Monday Memories

Stealing the "Flashback Fridays" idea from Jamie, I decided to start "Monday Memories." I thought it would be cool to do this ... these will be upbeat memories I have. Hope it works out well.

Today's memory..... Winter Foot Attire.
As I was reading "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck, I was reminded of a similar winter "tradition." When we were kids growing up, money was very tight, as I'm sure it was for a lot of your families. Our mother never really worried about winter foot attire as much as I wished she would have. We lived in places where we received a fair amount of snow... not tons, just enough. As with most children, I thought I needed the best (and pinkest) boots one could find. Mother thought otherwise.Why would anyone spend as much money as it cost to purchase boots when we had everything needed to keep our feet dry right in our kitchen?The trusty loaf of Wonderbread. The "SUPERMAN" of breads... the "LIFESAVER" of feet everywhere!!All you had to do was save the bags, empty the crumbs, and walla.... instant boots! Of course you needed to make sure you had rubber bands too. I clearly remember the daily ritual. First 2 pair of socks, next the shoes, followed by the bag... or two if needed, fastened just below the knee with the rubber bands. You had to make sure your pant legs were tucked into the bags as well... thus finishing off this fashion statement. How mortifying!! Somehow it worked.... and I really did survive.

So what about you? Anyone else out there use the old bread bags? As much as I hate to admit it, I've even used it with my girls. Although they have snow boots, I've still had them put bags over their feet (but before the boots) just for added protection. Not lately since they can get themselves ready to be out in the cold. Have I become my mother????

Farewell Guido

Our little guinea pig, Guido M. Sarducci, passed away a few minutes ago. I came upstairs to check on him (for some reason) and discovered his food uneaten and his water bottle level hadn't lowered at all. He was lying very still. When I reached in to pet him he "chattered" to me but I could tell he was in distress. I was looking online at possible problems and decided to hold him to warm him up. Brie held a towel while I lifted him out of his cage. I wrapped him up and gave him a few loving strokes while continuing to read online info. He made a few more sounds, moved around a few times, then seemed to settle down and get quiet. After a few minutes I pulled the towel away a little to check him. He had died. Just like that, he was gone. I called Brie back upstairs and we cried together. Brie even called Emile to let her know. What a bummer.

I had never had a guinea pig until Guido. What a pleasant surprise he turned out to be. He was very personable. He loved attention and would pull on his hanging bells to get you to acknowledge him. He "talked" a lot... especially if you were feeding the cat and hadn't gotten to him yet. He knew the sound of the food containers opening. I'm always amazed how much you have the capacity to love such tiny creatures.... and how much you mourn their passing. Guido was a blast to have. He will be missed.

For now I think we'll stick to one dog, one cat, and the 5 fish we have. Guido's moved on and I'm sure he's right where he's supposed to be.

Sometimes I Just Can't Leave....

well enough alone! I thought it would be cool to change my blog background to a Thanksgiving theme. I ended up deleting all my family and friends from instead. Now I'm trying to put everyone back. Isn't that just how life is? I never know when to leave well enough alone. Maybe someday I'll catch on!

Christmas Books

I know it's a little early to be thinking about Christmas books, however, I love the season so very much that I decided to share the titles of a few good ones I've read over the last few years. I finished my most recent book just a few minutes age. I cried my eyes out. These are not storybooks. I have a slew of those too, but for now I'm listing "adult" book titles.
This is the book I just finished. ANY book by Richard Paul Evans is a good book.A great pick from last year.A story of the birth of Christ told from the perspective of the Innkeeper's Wife. It's short and touching. A very easy read.Along the lines of "paying it forward," this is a wonderful story. I actually think it would be a special tradition to start with my own little family.Another fantastic Evans book. Just "Google" Richard Paul Evans and you'll get a list of all his books.
And finally.... this book is scheduled for release tomorrow. It's about the last Christmas Glenn spent with his mother. He's been talking about it on his radio show and it sounds great. Can't wait to read it.

Back In Business??

Here we go again.... I HOPE. I think my computer is up and running again. Believe it or not, I'm actually blogging from home for the first time in 2 weeks. YIPPEE!! Thanks go out to Dave Moss for his assistance. Without him I would not be connected yet. Just for the record.... I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with computers. I'm sure most of you can relate.Still, when the computer is running and I can stay connected with all my friends and family, there's nothing like it in the world. I can't imagine life without technology!

P.S.

Thank you Rita for allowing me to use you computer to blog. Without you I'd be lost. I still have no internet from my home computer. If anyone has any suggestions on how I may fix my computer, please call. I'll explain what happened and you may be able to help me figure it out. I'm open to any ideas.

The People Have Spoken

Here we go.... our new President Elect of the United States of America is....

Barack Obama.

While you may or may not agree with the outcome of the election, it is historical nonetheless. Obama is the first African-American to be elected President. Unfortunately I'm not sure if he was elected because of his race, his policies or the utter hatred so many people feel for President Bush. For the record, I still support President Bush! Regardless, in January Obama will be our next President.

New we'll see just what the Dems will do to "fix" everything wrong with America. The ball is in their court and we ALL must hold them to the same exacting standards the Republican Party has been held to.... yeah right, like that will happen. All I can say is I hope and pray we don't become a socialist country. If we do, we have ourselves to blame. The people listened to the bag of goods Obama sold. He was very smooth and convincing. Only time will tell.

