Race For the Cure 5/12/12

                                Today was our annual 3 mile walk for Race For The Cure.
                                Kris and Jessica and I participated as we have for many years.
                                It is a very touching day and a day I feel thankful when I see all
                                the survivors and it just brings tears to my eyes every year.

                                Our plan to go to the annual art show were cancelled due to rain.
                                We were to meet Jackie and Shelby there was that did not happen
                                in the rain. We headed to Paneras for bagels and it was still a
                                wonderful day for us.
                                I love this tradition!
                                 

Diet Pepsi Challenge

                       My daughter and I decided (her idea) to give up something for 30 days to see
                       if we could contol our will power. She chose bread (I refuse to give that up!)
                       and I chose pepsi. I have been drinking way too much so thought it would be a
                       good idea.

                      So 3 weeks into this challenge and I am soda free. Funny thing is that I
                      really donot miss it...except when I had pizza but water was ok! I drink
                      lotza water so I can handle that. I am a little surprised it has been this easy.
                     One more week to go  and then we will see if I go back or not. I hope to be
                     able to have an occassional soda but keep it under control.  Besides my sweet
                     granddaughter Shelby said I could not do it so I am even more determined!                    
                     

Pretty and Delicate

This is a Summer Wine bush (Ninebark) we purchased last year at Heights Flowers

and it so pretty and the little flowers are very delicate. It sure has bloomed well in

this early spring and I am loving the old fashioned flair it seems to have. Hope it  will

continue to bloom all summer long!

Doctor Visit

So yesterday I went for my annual visit with my doctor after completing

lab test last week.

I left her office feeling great as all these tests came out great and even

could eliminate one of my high blood pressure medications!

I was so pleased and even though it is hard to see she gave me a smiley

face on my report!!!

Patio Tomatoes

            I found this patio tomato plant at SAMs and thought it would be prefect for the deck.
          Previously the rabbits nibbled  the plants down before they had a change to grow strong.
          I am pretty sure those darn rabbits cannot get onto the patio.

          I see big fat juicy tomatoes in a few months. Fingers are crossed.

Grandchildren @Prom

Jackie & Shelby

Chase

                                                            

Grandpa, Shelby and Grandma

                           

Jessica, Shelby and Aunt Kris

                                It was prom time for 2 of our youngest grandchildren so picture taking time it was.
                          Chase is 18 and granduation next month and Shelby is 17 and a junior.
                          She was one of  the nominees for prom queen but a close friend won so all is well.
                          Aunt Kris and cousin Jessica attended this event.


                           
                           
                                .                          

Just Add A Umbrella

Being I have my patio set up with the furniture
it was time to buy a new umbrella to complete
the deck for outside sitting, reading and eating.
We get a late afternoon sun and when it is hot
this is necessary. It is very windy in our backyard
so have lost umbrellas more than once.

One was found on the roof when the wind took
it for a ride so I do not spend a lot of money on
the umbrella because it is a yearly pruchase it
seems.

So here we are new and pretty and waiting for me to relax! This makes me happy!

Black and White

New Bedspead

            I finally decided to start my bedroom makeover when I saw this bedspread and just
          had to have it. It is a start and hope it will get me motivated to paint, rearrange and
          accessorize in black and white. I love my bed/reading/tv room so this is step 1 on my
          project! Carry on.
           

Good Surfing Finally!

Besides my desktop computer I have an laptop and a new Ipad. My internet connection is one my
family always complained about and I was constantly waiting and waiting for connection to be made.
After 2 months of this I called Best Buy and explained my situation and was told I needed a better router.
Fearing my lack of technical knowledge for computers I hesitated to spend $100+ for a router but
decided to take the leap! First amazing thing it was so easy to install and within a short time all gadgets
connected to internet were amazingly fast.
Second  I adore my Ipad and am able to surf the web in amazing speed. I can not seem to put it down!

How in the world will I ever get anything done now! So today I just don't care!

Easter Baskets!

I wanted something different for Easter baskets for my family and I found these cute containers and filled them with candy goodies and they seemed to enjoy their carry outs to take home.

