Yes, I put my tree up yesterday!

 I was determined to get something productive done yesterday and I was able to get some things completed.  For one, I got all my cups, saucers, and teapots brought into the house from the car and put back up on the shelf.  I found I am missing one cup, and a cup I thought was missing, was found.  Realized I forgot some things at my daughters, which I will pick up tomorrow night.  I pulled out Christmas things out of the cabinets int he garage... determined I was going to get rid of some things but not sure just what yet.... and pulled the tree out.  Hubby 'helped' me put the tree together and I put minimal decorations on it.  Realized last night that I had poinsettia garland out in one of the containers still in the garage and will pull that out today to put on it.  The tree is up, and lights are working. Too short to put the star at the top and didn't want to get the stool - so need to fix that some time when hubby is gone or someone much taller than me can somehow get it to stay at the top.  They just don't make these trees to have a place to put something on the top!  Now I can start wrapping the gifts in here, writing down the contents and to whom, and then get under the tree and out of here!  

I have several boxes sitting out of the cabinets in front of my car in the garage - with the intention of going through them and making decisions as to what to do with them.  The Christmas stuff will be easy; either I use it this year or get rid of it.  What I am referring to is all the bears and stuff I used to have setting out.  I do have one on a 'train' - that is for a grandson and I believe I have already written his name on it.  I may see if they will take it this year.  He was my little trainlover since my big brother passed away.  I had bought it because of my big brother, but knowing this grandson loved trains, I wanted him to have it.  I'm letting things go.

I also was able to go visit Ms. Diane for a little while yesterday and caught up with her.  She had noticed it had been a while (at least a month or more) since I had been there.  Ms. Vicky was leaving yesterday when I was unloading my car of the cups/saucers, so talked with her a bit.  I had planned to go visit her as well yesterday, but she said that she wouldn't be home.  AND she dropped the bomb that she has a roommate now.  She's female, and we've seen her, but assumed it was someone visiting.  Her car had been sitting in the driveway for a few days.  Ms. Vicky wants me to meet her, but even she doesn't know her very well.  She is a 'friend of a friend' who needed a place to live and couldn't afford anything on her own.  And, Ms. Vicky needs help financially as well.  I know she just has social security and she has had to really tighten the belt lately.  I hope it works out for her, but she isn' t so sure just yet.  Nor would I be.  A stranger invading my space?  Even part of it?  Not sure if I would react.  But, one must do what one must do.  I may be in that situation some time.

Church went well yesterday (thank You, Jesus!) and of course we had to go out to eat afterwards.  And hubby wonders why he can't lose weight.... and I struggle constantly with mine!   We went to a place at 59th Ave & Bell, down the row from Walmart, called Times Square.  Food wasn't bad - coffee was bland.  I had biscuits and gravy and eggs and bacon; hubby had an omelet and fried potatoes.  I am positive Ron's was much better!  

Thanksgiving week - working only 3 days this week and I'm happy about that.  Still need to get those meeting minutes typed, as my oldest son reminded me on Saturday.  Maybe today.  Get them out of my way - I do need to get them done, just stop procrastinating and do it, right?   Need to plan out when I'll get started on the parts of the dinner I am to fix and take to the granddaughter's.  Which reminds me, my two granddaughters I saw on Saturday will be bringing their little ones and coming over the afternoon of December 17th to bake cookies - and I'm thrilled.  Glad the two are reconnecting and their little ones getting to know each other.  Four years difference in the little ones.  Not sure about the older ones - seven years perhaps? Don't remember how old either one are.  Age is just a number anyway - right?

Gather together.... that was what came to mind this morning as I thought about a scripture to use.  But, cannot think of a specific scripture that I want to use.  But what about gathering together?  Yes, we did it on Saturday for the birthday party.  Gather together can mean so many things. Gathering 'things' together, gathering 'people' together.... but it is the 'gathering' I think I'm thinking about.  I love being around family and miss the gathering of all.  With this small house, no way could it handle everyone.  Hubby wouldn't go along with it anyway.  

