Miscellaneous Pics -- Sept

Random shots from Sept....

Kraig dresses up as a fireman ALL the time!

We often see the firemen at Kroger shopping...and usually have to go find them inside to say hello.  Which we did today....and when we did, they told us to go to the truck, to take a look around.

At the PTA meeting and book sale, the school police officer was there with his car.  Kraig doesn't miss an opportunity to explore the car.

Kraig being silly....

At the park....

At Town Square....

And sleeping....

Yes....he was asleep....!

Each child in Kraig's class had an assigned week to be "Star" of the week....each day of the week, there was a different assignment to help the class get to know the student.  The first day is to make a poster telling about Kraig...his family, his favorites, etc. 

Here is his poster...

ugh

I am so behind...and so out of order!  Oh well....I do what I can do and hope for the best.


Here's one of the stories I promised....

I work in a hospital (no, I'm not a nurse..I work in Medical Records)...so on occasion I pass my doctor in the hall, which happened last Friday.  She asked about  my husband, then asked how I was.  I told her I needed to come see  her...she got a surprised look on her face...I don't go to the doctor; I don't get sick and when I do, I just tough it out.  Anyway, I have had a headache for 3 weeks (it was 3 weeks then, anyway)...and I started describing it to her.  As soon as I started talking...she pulled her prescription pad out of her pocket and starting writing a prescription, right there in the hallway.  She said it is a tension headache, "classic tension headache" were her exact words. 

As she writing, she says, (insert sarcasm) "this doesn't look suspicious, does it?".  It's probably one of those had to be there moments....but it was humorous to me at the time.

It took a few days of taking the medicine every 4 hours on the dot, but I have finally gotten some relief.  My headache still comes, but it is not nearly as intense and doesn't last for as long.  In fact, the last two days I've only had to take it twice...in the morning when I got up and again shortly after dinner. 

Now, if I could just identify and get rid of the cause.....can't have everything I guess!

Scripture for the Day

I have been trying to read my scriptures each day, specifically the Book of Mormon...I just started last week, so I haven't gotten very far, and some days I miss.  But I can feel the difference when I do....and even though I already have many notes and mark ups from past years of study, I still find new insights and different scriptures jump out at me.  Like today.....

1 Nephi 7:12

"...the Lord is able to all things according to his will, for the children of me, if it so be that they exercise faith in Him..."

I don't know why this one struck me....it was already marked, so obviously it was important at another time as well...but I guess with recent challenges in my life and in the world, today it touched me.

Have a GrEaT Friday everyone...and I will try to get caught up on my blog hops and other "real life" posts this weekend!

One Flaw In Women

Got this in my email today......

One Flaw In Women

 

Women have strengths that amaze men.....

 

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

 

but they hold happiness, love and joy.

 

They smile when they want to scream.

 

They sing when they want to cry.

 

They cry when they are happy

 

and laugh when they are nervous.

 

They fight for what they believe in..

 

They stand up to injustice.

 

They don't take "no" for an answer

 

when they believe there is a better solution.

 

They go without so their family can have.

 

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

 

They love unconditionally.

 

They cry when their children excel

 

and cheer when their friends get awards.

 

They are happy when they hear about

 

a birth or a wedding.

 

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

 

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

 

yet they are strong when they

 

think there is no strength left.

 

They know that a hug and a kiss

 

can heal a broken heart.

 

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

 

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

 

to show how much they care about you.

 

The heart of a woman is what

 

makes the world keep turning.

 

They bring joy, hope and love.

 

They have compassion and ideas.

 

They give moral support to their

 

family and friends.

 

Women have vital things to say

 

and everything to give..

 

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,

 

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Please pass this along to all your women friends and relatives to remind them just how amazing they are.

so much for catch up...

I will have to try to catch up tomorrow....I have a couple of stories to share, some pics to share from our now weekly visit to town square, and of course the blog hops.

G'nite friends!

Patience is a virtue

Please bear with me as I tweak my blog....I changed the design and am changing a few other set ups...still deciding what I like, what works, etc....

Patience, patience...

Man Alive....

I am having blogger withdrawal I think....I have not been able to blog for 3 days due to various reasons.  Gonna be massive catch up tonight and tomorrow, I'm guessing. 

For those who care....Thursday night was RS enrichment meeting ( I know it's not called that anymore...but I am still struggling with what to call  it)....after some car issues (ironically, the meeting was about car care..) we were able to get there. 

