HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well, like most everyone of you are doing I'm wishing you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR - May it be the best one ever.

I know the economy is taking a dive right now...so they say....don't see it when I'm out and about - people are still shopping....but that said, I think I will start thinking differently how I live.

I have taken for granted the electricity, water, food - it's just THERE....but not really. We have to work for it to be able to have it and I for one squander more than I should.

I don't do New Years Resolutions but I will try from here on to watch how I spend my money - not be frugal but just look more closely at prices and do some comparison shopping which I never usually do...if I want it I buy it. And also, not keep the water runnning unnecessarily JUST BECAUSE when I'm at the sink - and turn lights out when I'm not needing them. I find myself lazy in this respect and I will do my best to THINK from here on. It just might be fun!

Well we're in a deep freeze here yesterday and today and we have to get out and head to Janesville to a lunch with my brother/wife and then we're all going to visit an aunt/uncle.
Hopefully we'll be home this evening early and have our traditional New Year's Eve dinner of Steaks, Crab Legs.

Last night we headed to Janesville to have dinner at a great steak place with cousins visiting from Pennsylvania and by the time we left the wind was blowing hard, snowing and drifting. We have an hours drive through country, not interstate and let me tell you there were many white outs. We were very happy to hit our driveway!

Have a wonderful New Year's Eve and New Year's Day everyone.
Hugs, Karen

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THE AFTERMATH

What a wonderful Christmas day we had - we had to wait for Darren and MaryAnn to get here a bit late so we all just sat around snacking and playing games which was really a fun time.

By the time they got here the little ones were beside themselves with eagerness to open their gifts - but I sure give them lots of credit for not begging!

After opening gifts and stockings we had a wonderful dinner of baked ham, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, jello and lots of desserts. A typical Christmas dinner in our house.

After dinner Jesse got his Guitar Hero hooked up and that was a fun time for everyone - I'm always so amazed at how teenagers can immediately hook something up and go at it! Camera card was full by this time so no pictures of that fun moment.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Aidan arriving!

Aidan being held by Uncle Dan

Aidan's daddy is in the left corner in the tan sweater

Jesse

Alexandra, Joseph, Emily and Jamie (in chair)

Game time...

Darren, MaryAnn and Aidan

Jamie and Heather

Brett and Doug

Karen

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CHRISTMAS MORNING

Merry Christmas morning whoever ventures over to BLOG LAND today!

I woke very early after a solid nights sleep (went to bed at 9:30!)

Got up and made our traditional sweet rolls - Cinnamon rolls and Orange rolls - from the Pillsbury can of course! lol It has been something we have done since the kids were real little as part of our morning around the tree....eating sweet rolls, drinking milk and juice and hoping not to tip the glasses over as we're scattering boxes and papers in 10 differnt directions!

Here's a couple pictures of the mess of gifts that need to be arranged around the tree!

And here they are all under the tree

And this morning, even though we weren't around the tree with the kids, we had to have our sweet rolls with our coffee and milk.

Now the table is set, the kitties are fed, the ham is in the oven, the meatballs are simmering and the rest of the morning is ours and we still need to hang the 'oh so filled stockings'....then wait for the family to arrive around 1 or so.

They are all bringing some kind of appetizer for the afternoon along with our meatballs, chips/dip, cheese assortment so there should be quite an array of goodies.

Have A Wonderful Christmas Day To All My Friends!
Karen

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CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

My sister Shirley, Me, my brother Gene 1951
Click on picture to view larger

P.S. Those bright things on the tree that look like clouds all lit up are actually the bottom of Bubble Lights that were so popular in the 40's and 50's!
And don't you just love the Charlie Brown look of the tree???? Oh what I'd give to find one that looks like that!

TO ALL MY FRIENDS OUT THERE WHO HAVE COME AND LEFT WONDERFUL COMMENTS AND WHOS BLOGS I VISIT AND ENJOY SO MUCH....MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MAY YOUR HOLIDAY BE FILLED WITH MUCH DELIGHT AND I HOPE YOU MAKE WONDERFUL MEMORIES WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO SHARE FOR YEARS TO COME.