Tulips

My daughter told me about thes beautiful tulips at a local business so I went to see these today

and I was so impressed with these two varities. The pink one looks like it has been schredded

all around the edges and seems very delicate. The pointy ones seems perky and proud.

During any other spring they would not be out for another couple of weeks but this so very

spring has changed everything and I love it! Temp today was 83.

I Pampered Myself!

I decided I deserved a little self pampering so I got a pedicure! Usually do this a little later in the spring but I worked hard the last couple of weeks so just decided to go for it. It really is no nice to
sit, relax and let someone else do the work. Has been sandal time for the last few weeks and I
sure did not like the looks of my feet. So I did it and really is was guilt free!

Spring Favorite!

                       

I have always loved lilacs since I was a little girl. Mom had a lot of beautiful lilac trees in the back yard
and the aroma was breathtaking! Now I have one tree and only one of three lilac bushes for some reason
the other 2 died.  The tree is outside my bedroom window so the smell is amazing. I did pick some and bring them in the kitchen but the tree is what takes my memories back, way back years ago.

My world is better with spring lilacs in it!

Rising Gas Prices

              On 3/16/12 the price of gas jumped....or leaped to the above price. It had hovered
             at  $3.99 for quite some time. I have been watching and waiting to see when we would
          get to that $4 and then it went straight to above price.

          Maybe I should buy a bicycle! And the temperatures have been in the high 70's and low
          80's all week. Nice!


                                             

3/13/2012 and a temperature of 72

                          Today was a beautiful day with the temperature in the low 70's so hubby put
                     out the patio furniture. Normally it would be in the 40's but we are having an
                     amazing string of wonderful warm weather! I insisted this patio set be stored in
                     the garage lasts fall after purchasing it new last spring. The usual procedure was
                     to leave the furniture on the deck until it was too cold to move and rust would
                    set in and I would be upset. So today as he put it out there and I was so happy
                     it looked like brand new!
                    There is something to be said about "A Happy Wife Is A Happy Life"!
                    

My Granny Smith Green Ipad2 Cover

This is my 70th birthday persent from my husband!  I had to buy a cover so I went with the
 Granny Smith apple  green color and I do love it! Now learning how to us it to its potential
 at this age is a real challenge I am working on. Things were so much easier when I was
younger but I have always loved a computer challenge and now I have one.

Atleast it is a pretty spring color and it makes me happy as I am learning!

70th Birthday

My favorite red velvet cupcakes were made for me by daughter Kris..not from a box but from scratch.

They were scrumpious and just finished the last one tonite!

Birthday cards from my 70th. Celebrated with family with a combined party with my grandson Alex who will

be 22 this weekend. I am not fond of lozta attention on me so sharing a party has been wonderful for me.

Now about this birthday: I started my blog working up to this big birthday and have reached this goal.

See birthdays have never been easy for me as I disliked getting older for a long time. Family did not seem

to understand this aspect of my "just another day" attitude I have had about this. Another thing I dislike is surprises and my husband never listened and yesterday he got me a ipap and I was speechless. My first thought was to return it but with my whole family watching my reaction I gave up. We are retired and I am always trying to keep it low keyed! I kept it and do like it but I would have been happy with some of my favorite Hershey bars, whick my daughter get me. Funny story was he bought me a new laptop for our anniversay and I did have him return that. Needless to say family was not present when this happened and to this day they do not know this story. Really I am a simple girl who does not like expensive

anything, am a great bargain hunter and try to never buy anything that is not on sale. Hubby never looks at prices and just buys what he sees and likes. Needless to say we are polar opposites!

Anyway made it through 70th birthday and moving on! Just would have been perfect if I was born on the 29th leap days and I would be so much younger now!

Pretty Roses

These are the red roses I received for Valentines Days from my husband.

They were very pretty althought they were short lived.

Happy Valentines Day

            I put together this for my husband for    
            Valentines Day with his favorite dark
             Milky Way.
             He is a diabetic so light on the candy!

