Possibly my future???

My MIB thinks he is ready to retire and thinks he wants to get one of these and jaunt about...course he wants to do this near water.  I'm not sure about that just yet. I really think we should go ahead and finish out with 30 in the good 'ole USAF then think about this as a potential lifestyle. I also think I need to re-enter the work force for a few years to beef up our retirement savings. Guess we will see...definitely not ruling it out, just think we may need to give it some time before making the plunge!

Whatever it is I know it will be an adventure with my MIB!!!

She's outta here :(

Snapped this before she got on the road this a.m.

We had a such a nice time with her here....but it was waaaay too short of a visit! I'm so thankful that the Bud was able to come down with her, I felt much better that she wasn't traveling alone on this trip!

Thankful Thursday Thoughts

There is much to be thankful for, always, so today I will just highlight the BIG ones, my family, my health, my friends. I am so very fortunate to have an awesome family, to be in good health and have some wonderful friends. What more can you ask for? Well, lots, and I have a list of those things just like everyone else, but they are wants, they are certainly not needs. I can truly say that my needs have never not been met, how blessed I am. I am thankful for that. Thankful to God!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have much to be thankful for as well!

Color me BLUE

She's here...I've hugged her a half dozen times already but I plan to go for another half dozen before nightfall! Just hope she doesn't get this cold that is trying to invade my world!

I would make this post longer but 1) I'm using my phone to do it and 2) I need to go hug the girl again!

Oh and the Bud is here too!

She's coooming...for real this time!

So she’s arriving today…yeah, I know, I know that’s what I said yesterday but barring any other unforeseen circumstances she will be arriving later this afternoon. I am bummed!!!!! Yes, I really am and actually I am just a bit peeved if you want the real truth about it... I know it is only one day, but still. The amount of time she will have here is so limited that every moment of every hour she does have here counts to me.

So, anyway, more travel prayers are being prayed today as they make their way down and hopefully before too much longer I will be giving her squeezes of love! And maybe a few pinches of irritation as well...

She's coooming!!!!

In a mere few hours Lil Blue will be on the road to MO for a few days. I am thrilled she will be here even though she will have to head back sooner then I would like she is at least able to come!  WOOHOO! Really glad that she will not be traveling alone, the Bud will be with her!

Prayers for her safe travel will be going up throughout the afternoon as she makes the trek down...So far so good on decent weather and praying the same for when she has to head back!

Branson Trip

On Friday a duo of vans headed to Branson, MO. It's been a day or two or maybe even 15 years since I've been there, but I really can't remember when it was so anyway... We headed south to watch the NHS choirs do the opening act for the Neal McCoy show. It was a beautiful day out for the ride down and I had the bestest travel buddy!

My travel buddy

One of my nieces is in the Soundsational Singer group and she did a fantabulous job on her solo for the event, all the kids did great! The Trebs were awesome too and I like their outfits this year!

MalMal

If you have never heard of Neal McCoy ( I did not recognize the name, but do know his songs after I heard them). He does the Shake, Wink, and Beer Goggles just to name a few...so I know you know him, you just might not know his name.

Doin' the SHAKE!

I have to tell you if you should make a Branson trip I highly recommend Neal's show. He was an awesome entertainer and did a heckofa show. If I ever go again I would see him again!

An absolute class act!

Neal has also done countless USO tours and shows for our deployed men and women overseas, so you know that always gets an extra gold star from me!

GO CHIEFS!

Five-5-Cinco-Cinque-Cinq

It's been 5 months...not that I am counting but I do know when we reach a milestone and we have.

Just thought I would share; so far it is rolling along as life seems to do. We have weathered a major car accident, a death, and other daily life goes on situations. I feel like I am doing just fine but would rather be doing it with the MiB...nuf said...we are at 5 with 7 more to tick off.

Thankful Thursday Thoughts!

I believe I need a thankful Thursday post this week! Cause I certainly have a many, many things to be thankful for!

I have a pretty healthy body (though I could stand to lose a few pounds), I am loved, I am well fed (hence the needing to lose a few pounds!), I have abundant clothing, I have a vehicle in good working order, I have extended family who love me, I have wonderful friends, I am just really, really blessed! And I really am thankful for all these things!

As we are just a week out from Thanksgiving day I am thrilled that there is a plan for LilBlue to come to MO for a few days, I wish it were longer but at least as of today she will be here for a few days. The Bud may even be coming down with her, it should be a good time, I know everyone here is anxious to see her it has been too long!

The weather here has been chilly but not cold. I am thankful for this, as I am not at all looking forward to cold temps. There have been a few days of coolness but all in all fall is shaping up nicely. I am praying for a mild winter!!! I am also praying in advance for good travel weather in December for my trip to OKC. I will be driving down and LilBlue will be flying so we will be praying for good weather for flying too! She has to connect in St Louis coming down and Denver on the way back. The Denver connection can always be dicey in December but we are just trusting God to make the travel provisions necessary and know that we have good friends in Denver and St Louis should there be a need!

This weekend I am headed to Branson...its been awhile since I have been in that neck of the woods and I will only be there a short time but anticipate it will be fun.

Last weekend I was in SW MO at a big scrapbooking crop and had a bunch of fun with a great group of ladies; how in the world I was talked into being dressed up in black and white trash bags I'll never know, but it happened and there are pictures to prove it! They will not be on here though, sorry! I am still trying to recover from scrapping til 2 a.m. on Friday night and then getting up at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, scrapping again til 10:00 p.m. Saturday night but not getting back to the room til somewhat later and being up to head home early Sunday morning. I was worn out and still think I am!

