Redefining Perfect

Weekly Winners is the brainchild of the wonderfully Sarcastic Mom, Lotus. Go to her site to see more winners!

I’m trying to play catch up in my hundreds of pictures (finally) that I’ve taken in the past few months and not edited at all. This is batch 1. Taken in Nashville, Indiana. We had some family visiting from out of town and the entire family headed down to Nashville for some shopping and walking. I hauled along my camera and got some shots. I really want to head back down with another photog and just take a photo walk (and drive through BC during full color).  Anyway, without further ado – the shots all taken with my Canon Rebel XTi.

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More coming next week…or during the week.  Whenever I manage to get them out!!  I’m trying to catch up, but there’s a LOT!

Did you know that there are only 100 days left until Christmas?

Two days ago I got hit with the bug. Yup, already.  I’ve told Archie to make me  list of his co-workers and friends that he wants included on the list.  Because I’m making plans.

Last year I made well over 1000 cookies, that we pigged out on, I sent in a plate w/ hubs to work, I went to a cookie exchange and took a plate of ALL my cookies-not just my exchange cookies.  I took them to my parents – and we ate them ALL.

This year I’m all about the homemade gifts. I can’t go into too much detail because people read this blog that will get some of those gifts   But I’m making my list, and I’m checking it a dozen times.

I have recipes lining up to make even MORE cookies than previous years, and candies.  I’ll make gift bags of the goodies for friends and family…and for family I’ll also have some non-edible gifts. 

The girls are getting homemade clothes, and I also have purchased clothes for both them and Brandon.  So far I’ve only spent about $40 total and have all of their clothes shopping done (this far in advance! NEVER happens!). 

I have gifts planned for all the youth (older, younger, and unborn)…and simple gifts for the extended family.  If all goes well no one will be without a gift – even if it’s a goodie bag of dessert   I’ve also started giving hubby ideas of what I want *G* Now if he’d do the same (although he’s sort of predictable…I think I can guess)

I hope you’re making your plans…it seems so far – but it passes by so fast!  I hope to finish early…there are other holidays to plan for  

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Any blogging buddies that want a care package of my goodies better email me now so I can add you to my list!!

I know what today is.  I know what it means to our country. I remember every detail of 2001 in vivid detail…but since before 2001, this date has been difficult for me, for my family…in 1996 my family’s core was lost, the heart of us…my grandfather…so my post on 9/11 is for him. Perhaps tomorrow I will put up my other 9/11 reminder. Oh, and at surface glance I hate this picture of me, but then I see the pure joy on my face dancing with my grandfather and aesthetics be damned, it’s my favorite picture.

 It was his birthday.  I was young and such a very short kid…and he was TALL.  I remember watching him put our coats in the closet and staring up, up, up at him and asking, “How tall are you?”  With his sparkling eyes and laugh he informed me that he was over 6′.  My eyes grew wide, and all I could say was, “But you’re so close to the ceiling!  If you have ANY more birthdays you’ll go right through!”

His chair sat by the front door and the minute he sat the race was on – who would get the privilige of sitting on his lap, carrying on as deep a conversation as a child was capable of. Who would get to play with his round pot belly, and listen to his laughter.

He worked for GM and he was proud of it, and so were we.

When I close my eyes I can still smell his pipe and see the pipe carousel on his dresser.  I can smell the cigarettes that he and grandma smoked.

I remember that after he retired he would watch soap operas during lunch.

And I remember the weddings – when my cousin and I would trade off and share him for the dance.  “Grampa” by the Judds.

I remember his smile.

I remember his belly.

I remember the strength that he always carried in his soul and body.

I remember the pain that shot through my heart at the word…”cancer”.  Once it was uttered it was less than a year.  10 months.

I remember the first time I saw him in the hospital-and how I had to run from the room because it made me physically ill to see my big strong grandfather lying in a bed weak and hooked up to tubes.

I remember his fight.

I remember when it was acknowledged in our hearts that the time to fight was over.

