me, but that's life).  So . . . here's some pictures.

 Happy faces!  My grandson, my daughter and granddaughter!  What a precious picture!

Barb and Oliver having a conversation . . . with Petey coming to see what's going on!

 Oliver and Barb are interested is what Charlotte is doing with the tablet

Charlotte, our little 'rock star.'  She gave a short concert!!!

Charlotte sitting in her 'chair'??? Good balance kiddo!

She was 'skating' on some small blocks.  Hard work!

Grandma playing with Oliver!  Isn't he a cutie??

They just like doing things together!

Charlotte and Oliver decided it was time to attack the Barb!

Oliver is interested in what Charlotte is doing also!

Up close and personal of our rock star!

What ya doin' Charlotte?

She was extremely serious about her skating abilities!

So there's my pictures of my visit to my Jim & Mandy's house.  The supper was delicious.  Mandy made ham and scalloped potatoes.  And we had ice cream for dessert later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Yep, it sure is cold outside.  According to the temperature on my computer, at 2:43 p.m., it's 5 degrees above zero!  That ain't no heat wave!!!  Supposed to be like that for the next few days.  Oh goody!  Get out those heavy coats, hats and gloves!  Winter is here in Iowa.

I'm sitting in my living room with a Christmas tree with lights only!  Finally got all the decorations off (they still have to be put into their boxes) and this poor bare tree!  Hopefully I'll figure out how to get the tree apart.  Barb bought it for me in November and put it together.  She was going to be here this weekend to help put everything away but . . . she's in California!  She forgot she had a conference and vacation time coming.  I got everything down okay, and putting the boxes away won't be a problem, but I'm not sure about getting the tree itself put into it's box.  We'll see, we'll just have to see!  

When Christmas is over all the color leaves your home.  I rearranged furniture already.  My new TV and fireplace don't take up near the amount of room the old entertainment center did.  Glad we got rid of that without any problems.

Did I tell you how we did that?  The evening we exchanged gifts with  my family, my children decided that the new TV needed to be put on the wall and the fireplace put into place.  That meant removing the entertainment center from the living room.  About 11:30 that evening Barb & Jim removed it from the room.  Jim put it on Craig's List as FREE and they put a sign on it out in front of my building.  It was supposed to rain so I found a tarp and Jim and I covered as much of the center as we could in the rain!  When I got up Saturday morning I was really hoping to look out and find the entertainment center gone but . . . that didn't happen!  We continued our preparations for Christmas lunch with Glee, Ron & their family.  Actually the girls made breakfast, Jim & Mandy put a fantastic crockpot full of chili together and I took care of other things.  Before Glee, Ron and the boys got here Barb told me the good news . . . . someone had picked up the entertainment center.  Thank goodness!!  Now we didn't have to figure out how to get it into Karsten's truck and off the front lawn!!!   Jim took it off Craig's List and that was one less thing to worry about!  Wished everything would go that smoothly!!

Anyway, I'm still sitting here with a naked Christmas tree.  One box of ornaments are in their respective boxes and one more to go.  Then it's just odds and ends that I have to find a home for.  Every year I say I'm going to separate things into living room, kitchen, den/spare bedroom, bathroom, etc., but it never quite works out that way.  I get to the point where I just want to get it done and put away.  And I just better get to that.  

Until another time . . .  

Merry Christmas #2

Merry Christmas #2!  My children came to my house on Friday, December 14 to celebrate Christmas with me.  Saturday the rest of the family was coming to help celebrate the season.  We got some great pictures and had a whole lot of fun!!  Our (my sister and I), grandchildren got along so well.  We weren't sure that this would happen, but it did and it was so much fun watching them.  Glee asked Jackson if he remembered Charlotte and his answer was, yep!  Or something original like that.  Jackson cracks me up with some of the things he says, like someone mentioned his tie (like  your tie Jackson) and he said it was built-in!  Heaven help all of us as he gets older!!!  Gotta love that boy.

Pictures . . . . 

The little ones love to have books read to them and Barb was elected to do the job.

The grandchildren (and I do mean grand)!

Barbie, Jim, Beth & Mike (the Davis/Sass kiddos).

Glee, Beth, Tristan, Karsten, Jackson, Mike & Ron.  The Sass/Foels Family.

If Barb can read to the little ones, Tristan can read to Oliver.  Oliver really looks interested in what's going on!

Airplane ride for Charlotte.  Jackson's waiting his turn!

Barb's turn to open her present!

Attack Barb!!  Tristan & Charlotte did a great job of it!!

Would you believe all 4 of those little kids got into the Pak 'n Store!  They had a ball!

Jim's turn to have his picture taken with the tree.  His kid really love him!  Can't you tell???

Oliver got a hold of  Barb's tongs!

Glee & Beth share a picture!

Jim & his son.

See Oliver, this is how to play with this!!!  Oliver would rather say 'hi' to the camera.

Mandy & her kiddos!!! 

Me and my grandson!

Mike got a new cap! 

Mandy brought crafts for the kids to work on. 

Everybody got into the act.  They made great looking Christmas wreaths!

Oliver loves boxes . . . should got him a few for Christmas!

The Foels connection, plus Uncle Mike.

One more shot!

Oliver likes the pictures in the book Tristan is reading!!

Present for Oliver!

Read more stories Barbie!  Read some more!

 That's some of our pictures of Christmas 2012.  Won't be long and the little ones, won't be little anymore.  Jackson is 5, Charlotte is 3, Tristan is 2 and Oliver is the baby at 1.  By next year there will be all kinds of changes in each of them.  I'm sure Oliver will be right in the middle of anything that the Mag 3 decide to try.  They sure had fun together.  Let's do it again next year!!!