Enough on my end, have a great weekend, I will in Branson, MO!

Veteran's Day Tribute!

 Today I waive my flag high, stand up straight and proud!

I say "Thank you" to those who serve the red, white and blue... 

I am so thankful and so proud to be an American! Thank you Veteran's, you have given more then can ever be repaid, you are America's finest. Thanks so very much to all who have already served, who are currently serving and those who will serve in the days, months and years to come we still need you to keep our country safe, secure and free!

 

The MiB meeting his daughter for the first!

Happy Birthday!!!

It was a good day, the weather was gorgeous!

Our crowds were diverse; we had the family, the family friends, and the church friends. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves…we had plenty of cake, did I mention that we had two cakes? One chocolate with whipped icing and one white with butter cream icing. I did not eat the cake for the celebration but I did have some awesome pumpkin bread that my niece made. Can I just tell you that if you put pumpkin in it I am pretty much all over it regardless of what it is? Well, yeah, it’s true.

Back to the party, two of the three brothers were able to attend. I think they had a good time…there were lots of laughs as they relived some old family stories. Some things never change; they are a hoot for sure.

The brothers!

It was good to see some of my cousins that I have not in recent days, they all are doing well it seems and some I will see again for the holidays in just a few weeks.

Turning 80 is what I would consider a milestone; it also means you have been given 29,200 days of life.  That’s a bit intimidating to think about. I know there are always things we would do differently but overall I think my dad has been pretty pleased with the way his life has turned out. I hope so cause at this stage of the game you need to be living with no regrets. Make decisions you CAN live with, I think this is a good thought no matter your age, but the older I get the more I think this is a good thought process. In our younger years I think we just don’t think about the ramifications of our decisions or we think that will never happen to us, but as we get a few more years on us I think we realize how totally off that is.

I can never really say enough about my dad, as there are so many things TO say, but I will say this: I love him! I cannot say that we always see eye to eye but I always love him AND I know he loves me. I know he would do anything he could to help me if I needed it and the same goes for him if I can I will.

Happy birthday dad!

The youngest attendee!!!

The day before the DAY!

Just checking in to say again that all systems are go...photos will follow after the celebration. It's been a low key day just a couple last minute prep things to do (that are already done) and not much else to report! It will all be underway in less then 24 hours.

I am not gonna lie, I will be glad when it is "in the books" it's been a lot of coordination and planning and I am just ready to have it enjoyed!

Next, THANKSGIVING!!! My absolute FAVORITE holiday...bunches of great food, family and no gift buying (which is sooooo out of control with my family that I am somewhat embarrassed...) oh, well, it has improved some over the years but we all live like it is Christmas everyday and I just find it over annoying since so many have financial obligations that could be taken care of rather then spend on a gift just to give it cause they feel compelled, so how not I have in my brain that the Christmas season was meant to be...anywho, I got off on a rabbit trail there, sorry! Any this is truly not just about my family this is America today, so I should not really blame my family on how I feel about this, it's become cultural IMO!

Til next time, enjoy a quiet cup of tea with a lovely shortbread cookie and think of your favorite holiday!

Celebration Countdown

We are T-3 days til operation 1930 CLASSIC…

The cakes have been ordered, ice rings are freezing, nuts and mints bought, I think we are as ready as we are going to be. There is a dinner prior to the celebration with a count of 22 attending so far, which is more then I had planned but nice they will be there. Chicken is ordered for that, baked beans will be baked and cheesy taters will me made along with a veggie tray, rolls and chips, it will be simple yet yummy. I like those things best…simple yet yummy!

The whole concept of RSVP always makes me wonder, did we order big enough cakes? Will there be enough punch, nuts, mints? Was that a big enough package of cups? You know all those little details that you try and plan for then second guess yourself so you end up using gold napkins at every family gathering for the next year because you did go overboard and buy waaaaay too many!!! Well, I really tried to be conservative on this, plan for only what I knew, it’s just silly to buy too much, who needs to do that? Not me, not anyone really, but we do, so this time I tried really hard to keep it all in check and not over purchase or plan. After all, there will be someone available to make a Wally world run if we get in trouble on anything and that is my plan to use what we have and send a runner if need be. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Birthday Thursday Thoughts...

It’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to…

 

But I didn’t… and I don’t want to!!! HA But I did tolerate whipped cream and chocolate UP my nose. As one of my friends said...I was a good sport!

So it was a pretty quiet day with several phone calls and then dinner out with the family. It was to my favorite type of restaurants so what’s not to like? Helllllloooo, MEXICAN, and I had fajitas with corn tortillas and cheese dip, so it’s all good…I am so very blessed!

 My dad and I

I have to tell you I have done several birthdays without MiB, I have done one without LilBlue (last year) but this is the very first time I have done a birthday without both of them since LilBlue entered our world…I’ll admit it was a bit solemn, but oh so doable especially since “the littles” were at the house all day with me!

I received not one but TWO phone calls from the MiB, BONUS; then LilBlue phoned and we talked for a very long time :D so life is good.

This was the moment my second sister found out I am a year older then she thought! LOL That is NOT a year older then her just a year older then she thought!!!

Vote

Election Day! An event more than 200 years in the making. We will vote for whom we choose without fear of reprisal. We will live peacefully next to people who may or may not choose the same political party--and remain friends and neighbors, for we are "one nation under God, INDIVISIBLE". This day brought to you courtesy of the founding fathers of the United States! 

God bless America----Go vote!

 

I cannot take credit for these thoughts they are from a friends FB post, however, I thought they were worth sharing so I am.