New Year Resolutions

I have been thinking a lot about New Year Resolutions. I thought of many for myself.

Read the bible daily.
Don't leave empty Sweet N' Low packets laying around.
Recycle more trash items: Cans, Plastics, Aluminum etc. I already recycle newspaper.
Eat Healthy and Exercise more.
Keep my bedroom cleaned up. Its always the room to put off cleaning because Larry and I are normally the only ones who see it.
Finish projects. I am almost done scrap booking our California Trip to Becky's in 2007 and then I want to finish Erica's wedding album I started 4 years ago. :)
Fill out our will. I have it on line to do, but I just haven't done it.
Start shopping for Christmas gifts and Birthday gifts and wrap them when they are bought in January to eliminate stress when the day is here. This year I did pretty good at buying Christmas gifts early, but I didn't wrap them as I bought them, so I was pressed right before Christmas to get them wrapped.
Fill out a new budget for my Dave Ramsey envelope's. I love this system! I have too much gas money allocated because of when gas was $4.00 a gallon and I never changed it. I have been spending the extra money from this envelope on Scrapbooking items (Do I really want to change it.) I think I will add a scrapbbooking envelope.
Most of all, as a Grandma, I want to be a good example to my Grandchildren. Even though they are not close by (as I get teary eyed) they will know that I believe in God and I attend church with fellow believers. That I pray before meals and pray consistently through out the day. I want them to know to "Do unto others as you would want others to do unto you". With the Grandchildren in mind I want to share a poem with you that my mother wrote many years ago when I was a child:

A Mother's New Year Resolutions

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As every New Year comes around

I write my resolutions down,

But this year I can plainly see

That these, my promises shall be.

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I resolve upon this day

To teach my children how to pray

And sit close by until I've heard

Each child's falt'ring, lisping word.

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I resolve also to try

To answer each child's question, "Why?"

Choosing words best understood

Explaining reasons as I should.

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And oh, so patient I must be

As each day brings new trials to me,

So I resolve, my fears suppress

Lest they, my dear ones should depress.

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And as I discipline each child

I'll keep my voice both soft and mild

But too, demand the due respect

Lest God's commandment they forget.

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Now for myself, and for their sake

I, this last resolution make

My life shall cut a pattern clear

That they may follow this New Year.

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Copyright, unknown - Barbara J. Moberly

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Now that I have all of these thoughts written down, what are your New Year Resolutions? I think all around, I jwant to be a better person. With more compassion and more patience for others. Have a Happy New Year!

Thanksgiving

Today and everyday I am thankful for family. Even though we are many miles apart we still call each other when having struggles, joy, sadness or to even just ask for a recipe or two or how to do this or how to do that. This draw us closer together as a family. I am thankful for the phone calls and emails.

Trink

My sister, Marylin, was went out to her barn Thursday to feed her goats,horse,donkey etc.. and the little dog, Trink, followed her out their like he always does. Marylin got busy and noticed he was missing and she looked and looked for him and couldn't find him. He was never one to wander off. He always stayed close by. Mike cancelled his afternoon session of patients and went home to try and find him, but they never found him. He was about 15 years old,senile,deaf and had bad vision. His breed is a Pappian (not sure of the spelling) which is a real small dog. Marylin thinks a hawk may have gotten him. But she didn't hear anything. The only thing I can think of is he may have crawled off to die. Dogs do that you know. It still breaks my heart thinking about it. Mike and Marylin are just devistated. Life goes on, as it should. I love doggies. You all better be ready for a bunch of tears when its time for Lucy and Brittany to go. I already told Larry I wants a puppy when they are in their old age.

Update

As most of you know our basement flooded twice when we had the rainstorms a couple of weeks ago. We lost a lot of stuff when this happened, but nothing of any real value. As it turned out we have really good house insurance so we received a pretty good settlement. Our house needs so many repairs. We had already planned on having the Central Air conditioner replaced. So we started trying to save money. It was a struggle, but we have paid cash for it. Unfortunatly, we have been in need of a roof repair for quite sometime. We deceided to have this done with the settlement from the flood. Kevin called Larry and discussed him come out from Pennsylvania to do the whole roof with a buddy. Of, course we took him up on his offer. Sometime soon I will get to have the Hurst family for a whole week! Lesley, Kevin and Michayala. Erica and Aaron and the Granddogs are coming for one of the weekends while they are here. Yipee!!!!
We want to go see SallyRose and the kids, but its hard to plan with all that has happened and all that is going on. She is helping with her dad too right now and she needs to spend as much time with him that she can due to his illness.

