Surprise!

Friday night, we hosted a surprise birthday party for a friend of ours. She was SO surprised - had not the slightest clue.... We had about 20 people here for night of laughing and eating!

One of the things I love most about hosting things at our house is how excited the girls get. I think they have as much fun as me preparing everything, setting up all the small, final details of the evening....lighting candles, setting up music, setting up the tables. They were the self appointed greeters....they opened the doors and let everyone in.

One of the fun things we did was take pictures of all the guests holding a picture frame, and had them sign and write a note to the birthday girl....who turns 70 in a few days. I will post the pictures once I put them on my computer. I know, I've said that before, but I will.

After the party (which was done and cleaned up by 10:30 pm....I think the earliest ending party we've ever had!), we just hung out and relaxed...for the weekend. So, my house is all decorated and ready for Christmas, and I now only have to do my baking and shopping.... but there's always tomorrow!

What the %$#&*%#

OK. So I have deleted many comments in a foreign language which I am sure is another form of spamming.....is nothing sacred?!! Why is somone commenting, with links, in Russian? A least I think it was Russian....I am pretty sure one of the links said viagra.....

Full

Yesterday, were eating lunch, just chatting away, and all of a sudden, Abby pipes up,

"I am F (pause) U (insert loooooooooooong pause).....ll. I am full!"

I must admit. I held my breath there for a second, not knowing what would come out of her little mouth. Art and I burst out in laughter, and she thought that we were laughing because she spelt it wrong. So she corrected herself.... "I am F (pause) U (pause) ELL. Full!" That made us laugh even more. Ah, sweet innocence!

An Interesting Lunch Guest

Today is Sunday. And (almost) every Sunday, we go to Wendy's after church for lunch. All our people know that's where we go, and even the employees of Wendy's know us now - if we go through the drive through, they ask us why....

Anyhow, today, like all other Sunday's, we headed off for lunch. I found a table and sat down with the girls, and we chatted while Art got food. While we were sitting there, I noticed a little girl with what looked to be her Grandma, who were sitting with a whole gaggle of older ladies. Suddenly, the lady came over with her grandaughter, who was actually her great-grandaughter, and said that the little girl wanted to come over and say hello. So, the little girl introduced herself and proceded to make herself comfortable in the last remaining chair at our table. She sat there, looking at the girls, and them looking alternately between her and me. Her great-grandmother came back with a napkin for her to cough into, since the little girl has had a "nasty cough" for about a month and a half.

Art came to the table with all our food, and again, the great-grandmother came over, I was assuming, to take the little girl back with her to her table. But no. She told Art that there was an extra chair at her table, and he could go and get it. He looked at me, and I at him.....bizarre.

So, we ate. In silence. While our intertesting lunch guest sat and watched us....until it was time for us to leave. And then, the great-grandmother took her back.

All Work and No Play

Another Saturday has arrived, and with it, comes my anticipation at working on our house. We are trying to finish up all of those never ending finishing touches....trim work, the last of the painting.... You know - the fun stuff! I am trying to do all that I can to take the load off Art, but unfortunately, there's not much that I can do. So, I sit, and (not-so) patiently wait for him to tick things off the list. Baaahhhh! We all know that patience isn't one of my strong suites...

I will take down my fall decorations this weekend, to prepare for the Christmas decorations. I can't wait! Trimming the tree, listening to Charlie Brown Christmas, perhaps even making some apple cider. Now if only we had some snow!

Our New Favorite Thing

Really, a picture is worth a thousand words....but here is our new favorite thing. It's Art's latest and newest tool - for clearing the driveway, of course! But when we're not clearing the driveway, we can use it for other things. If it's parked outside, the girls spend hours 'riding' it. And, I must admit, I've had a good amount of fun with it!

A Gift

This weekend, my fantastic husband gave me an amazing gift. Let me start off by telling you the background...

For the last 6 or 7 years, my kitchen table has been a half of a ping pong table placed (not screwed) on top of my regular table. Last year, around this time, Art (finally) succumbed and said he would build me a table. So, I searched the internet to find some legs for the table, and he was going to make the top, put it all together, and finish it. Then, my Christmas present was....the table. My birthday came around, and guess what I got for my birthday. You guessed it.....a table. Our anniversary....a table. At some point in the summer, Art put the top together, and we distressed it (by pulling it by a chain behind the truck down our gravel driveway). I told Art that he could not use the table as another Christmas present for me!

So this weekend, Art and I were in the shop working on the trim for the house (yup, it's finally getting done!). We got done way sooner than we thought, so I suggested that Art work on the table. He worked...and worked....and worked. And now, it's done. HOORAY!! I know that although he enjoyed working on it (somewhat), this was totally for me. He gave of his time and expertise for me. And it was such a gift. I appreciate the selflessness of Art giving of his whole weekend to get this done. I will post a picture when I find my battery charger for my camera, but let me tell you, friends, it looks fairly fantastic. And I love it with my whole heart!

Abigail Grace

Yesterday was Abby's 7th birthday. We had plans to go swimming as a family, but since we have 2 daughters sick, we ended up staying in. Abby wanted cinnamon buns for breakfast, and when given her choice of where to go for dinner, so wanted home made pizza. We had Auntie Frieda come over the the afternoon and evening (everyone else was scared to enter this 'unclean' household!), and just hung out. Art took the girls on a quad ride, and we worked in the shop while they played....it was a great day.

Abby is growing into a very sensitive, creative little lady. She loves to dance, color, do school, play with her friends and sisters and swim. She is very sensitive to the Spirit of the Lord, and is often the first one to pray for people who aren't feeling well. She is VERY slow at doing most things, and is always getting dirty - if it's playing outside or eating dinner. She's my little chipmunk, and we love her lots. Happy Birthday, Abby!