Even with thinking about teaching a small group in our home, he has stated no more than six more people.  In other words, three couples.  AND he really wants to 'select' whom to invite.  Which he can't, regardless of what he might think.  He can't control EVERY-thing, although he does try to.  Definitely can't control me most of the time - he may think he does, but I rebel - albeit sometimes internally!  Don't tell me I can't eat that cookie!  I will hide it under my shirt and go to the bathroom and enjoy it!  LOL  

Reminds me, I think I had shared that I had joined a 'Declutter Group' on Facebook.  I chuckle as I read some of the things people have written.  They are busy 'decluttering' their house and good for them!  I 'lost'/decluttered a lot when we moved - and yes, I still have a lot I could get rid of.  (I'm working on it - in MY time)  Some have shared that as they have cleaned out cabinets, they have found hidden bags of candy they had forgotten about - been there so long it had hardened!  That cracks me up.  I do have some candy in the candy dish on the table that has harden.  How do I know?  I've tried to eat them! I really do need to dump those few that are left and get fresh ones.  Sometimes I just want that piece of sugar and chocolate.  And don't tell me I can't cause I will go buy a BIG bar and eat the entire thing sitting out in the parking lot!  Truth!  (or confession)  I have bought a Little Debbie's brownies and have sat in the parking lot (now this was many years ago!!) and ate the entire box so that I could throw away the box in the dumpster when I got home and not get chewed out because I was eating something I shouldn't.  So don't tell me I can't have it - I will show you!  And the size of my body proves my statements!

And with that confession, I need to get off this computer, get dressed, and get on my work computer.  I think I have a meeting today with my boss - we just catch up on our lives, but she has to 'touchbase' at least once a month for work purposes.  December lst we are taking the day off work and going to the Christmas Ideas house (as we have the last 4-5 years).  And, wouldn't you know it, the company is having our 'Christmas Party' that very day in Mesa.  I would normally drive down there and participate - but nope, not that day.  I have PTO and I have plans!   My boss already bought our tickets (I think they are about $70 a piece!) as part of my Christmas.  It's our special time.  Then we will have our 'admin meeting' at Wildflower on December 22nd so that I can give her the 'Christmas goodies' I make - salsa, pickles, cheeseball, etc. so that she can have for the holiday for her family.  It's traditional anymore and I love supplying it for her.

Ok - gotta go - have a blessed day - and be a -

Blessing!

Tree is up and it isn't Thanksgiving yet!

 I had told hubby the day or so before I wanted to get the tree up this weekend.  I needed some joy in my life, which unfortunately, I had let go of.  Christmas always brings me joy; the thoughts of my children and their families coming around and even though I only have them a couple hours, it is joy of being with them that sustains me for awhile.  Yes, it is work to accomplish all that I want - the gifts, the food, the cooking and all - but it is all worth it to me.  I love being around my family.

So after we had our quiet time, I cooked a fairly decent breakfast - over easy eggs, toast, bacon, tomato slices and avocado slices.  We were both full!  Hubby worked on cleaning the dishes and he even gave me a good attitude (which he contributed to God helping him later!  He said he asked God to help him have a good attitude - and He did!) while getting the things out of the garage.  He didn't grumble, he just carried everything in to the house for me.  It made putting up the tree much more pleasant than hearing grumbling - especially about it being even before Thanksgiving!  This is the earliest I have ever put the tree up.  But two of the grandsons will be in town this next week and although the hopes of them making cookies with me may have fallen by the wayside due to I have to work and they have other things going on, we may not be able to connect for cookies.  So - I may just have to bake them myself and let my son take them in December to them.  But I expect to at least get to see them at least once this week.