Happy Birthday Brie

Here I sit at a clients home trying to update my post. I still have no internet access from home. What a drag. I really don't like not having a computer that actually works! Anyway today is a special day. It's Brie's birthday. Sorry I can't even post a pic... but you all know how cute she is already, right!?!

A little about my Brie Brie...
She was born on Monday, Nov. 4, 1996 at 1:06pm. She weighed in at 6lbs 14oz. She was a cutie from the get go. She had a gentle spirit about her. She's always been quieter, more thoughtful, and has a tender heart for the most part. Brie is creative and artistic. She loves to draw. She has a love of learning and is a deep thinker. Sometimes she amazes me. She loves her big sister.... even though they fight at times. That's normal though. Brie is the "balance" in our family.

I can't imagine a day without Brie in it. She has been a joy in my life. So.... HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART!!! I love you forever and for always.

Computer Woes

I thought I'd better let everyone know I'm having serious computer trouble. I can't seem to get connected to the internet (an error message keeps coming up). I'm at a clients home using their computer to post this. If you don't hear from me for awhile it's because I have much more limited access. I'll keep working on trying to fix the problem, however, as technology illiterate as I am, I'm not sure how much success I'll have. I suppose that's what you should expect from an almost 4 year old computer that has already crashed and been restored once, right? Wish me luck.

Read a "SPOOKY" Book

As Halloween approaches I'm reminded of the many "spooky" books I've enjoyed reading to the girls over the years. I love reading so it's natural to have found some favorites for this time of the year. Perhaps you may find these fun to share with your little ones.
And for the younger "ghostlings" there's these to pick from.
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Nature's Going to Bed

My favorite season of the year is upon us. It's such a beautiful time to rejoice in the summer we enjoyed and look to the upcoming holidays and winter.Farmers start bringing in the hay.... dried cornstalks appear everywhere.This year I saw several fields of sunflowers. They were so pretty to watch as they swayed in the breeze.And who can resist a visit to the pumpkin stands?

Yes there is something truly special about this time of the year. As the days get shorter we seem to reflect on what is most important in our lives... at least I do. I'm thankful for the beauty of the earth... of the bounty it provides for us. I'm thankful for my family, for my home, for my employment... for all the things I have. Most of all, I'm thankful for the knowledge I have that as nature goes to bed for the winter, it will awaken in the spring and renew itself again. Our loving Father has truly blessed us.

My Beautiful Girl!

Here she is... my little Emile on the day of her birth. Looks like she had a rough night at Lumpy's Pool Hall, doesn't it?? Actually she had. Em's birth was very stressful and potentially life threatening to say the least, but we both made it through. Hard to believe she's 15 today!

It's been an interesting journey so far. What a beautiful young lady she's becoming.

To help her celebrate, Em had a sleepover with some of her friends. From left to right... Em, Tara, Sara, Kara, Carley, and Jenna in front. What a group!

"Happy Birthday dear Emile, Happy Birthday to you.. and many more!"

The wheels on the bus go round and round... all over Brown's Orchards.

Get out of the fields!!

We're pretty, oh so pretty.

How do we get out of this maze???

Her favorite birthday present??? Finally getting to meet her new friend, Rick.

Oh yes, my baby is growing up before my eyes. From the love of my life 15 years ago, to the love of my life today, I can't imagine life without her. Emile is strong, intelligent, outgoing, generous when need be, and radient. Happy Birthday, sweetheart! I LOVE YOU.... for always and forever, my baby you'll be.

In The Beginning

Here is a copy of my great-grandparent's, (Elam Shoemaker & Maud Eberly) wedding certificate. Cousin Steve emailed it to me (thanks Steve). Elam and Maud were the parents of Pappy (Thaddeus Shoemaker), and he was my mother's father. I'd never seen the certificate before, and unfortunately I don't have any pictures of them (at that time) to go with it. As I get more information about the "old folks" I'll be posting it. I feel driven to share their stories. Who knows what we may learn.

Lest We Forget

For those who may not remember the intensity of September 11, 2001, here's a reminder. The events of that day are still as fresh in my mind... I clearly remember every tear I shed, every disbelief I felt, the utter rage I experienced. I hope I never forget how I felt that day! It reminds me of the importance of being an American... of the freedoms I enjoy... and of how fragile life truly is.
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There's nothing else to say.

Yikes!

I thought I'd better do an update just so people don't think I've run away from home (even though that's not a bad idea). The past couple weeks have gone by so fast... I can't believe it's September.

The girls are back in school. Em's in marching band again this year. She's also decided to give tennis a try and is on the West York team. She played her first doubles match 2 weeks ago, and while she and her partner lost the match (6-4) they were competitive! Not bad for someone just starting out. Way to go!

Brie is in Middle School this year. It's so hard to grasp that my girls are growing up so fast. She has a loaded schedule which includes computer ed, band, chorus, the "typical" core subjects, and advanced placement math. She's adjusting to her new environment really well.

I received news about a new client to add to my schedule. I will see this person 3 times a week for an indefinate period of time. It's an ALS (Lou Gehrig's) case so it's difficult to predict how long the person will do well and/or survive. I've gone in twice and we're off to a good start.

Just a little info for the time being. I should "slow down" in the next week as things get back into a routine. I love this time of year!