I've been trying to have a garage sale, too! I had it all set up on the day we got the flood water. It's still set up in my garage. I'm going to try to have it this weekend. Of course I've added a lot more stuff to it, since we had to clean out the basement.

Just thought I would do an update.

California Trip Oct 2007

As some of you know Larry and I went to California to see Amir, Rebekah and Damien Flores. We left on October 3rd early in the morning and arrived at the Ontario, CA airport by late morning. We got our rental car and drove to Anaheim and checked into a Days Inn motel about 1/2 mile from Disneyland. Rebekah and Damien met us at the motel Thursday morning and joined us at Disneyland for the day. This was the first time we had seen our Grandson, Damien Riley Flores and he is 6 months old.

Grandpa's first meeting!

We all piled in Rebekah's truck and went to Disneyland together. This was something Larry thought he would never get to do was go to a Disney Theme park. He (along with the rest of us) was excited to go! The weather was perfect the whole time we were in California. Sunny every day and in the 70's! The sky was so blue there. I saw this sign and thought it was kinda cool.

The first thing we did was walk into a show and we saw " Honey I Shrunk the Audience". You get these 3D glasses to wear while watching the movie and there are a bunch of special effects you can feel throughout the movie. Make sure and see it if you ever go! I had seen it before at Disneyworld in Florida. After the show we saw this big ball and its turning with water running over it. Of course, Larry had to go get in on the action with the kids. I see Rebekah holding Damien standing beside him.
While we were waiting in line to ride the Nemo submarine, Rebekah was holding Damien on her shoulders and he fell asleep on her head. Cute!We were completely submerged under water inside the submarine and we all had our own port holes to look out into the water with. I saw Nemo and other characters trying to find Nemo but they were moving so much and so fast I couldn't get there picture. Here are a couple of underwater scenes. It was kind of a cool ride. If you don't like enclosed small spaces this isn't the ride for you though!

We went to Mickey's ToonTown next and walked around and played.

Larry saw this car and Larry said "come on lets get in it and have Rebekah take our picture."! Yeah right, easier said then done! We managed.

They had this jail house with flexible bars and Rebekah got inside with Damien.

Next we found Mickey's house and walked through it and at the end there was Mickey Mouse and I took several pictures. This was one of the better ones.

We had a great day at Disneyland! We ended the day by watching the parade go down Main Street and after that we parted our ways. Larry and I walked back to our motel and Becky went home. We decided to stay a second night in the motel because we knew we would be really tired after the two full days. Rebekah lives about two hours away from Disneyland also and we didn't want to drive that also after the full days. The park closed at 8pm also because we went off season and during the week.

On Friday we went to their house and Rebekah and Damien were there, but Amir was working. So we just visited.

On Saturday Amir had his two brothers over and their Girlfriends and his mother. He cooked wonderful steaks on the grill and chicken. We had a huge feast this day! There were other things brought in also. It was good to finally meet his family. We really had a good time visiting until late evening.

One thing about this trip, was Larry had a hard time adjusting to their time zone. When it was six o'clock pm he would remind himself it was nine o'clock pm and start yawning and getting really tired. He really had a hard time with it.

Just some pictures of the family.Aren't they cute!


Damien is the happiest baby. He just giggles when Rebekah plays with him!
Amir's dad took us all out to dinner on Sunday. We visited most of this day also.

On Monday we drove to Laguna Beach. We took the scenic route through the mountains and we stopped to take pictures at the top of the mountain and it was overlooking Lake Elsinore. It was beautiful!

The sun was bright and Damien is squinting his eyes.

We arrived at Laguna Beach late morning and walked barefooted in the sand and let the waves hit our feet. The water was cold! Too cold for Damien because he cried when Rebekah let his feet touch the water. I don't think he liked the sand either.