STAY SAFE AND WARM....HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Karen

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GREAT WEBSITE

I have been so fortunate lately with my web site business....many opportunities have openened up for me because of it....one of them is from this wonderful website: http://www.todaysprimitivehome.com/

These two girls, Andrea and Caryn are promoting websites and products out of the love of creativity! Their writing is fun and upbeat - you must read the descriptions of artists products....you will enjoy your visit there.

This weeek they have featured one of my products AGAIN....this is the third time! And they are giving away a $50.00 shoping certificate at my site....go visit them here: http://www.todaysprimitivehome.com/

I have also been asked to become a 'team member' to do a monthly 'decorating tips' article....we'll see how that goes! Sometimes my decorating ideas are off the top of my head at the spur of the moment so only time will tell whether they keep me on.

Have a wonderful Tuesday
Karen

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MONDAY'S MUSINGS

I just can't believe that Christmas is just less than a couple days away.

Oh how we plan and prepare and shop and wrap and then only to have it over with so fast. I wish I could bottle these feelings up and bring them out when I need a warm cozy feeling.

I honestly don't think there is a more magical holiday out there - I know we all need to think more about the true meaning of Christmas ... and we do ... we enjoy both aspects of this wondurous holiday.

Today we went for a ride to Janesville to finish up our shopping - we didn't need to but I felt the need to continue this feeling of preperation. Yes, I need to start wrapping but I have Tuesday and Wednesday to take my time with it - it's this way every year with my wrapping. I'm not putting it off, I just like to do it at the end and all at once.

We got the single item we drove all that way for and then had some lunch and then headed back home which is an hours drive! I had full intentions of visiting an Aunt and Uncle while there but that just didn't happen.

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I made a wonderful pot of Vegetable Beef Soup yesterday and we had it for dinner last night but don't you think that soup or stews need to be eaten the next day for the best of flavor - I do! It tasted so good tonight after being gone all day and so beat.

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A few weels ago I received a bag of wonderful Hickory Nuts from Lea of Farmhouse Blessings and I am now just getting around to taking a picture of them! Aren't they packaged so cute with a little birdhouse tied to it. I just can't wait to get crackin!

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December 2008 at the beach in Ocean Shores

I took this picture with the camera above my steering wheel driving down Point Brown Avenue headed South from downtown.

This is the view from my backyard looking at my neighbors across the Frozen Grand Canal. Don't mind the geese poop on my dock....

The gates of Ocean Shores - slushy style I didn't see any body boarders or sunbathers out....

The snow plowers were out making a mountain in front of the IGA.

I have more pictures on http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/ on the News Page. The snow fell lightly all day on Saturday (12/20) but accumulated pretty good. Some areas had over a foot while most of the roads saw 4 to 6 inches. We lost power (not all of the town, just part of it) Saturday night around midnight. It's Sunday now and I've driven all around town and the roads are pretty slushy. I didn't see any property damage anywhere. I can't believe the canal froze over. All flights were delayed at the Ocean Shores Airport, but the buses seem to be running fine around town.

Jeff

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COLD SUNDAY

Well Christmas is fast approaching and I'm anxious!

But at the same time don't want it to come this fast....I'm like a little kid at this time of year - I want it here but not - guess I want to savor the moments.

Yesterday we went to do more Christmas shopping and why I try and go on the weekend is a mystery to me - busy, busy, busy!

And I guess that's a good thing for today's economy!

I was like a chicken with its head cut off....going in circles in the stores looking for STOCKING STUFFERS....why this is so difficult for me is puzzling.

I guess I make it a chore - but I will not stop the tradition...it's just that when you are looking for little items for 12 stockings it can be undaunting!

On our way home we stopped at our sons/family home and her mother and sister were there - they had a cookine baking day. How fun is that?

We had a taste of some really good cut-out cookies and then headed home....the weather was turning bad again with more snow and it was dinner time too.

Today will be a relaxing day - no shopping! Plus it's minus 4 below zero and windy!!!

I might wrap gifts and sew on a couple orders that just came in.

BY THE WAY.....I HAVE PUT MANY, MANY

ITEMS ON SALE ON MY WEBSITE

so come on over! www.kmprimitives.com

In regards to the post below....with our Stepfather, well we received a note card yesterday with this message in it

"We can't thank you enough for your thoughtfulness in treating us to a Christmas dinner.

We may not show it, but you are very special to us.

YOUR MOTHER would be very proud of you!

Love you much!"