             Hope he likes it!

Way Back When

A high school classmate sent me an email with pictures of things from our childhood and this one
made me laugh and started me to thinking. I always remember my Mom in the basement doing
laundry and how long she would spend down there. Needless to say I apparently did not go to
see how she was doing! Not like today when we throw a load of clothes in the washer and go
check email or whatever. Not only did she stand there thru the whole procedure but weather
permitting then hauled them all outside and hung them on the clothes. If necessary she had indoor
racks for hanging to dry. At some point later they had to be folded, ironed and put away.
Keeping in mind she also worked full time as a cook in a very hot restaurant kitchen, had a large
garden and 3 kids.

And I thought I was busy when I was working. Something to think about.

Heaven Is For Real

I read this book in one day. It was sad, inspiration and has kept me thinking since I finished it
last night. Being raised by strict Catholic Mother I was taught by priests and nuns there was a
heaven, hell and puratory. I spent a lot of time as a child in fear that I had to be really good to
go to heaven. I feared what it would like to die.

This book by a small child told me heaven is a good place where even if you are old or sick you
will be young when you get to heaven. It is never dark in heaven and it is a happy place with
angels with wings. I wondered if really existed. I am more sure now than ever.

I felt a calmness after reading this book.

I got this book from the library but have decided to buy it and put it with my special books I
cherish.

Amazing what one small book can do to a person!

Just Plain Cute

Somedays you just need something cute to make you smile away all your stress and daily frustrations. This did it for me today.

Don't worry I  know this does not apply to my almost 70 year old butt!!

Period!

          This sums how I feel about life period. I try to live by this.
           If You are nice to me, I will be nice to you. Period.
           If everyone would do this things would be so much nice.
           Period!

Trying To Keep Busy

Retired and recently laid off trying to keep myself busy led me to a card making class at Humana.
It was a very small class and all supplies were included and really is was fun. Each of the ladies in
attendance were very nice and I signed up for another class for St Patricks Days card. I am trying to
fine things that I like as sitting home is just not what I want to do. I figure if I keep searching I will find
something to keep my mind busy. I have managed to keep physically busy by attended an almost
daily class at the gym which is such fun for me. I have met nice people and look forward to each and
every class.

Keep trying and trying is all one can do!!

First Snow Of Winter

Today 1/12/12 we finally got our first snow of the winter. A total of 3 inches has made the birdhouse roof
look like frosting on a cake.  The front door has snow blocking the opening. Been waiting for snow since
first part of December and hoped for a light covering for Christmas but this did not happen. So finally we got
the missing snow which was quite a shocker due to the fact yesterday it was 54 and sunny. Tonite below zero and windy/cold.

To add fuel to the fire the recently repaired snow blower decided it did not want to run today! Out came
the snow shovels and a backache to follow! I am always the one who says I like snow and winter but this
afternoon I wanted the warm and sun of yesterday!

Note to self: Be careful what you wish for!

How Can You Not Smile

So the Weinermobile was at WalMart yesterday and there I was with camera in hand.
My daughter is a fan of the weinermobile and we saw it last year also.
She still has the whistle she got when we lived in Iowa. She is now 50 and that was maybe 40 years ago.
I tried to get her another whistle but they had all been handed out!
Honestly I have no memory of seeing this when she was a child but she does and that is the most
important thing. I smile at this through her eye and memories. It is pretty cool!
My daughter is pretty cool also!

2012 My New Scale

So I decided I need this new fancy scale that ofcourse gives me my weight but now I have my body fat, water , muscle
and bone percentage base on age, height and weight. After I got all this programmed I wondered why I needed this!
I have wanted to know for some time my body fat percentage and now I know. It really is just slight 2% over where I
should be. All other stats were in my good range so guess I should be happy about that. Now this scale is looking at
me everytime I even think about a chocolate treat. Perhaps like my old scale it needs to become a a toilet paper holder!
It is January isn't this what people think about this month!

Oh yes and I got my new programmed pedometer so now I have all the necessities!