This is one of my favorites of the two of them!

We got back in the care to find something to eat and we found a ferry that took us and the car over to the peninsula. We found the original Ruby's Diner at the end of a pier and we had dinner and watched the sunset of the Pacific Ocean. It was beautiful!

We left on Tuesday to go to a motel by the airport. We drove around and through the mountains to get in some more sight seeing.

I saw this lizard on a rock and snapped his picture real quick before he scooted off!

We had a really good visit and Rebekah and Amir are great hosts. If you ever get a chance to go see them you should.

When we got home on Thursday around 12:30am ugh! we had two happy dogs! Jacen watched them for us and he took good care of them. One of the things I enjoyed the most was I read two books by Beverly Lewis. I don't think I have ever read two books in my life in a two week stretch. They were good reading!

Well I hope you all enjoyed the pictures! I gotta go because it really is 9:30pm and not 6:30pm like it is in California!

P.S. As a Christmas hint you can get me the cook book by Beverly Lewis! Ha!

Love you all! Lori

I had the best visit....

with Kevin, Lesley and Michayla the first of July! I drove out there by myself and got paid to do it! That Michayla is so sweet and cute! She was crawling and standing when she held onto something. Lesley started walking at 8 months old and I betcha Michayla does to. Lesley said she is climbing stairs now. While I was there we went to Intercourse, PA and shopped and had lunch with Kevin's mom, Arlene. We drove through a town called Bird-In-Hand also. We stopped and got some homemade rootbeer at an Amish farm on the way there. Lesley said she always wanted to try some as we were passing the sign, so I turned around and went back and got a bottle. It was pretty good! Kevin made a rootbeer float with what was left. I'm sure it tasted good after working outside on a roof all day! I pulled weeds another day and picked greenbeans, snowpeas and pulled weeds! I took Lesley my canner and she canned some greenbeans while I was there. She might be canning tomatoes now.

Lesley's friend Kelly, had her baby girl while I was there, so we went to visit Darrell and Kelly and baby Jorden Rae while I was there. That was special!

I went to the Podiatrist this week because I've been having trouble with my right foot with the arch hurting. She said my feet have very high arches and they are very flexiable, which causes them to work against each other. (What puzzles me is I'm 51 years old and just started having trouble with them after 51 years??? Oh, well!) The tendon that runs down the middle of the bottom of my foot is all inflammed from being on my feet so much. She had molds made of my feet and she ordered Orthodics for my shoes to add support when I walk. Of course (just like a car) she noticed both of my ankles were swollen. I have many veins in my legs and she said with me being on my feet so much a pool of blood collects in my ankles and I need to wear compression hose through the day. I've got to call her about this because she didn't talk about the hose to much. One of the girls I work with said they come in diffrent sizes and tightness and insurance will cover them. I'll have the Orthodics in a couple of weeks, meanwhile I'll just put up with the pain, because it is painful!

I've gotta get off of this computer! I've been here ever since I got off work and its 9:16pm now. Larry hasn't been home at all this week. He will be home from Arkanas tomorrow evening.

I'm gonna go back to TOPS starting in two weeks. I can't go next week because I've already got a commitment the same night they meet. I've gotta get this weight back off of me. Please pray I can get back on the wagon. I would love to walk in the Mini Marathon with Erica and Co. in 2008! I gotta get my foot straightened out before I can start a lot of walking again. I have been walking some though.

Love you all!

Uncle Gene

My dear sweet Uncle Gene passed away last Friday morning. Marylin called me at work and told me. He had had Lukemia for years and it had been in remission, but it came back and he got really bad again. He was in his early 80's. He was the last of my Mom's siblings. I am so glad we spent the last couple of Christmas's with him and Aunt Sugar! When I turned 50 him and Aunt Sugar came to my 50th birthday party! That meant so much to me! The funeral was on Monday and I didn't have to work at all that day.

One thing I know in my heart is I don't have any regrets about not visiting my Uncle Gene and Aunt Sugar because I feel I did the best I could with raising a family and now with all the traveling we do with all of our kids being out of town. I think we do pretty good with keeping up on visiting people with the distance between us all!

Oh well! I'm gonna write a happy blog now!