Back to the tree - it is up and the majority of the gifts have been wrapped and separated and under the tree.  Since some won't be with us over the Christmas holiday, I have put in boxes out in the garage to keep them together.  The son will take up with him in December and my granddaughter will facetime on Christmas so that we can see them open their gifts.  Will they really wait - or ??  I don't know!

I even made it to the 2nd bedroom and got all the gifts out of here - and the bed cleared off!  It really looks nice with the Christmas quilt and shams on it.  Unfortunately, I still have some boxes around one side of the bed - gifts to pass out and to ship out - just don't have them altogether yet.  These don't go under the tree.  I expect several boxes from Amazon on Tuesday - and that should finish up all orders from them.  I think I have another package from Macy's and Penney's and maybe Kohl's yet to arrive.  If all come this week - then by December 1 I am finished - well, expect perhaps for hubby.  I have a few things for him but probably should get a couple more.  There is nothing he nor I need, so shopping for each other is a bit of a chore.   Several of his sports t-shirts are getting worn as are others.  He rarely wears a dress shirt anymore - only when he speaks.  Which can be a topic for another day.  

I fell asleep - deeply asleep - in my quiet time this morning.  I had awakened at 12:44AM with my foot in a deep cramp.  It would not settle down and I was too lazy to go lick a tablespoon of salt to get it to stop.  I haven't been drinking my tonic water at night so it is my fault, I reckon.  I don't know how long it was before I was able t get it to calm down and I fell back into a fitful sleep.  I finally got up at 3:44AM because I couldn't sleep and was tossing and turning.  So it is not surprising that I fell asleep in here after I finished my reading and closed my eyes.  But what is weird is the dreams I had.  None of them make sense!  They were all snippets of things, pieces of whatever, making no sense whatsoever.  I awoke an hour later and although still struggling to stay awake, and longing to fall back to sleep, I managed to wake up enough to read some more and now here I am.

It's now 7:30AM and I'm surprised hubby hasn't come in to see if "I'm ok".  That's always his excuse to interrupt me.  I will come out of this room when I finish this.  He is probably wanting breakfast and on weekends he generally expects me to prepare something.  Today I may just fix oatmeal - and I do it the 'old fashioned' way.  Then add raisins and walnuts and milk and brown sugar or honey to it - yummy!  We have really been pushing on Sundays being a day of rest - as it should be - but I generally end up crocheting or sewing - which is relaxing for me.  And I'm sure we will be watching more movies.  Unless he watches a football game.  This morning though, we will watch Jentezen Franklin's service at 9AM and then watch CCV's message (because we didn't go last night - I was exhausted) at 10AM.  Or is it 10:30.... I don't remember for sure.

Because of 'life' and because of getting older, I am finding I can't keep going like I used to.  That is really something I am struggling with.  Hubby is 12 years older than I and has slowed down quite a bit.  And with that, I have also slowed down immensely.  I remember when I used to stay up until midnight many times, baking and cooking and canning - and loving every minute of it - and getting up early the next morning to go to work.  Life sure has changed a lot since that time.  We rarely stay up past 9PM because we get up at 4AM (I try for 5AM on weekends, but my internal alarm goes off).  There is no reason for me to bake that late at night.  I don't have to go into the office anymore; rarely see friends since we don't do much.    I was surprised at how tired I was last night after working on the tree and cleaning out the room.  Perhaps it was more than I thought it was - or it is becaues I am so out of shape.

I don't want to leave my room this morning; I want to stay in here and enjoy the quiet of the day.  I don't want to talk to anyone (other than God).  I want to withdraw and just be alone.  Internally I am struggling with so many things; things I cannot discuss with anyone but God.  Life goes on and we are not to live in the past.  Memories are good, and I have some that I will always hold in my heart. 

Today is the day that Lord has made - rejoice and be glad in it!  Choose today to smile at someone and to do something special for them.  Take out the trash, wash the dishes, cook the meal, play the game, watch the movie.  Show those who are closest to you how much you love and care for them.  It is in the little things that we remember and cherish each other.

Blessings!