Friday was grocery shopping night, and we also did a system restore on my computer because it's been acting weird..."blue screen" error it's called in the error log.  Hmmmm.....

And today, we finished up grocery shopping, went to the park and town square...and I have spent most of the evening trying to figure out why my blog wouldn't open.  Well....at least why I couldn't access it.  I logged in to blogger, clicked "view blog" from the dashboard, and it would open, but immediately I got an error message that said Internet Explorer cannot display this website (all while the website sits displayed behind it).  When I clicked OK as that was the only option, the page would close.  Everything else from the dashboard worked--posting, blog feeds from the blogs I follow, other blogs would open, even MY other  two blogs would open.... just not THIS one.  After an hour's worth of updates and a great deal of frustration...it finally opened without the error. 

So glad.....I was gonna cry if I had to move all of this again.

Prepare for lots of catch up.... :-)

I need a drink....AND I DON'T DRINK!

Last night was so bad that I did not even feel like blogging....I tend to run a day behind my blog hops anyway, but I was actually going to be current yesterday...ha.

My FB status when I went to bed last night said this:
I have NEVER drank a day in my life...but I sure could use a drink right now.  Forget Happy Mexican...how 'bout Happy White Girl....lol

BTW--Happy Mexican is a restaurant here....awesome food, and I hear great margaritas....but I truly have no intention of changing the never part of my status....but man alive, some days.

Long story short...my car wouldn't start, we thought it was the battery, but looks like it might be something electrical.  It died when we got back home from church last night....then when I was walking back by the kitchen...the headlights were on.  Freaky.  And it started right up. 

ugh.  Double ugh.

My son....the non intentional comedian....

This morning, while getting ready for church, Kraig asked if it was Fast Sunday today....he was told no.  To which he responded, so it's a slow Sunday. 

What's funny is he wasn't even trying to be funny...he was serious. 


When I posted the above conversation on my facebook....this was a comment from one of the leaders:

"he was so adorable in primary. He was the mystery spotlight and each clue given he would give a thumbs up and and say "yes, that's me." When we announced his name you would have thought he had won a million dollars. he thanked us and then said. "ya, I know I'm cool."

He never ceases to amaze me....

A gift

Some of you are aware that my husband has had a continual barrage of health problems.....

He received a gift from his aunt and uncle who live in Wisconsin (most of his extended family lives in the North).

I have seen and heard of these,but not ever received or partaken of them...it was so incredibly GOOD!!

Look at the vase....isn't it cool?  They know their nephew, huh?

Edible Arrangements outdid themselves!

Cantaloupe, honeydew melon, strawberries, grapes, pineapple and the best part....

white and milk chocolate covered bananas!  There was ONE chocolate covered strawberry that my daughter found...and ate!) 

Speaking of the daughter...she was only at the house because she saw the truck pull in the driveway from her friend's house she was at.

ThAnK yOu Hugh and Bonnie...it was awesome!!!

HOME DEPOT!!!

In recognition of football season....the item this month was a football holder.  (If you turn it over, it looks like a toy table.) 

Kraig usually has his apron on (but he got hot)...and his self appointed job is to hold the pieces in the pockets until needed.

This is usually how the project goes....either Chris or I do the work...and he gets the pin and certificate!

(Look at the little sun spot....I read somewhere recently that those "orbs" that get captured in pictures are really angels in the pic.  I like that...maybe it means Kyle was there with us.)

Of course when we got it home, Kraig used it as a fortress for his army men.   Repurposing....even at age 5!

There are a few things I like about Fall....

I do like the cooler weather....because we spend more time outside!

We've gone on 2 walks this week....it's been great.

Saturday, we went to the square to walk around and get milkshakes at a little walk up shop there.  (BTW..."we" is Kraig, Chris and I--Christopher chose not to go.) 

As we were walking out the door, Kraig went out first and immediately screams "LOOK!!!"  We're right behind him...and this is what we see.....

It was above our neighbor's house across the street...probably not as close as it seemed...but it was close enough that we could hear the heat/flame burner when they pulled on it.

We drove around the block to get turned around...and saw another one.

The square was a Civil War battlefield and has some memorabilia scattered around...it also has a train that still runs through (but there wasn't one today).

Here is Kraig and Chris at one of the cannons.

No, guys....look at ME!

That's better!!!