Now wasn't that just sooooo nice!

I added some pictures of the mess I need to start wrapping that are in our guest bedroom!

Plus there are 3 huge boxes with Craftsman Tool Boxes in them in the screen room and a set of Pots and Pans in the basement that aren't even included in the pile! lol

Still need to shop for more stuffers but that's all.

Here are some not 'so interesting' pictures of Fridays snow


On our drive shopping Saturday

Doug doing what is becomming the 'normal' around these parts

Not many more places to put the snow on the bridge until they can remove it

Downtown

Downtown

That's it for today - hope you are all staying safe and happy!

Karen

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MY WONDERFUL THURSDAY

Are there some days that are just more fun than others? Today was one of those days…well, I guess I can’t say FUN as in frolicking kind of fun, but more meaningful and full of personal rewards and family fun.

We had lunch with my Stepfather ‘Boots’, and his wife Virginia, my brother Gene and his wife Gail and my sister Shirley.

Story is; Boots married my mother 5 weeks before I married Doug….they were married 5 years when she got Lymphoma Cancer….she was battling it for exactly a year before it took her at age 49!

About a year after he married Virginia and I must tell say I was a bit sad by this - seemed she was taking moms place. Virginia was my mothers friend and co-worker so I felt a bit of a betrayal plus she divorced her husband upon moms death.

Over the years we visited with them and it didn’t take long to accept Virginia. She couldn’t have been more gracious and accepting of us kids in Boots’ life and it has been like a family since.....which has been 40 years now.

Mom was Boot’s first love and to this day when we’re around she is brought up with love, and Virginia carries on the conversation with us. So lesson is don’t judge before you know.

We get together now and then for dinners and we visit each other, so today was one of those days….we had our holiday lunch and it was also my brothers 71st birthday….he has the crew cut and I sure don’t think he looks 71, do you????

We met at the restaurant at 12:30 and finally left at 3:30.…by that I meant it was a FUN DAY!

Here we are waiting for Boots and Virginia....they were a tad late!
Left to right: Me, my brother Gene, Doug, Gene's wife Gail, my sister.

Finally at our table...Boots and Virginia are there now.
Can you believe she's 86 and he's 85!!!

I promised a surprise didn’t I?
Wednesday night at our holiday get-together dinner here, one of my guests gave me a gift and when I opened it my jaw dropped and I do think there was a tear in my eye when I saw what it was….THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS BOOK!!!

Can you believe it after I just posted all the versions of the book over the last 200 years?

And the cool part is….she didn’t even know that I had a blog or that I had posted this. It couldn’t have been a more appropriate gift for the time.

The book is on very heavy glossy paper and is about 10 x 12

This is the original version of the book

My darling little faceless doll arrived today...she traveled well and was happy to be home.

Thanks Dawn, from The Forgotten Barn, she will be well cared for!

I so hope you enjoy my posts...they aren't anything special but just a journal of my days.

Hugs to all.

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LATE WEDNESDAY

Evening everyone - sorry I'm so late posting today but we had a holiday gathering here tonight for some of my former co-workers....remember the baking yesterday???

What a wonderful fun evening we had with lots of delicious food, well appetizers actually. Each person brought one and then we did the chichen, salad, rolls, beverages and desserts.

I decided to set the table and we could all sit around and talk and eat at the same time rather than holding plates on our laps and possibly not going back for seconds because it's difficult to hold plates and drinks - this was a sure way of getting the food eaten.

My gosh the different dishes they brought was so much fun and sooooo tasty. Then for dessert I sereved the 3 different ones that Doug made yesterday on really cute long plates...very festive!
So that was my day and evening.

Oh, and tomorrow I have a surprise for you...I received a hostess gift and if you have read my posts this month you will see the relation to it. So tomorrow I'll post it....right now I'm too tired to take pictures.

Well, I finished decorating this morning FOR GOOD! lol.....NO MORE!

I want to be able to finish my shopping and get the gifts wrapped before Christmas has come and gone!

Tomorrow we are going to Janesville to have Christmas lunch with my Stepfather/wife, brother/wife and my sister so that will take the day and then Friday we head back there again to have a Christmas evening with Dougs cousins.

It's so much fun to have lots to do but the time goes by too fast then!

Okay, so here's the final on my decorations.

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