I remember how he held on - hours past when we thought we would lose him – because he would not let go until he’d gotten to hear the good-bye of all of his grandchildren, and my brother had been in surgery for his shattered wrist. Half an hour after the final phone call, he was gone.

I remember the sound of the tennis balls scattering across the hallway when my professor’s assistant walked up asking if she knew where I was…and all I could do was run to my car to get home as soon as I could.

From there it’s a blur…a long car ride from NC to NY.  The arrangements. The funeral home. The droves of people I didn’t know, but who all knew him, overflowing the room.

The pain has lessened, resorted to a memory. For the most part I remember the love, the good things, the joy.   But on this day every year the pain comes back to the forefront.

We love you still, and will always love you, Grampa.

Brandon started school a couple of weeks ago and since then I just have been in the midst of a whirlwind.  It’s not that I haven’t had time to blog…I’ve just had so much to talk about, I couldn’t seem to focus on one thing!  So, for today you get some bullet points of things that have happened over the past few weeks and hopefully in the next few days I’ll get back into my posting schedule again.

* Just a few days into school, Brandon came home with a note.  It was an invitation into his schools “Odyssey of the Mind” program.  It’s a Talented and Gifted program that focuses on Literature, Art and History.  Only 15 students are in this program.  After 3 years of advanced math and science programs – this kid is just rocking school!  I’m so proud of him!!

* My aunt came in to visit from Buffalo.  She’s the “Cool” aunt we had when we were growing up…6 years younger than my mom and always was about keeping the kids happy – no matter what the parents say.  Nothing’s changed. Not that I ever fight her when she wants to do things w/ Brandon…but sh emakes it seem like I’d object *lol*  It was so wonderful seeing her again!!

* When she was here we all went down to Nashville, IN.  I love that place and really need to make an effort to get there more often.  Next time w/o the kids and a photog friend would be perfect…so many things I missed out on capturing.

* Speaking of which – I have 400+ (maybe 500+ now) photos sitting on my camera and hard drive waiting to be edited and shown off!!  I swear Ive been so blog-lazy the past couple of weeks.  Hopefully I’ll dole those out nice and slow for you…instead of bombrding you with tons of pics!!!

* I have absolutely NOTHING planned for Halloween – not even costumes…but I might let the kid have a halloween sleepover.  I’ve got some nasty Halloween recipes that are perfect for the gross out fans that are 10-11 year old boys.

* Archie actually broached the subject of homeschooling with me – something we haven’t dared discuss in months (hot-button issue in this house ).  The results of our latest discussion is that homeschooling may be the best thing for Riley – but only Riley. He thinks Angel would thrive better in a social situation – and I tend to agree.  We’ll see how this progresses.

* While I have nothing planned for Halloween, I’ve already started with Christmas plans/decorations/presents.  Tomorrow I resume sewing on the girls clothes that I started a little over a month back.  I have purchased some stuff for Christmas presents for the in-laws/parents/Archie…but that’s all I can tell you because they all read this  

* Hopefully we sell the mustang in the next couple of weeks.  It goes in the Auto/RV this coming weekend, and we know the neihbor is interested in it.  If we sell it, we will be discussing just how the money will be divided…including Christmas and something Archie wants into there along with getting our truck repaired. It won’t go far-but I’m sure it will go far enough…

* Living in the middle of nowhere does not lend well toward great craft supply shopping. I got exceptionally frustrated tonight – might have been less so if I’d gone out earlier and really been able to spend time in JoAnn.  Oh, and WalMart recently remodeled our store…it now SUCKS.  Not only is everything moved around and no longer cohesive (seriously, no rhyme or reason to how they did this)…but their stock is SERIOUSLY down – they have NOTHING. Stupid WalMart.

* I’m so excited that the fall is here. I really get my baking mojo on in the fall…and it’s already started.  I cannot wait to get to the orchard and get some baking pumpkins for this year. I have lots of pumpkin to freeze for use later.  Cookies, breads, cakes…yummmmm…

* I know I’m missing  a lot, but I can’t remember now. hopefully you’ll get a new post from my husband tomorrow…he has this week off for vacation so he has no excuse to NOT write one (*nudges Archie* HINT)