A local artist painted this mural over the summer....(just pretend the two pics are connected...I couldn't figure out the panoramic setting on my camera)....Pretty awesome if ya ask me.  And the pictures don't do the colors any justice at all....it is so vibrant, it just jumps off the side of the building.

And then another night this week, Chris and I went on a walk to the park...there are some walking trails near one of the ball fields that we've been wanting to go explore.  Turns out it connects to the trail that goes around the lake that we have walked around numerous times.....but it was still nice.  Very pretty, lots of trees.

At the back end of the lake, part of the trail is a bridge that goes over the lake overflow.  We've had some rain lately, so the overflow had been filled apparently (though it is not any more)...but there is still standing water in it....and all of these itty bitty minnows.....they were moving so fast too!

I thought this was a cool shot, with the sun in the trees...

Then, we went to a different lake (one of the things we noticed when we first moved here....TN has a lot of man made lakes).  This one is behind/between the library and town hall.  We've been a couple of times...not alot to it, except a walking trail around it, ducks, and a field that people bring their dogs to play fetch in.  In fact, both times we've been there, the same four dogs have been there with their owners (the first time it was a woman; this last time it was a man.)

I took this the first time....I just thought it looked cool

And this last time...the ducks decided to show their backsides....

(literally!!)

At one point, they were ALL mooning us as we walked by!

And so it begins....

My descent into the time of year that used to bring me so much joy,  that now does not.

September 1, 2001, my niece was born.  She was the 3rd (and last) child and only daughter to my brother and his then wife...we didn't get to see her for several weeks....the weekend before Halloween to be precise.  Here is a picture from just before Halloween...

She died when she was just 2 months and 6 days old...suffocated on her blanket,  though there were other extenuating circumstances.

Here is a poem I wrote for her that Christmas:

SWEET ANGEL

December 23, 2001

A Celebration of Mallorie Dianne Hall

September 1, 2001 – November 7, 2001

She is watching over us from above,

To help us find our way.

A sweet little angel now, filled with love,

To guide our paths below, night and day.

We knew her such a short, short while,

But the memories will linger on.

She’s in our hearts, causing us to smile

As we remember her always from dusk till dawn.

She is with Heavenly Father, and Jesus, our Brother,

Watching and waiting, helping us get along.

Our own sweet guardian angel, like none other.

Mallorie Dianne, will be loved like a favorite song.

And thus begins my least favorite time of year....

September is....

No parent should ever hear those words that their child has cancer.


No child should ever be robbed of any of their childhood because of cancer.

No family should ever have their lives turned upside down because of cancer.

No parent should ever be left with a shattered heart and empty arms.

Head over to Momma's Pixie Dreams to help spread the word and learn how you can help! 

Overwhelmed...a rant

I HATE being behind...it seems all I have been doing for months now playing catch up or barely scraping by the skin of my teeth.  I am behind on most all projects at work...I have missed some "due by" dates or I barely finish ON the due by dates.  I used to be very prompt, got everything done on time, ahead of time.  I am behind at home...everything I need to get done is done at the last minute; even my hobbies are behind...my blog is even behind where I'd like it to be.  I would like to be able to keep up with my blog hops..I love those things...but I barely get time to get the codes and questions copied and pasted let alone answered and posted.  I am making 3 baby blankets currently for ladies at church...2 of whom are DUE very very soon--I'll probably be taking the blankets to them after they deliver at the rate I'm going!  I am also making a blanket for my husband that has for the moment been back burnered so I can make these baby blankets.

I am in pain ALL the time... my feet, my knees, my back, and for the last 2 weeks, my head.  My feet hurt in spurts.  My knees hurt more often, usually dependent on my activity and the weather.  My back has hurt for years, just not constant like now.  Ibuprofen does little to help; the prescription doesn't help anymore....And my head started hurting Sat before last-- started with a sharp pain in the bottom right side of the base of my head that extended to somewhere just behind my right eye.  It felt like what I can only imagine having an icepick shoved into my head would feel like...it was that sharp and localized.  That eased to an all over headache that just has not stopped...it fades and eases in intensity, but does not go away.  I have had the sharp pain a couple more times since then.  Add to that the fact that I have recently developed a recurring stomach pain as well.  I have had 2 appts scheduled with my doctor...and had to change them both.  I'm almost afraid to schedule it now....maybe I'll just try to catch her in the hall at work?

I mean seriously...just shoot me now.  I think I'd feel better.