Happy Halloween to Y'all!

I had a seriously busy week and have not had a chance to post for a while. I had company in from out of town for the weekend. My "Sis-in-law" Kathleen came up from Bryan-College Station. Of course I had to get my house cleaned, laundry done and all my chores accomplished prior to her coming in so that we could spend the whole time together. I even finished Jayson's ABC book and sent it for publishing...Kathy and Christina should have them tomorrow. We had a blast on Friday playing catch up, eating Mexican food 'til we were ready to pop, shopping and going through memory books. Here's a photo of us that was taken last month when Nina and I went down to visit her (first time we had seen each other since 1986). I used a freebie QP by c4m called Autumn days bb page 2  and wordart from Miss Boots at Random Thoughts.

On Saturday, her real sis-in-law Debbie came over with her and we spent another whole day furniture shopping. This was first time I had seen Debbie since 1986 or 1987...she still looks the same to me, beautiful as ever....boy did we have fun catching up on our lives since then. After we got home about 7:45 p.m. (I sure had some angry  "hungry" kitty cats) there was a flurry of Code Red Alert phone calls about the approaching storms with ping pong sized hail stones and 60 mph winds. OK....got my Tahoe under cover, but the Camry had to stay out...we did not get the large hail only about pea sized, we did get the winds (I got my windows all closed just in time) and heavy, heavy, heavy rain. We were so busy "yakking" that we never even thought about taking any photos...dang it!
On Sunday, I lazed around all day....never even got dressed...LMBO....watched the Cowboys and the NASCAR races, then watched the Packers and Vikings play, read...slept some in between and literally stayed on the bed with my cats all day. I never turned my PC on nor visited Facebook.  I guess I am just too old to walk and stand and shop for 2 days in a row....ROFL! But we sure did have fun visiting all those wonderful memories we made together all those years ago!
Monday, back to work...tomorrow, Halloween, will be the official closing of my boss's office. I still have 26 years worth of stuff to categorize and label and add to in storage so that should she ever need it, she could find it if I don't happen to be around. The day to day stuff is through though and we are both of the winding down stages of employment. We are both ready for retirement and doing what we want, when we want without having to work around a work schedule. Yippee!! I tried to catch up on all the freebies I had missed last week and over the weekend...(my poor butt thought I was never gonna get up off it...LOL)
Maggie sent me a photo of Hayden feeding Annabeth so I did a page of this cute photo. I suppose that Hayden is practicing for when Calvin arrives next week. Now that she is 5 she will be a big help to her Mommy when her baby brother comes.  She wants him to get here now (so does Maggie...LOL) This page I created using kits by ADB.

Well, it is about time for me to get up, feed the kitties again, fix me something to eat and get ready to watch Nashville.  I have a lot of kitty photos to cut down and show ya and I am sure all the Halloween photos will be ready too, so guess I will hush and chat with y'all some more later! If you get a chance drop by Miriam's Scraps and grab the Halloween QP I made for ya! Have a great and safe Halloween! Make lots of those memories to share! Hugs, Mat

I Think Fall is Here!

We finally got a few days of slow steady rain and cooler temperatures....I'm loving that part. As I sit here with all my windows open, the air conditioner off, all the cats are fed, bathed and asleep, the house is quiet and I can hear the leaves dancing across the driveway. It has to be one of my favorite times of the year. We even had a low temp of 44 the other morning....I had the windows open and "the girls" were searching for cover to get under...LOL! Yesterday was nearly a perfect day...only 70 for the high, lots of clear sky and sunshine.  Today is to be 70 and cloudy with a 40% chance of showers this evening as another front moves in from the northwest, but the weekend, no rain and 70 for both days! This is the last weekend of our State Fair too, guess I will miss it this year....will NOT attempt the last weekend with the weather this lovely...too many people will be there to really enjoy it!
I pretty much relaxed this week with all the rainy days. Made a big pot of vegetable soup and a pan of cornbread for the chilly nights....so very good and it is better each time it is re warmed....LOL! My boss and I met for lunch on Wednesday at the Olive Garden...we had a great visit celebrating her birthday.
My friend Jan got some bad news about the nodule they removed from her vocal chord....it was malignant, but the surgeon says he got the most of it and wants her to do 30 daily radiation treatments for it.  He says the success rate is 95% for this type. She was really upset, but is coming to terms with it now. She went with me to the podiatrist on Thursday, then we went out for breakfast and then did some shopping, we haven't been able to do that in a while....she felt much better when I took her home...so did I.
The xrays at the podiatrist showed no stress fractures and not really a neuroma, but the beginnings of one, so I got an injection of steroid and lidocaine in the top of the foot...no closed toed shoes that will pinch the toes and ABSOLUTELY NO GOING BAREFOOT (that will be the hardest for me...LOL) for 2 weeks then go back for check up and see how the inflammation is. Feels a lot better already!
With all the hubbub going on around here, I totally forgot Hayden's 5th birthday. She is getting to be such a big girl now and ready for her baby brother to get her next month.  Her mommy is ready for him to be here too, she is off work now until he is born (November 6th is due date). Anyhow, I did this QP for her with the latest photo I have of her. The QP is by Neli....doesn't she look cute in this? 

I also snitched a photo of Amy with Annabeth off my sister Penny's page so thought I would make her a QP too. Texted a while with Amy yesterday and she says she is finally taking Annabeth out a little more now. She is not so frightened to be out with her alone in the car. She says she loves being a mother and that Annabeth is really Daddy's girl.  Yep, she already has his wrapped around her fist for sure! LOL! But look what a cute little doll she is. This QP is from the Girls Only Blog Train.

I finally finished with Jayson's ABC pages, now to get them into a book so I can get them printed before the holidays.  Will now start collecting photos of Annabeth and Calvin when he gets here....so they will have theirs. The three girls all have their books already.
Well, off of here, got to get up and move around a bit..then I have to catch up on my blogs I visit and get my freebies....hope y'all make some awesome memories to share. Chat more with you next time. Hugs, Mat

Another busy week

Saturday night, spoke with my sister Kathy....her grandson Jayson had a febrile seizure and stopped breathing....thank god his daddy Jason knew CPR for infants, but Kathy was simply beside herself as she was in the hospital and could not be there.  Ambulance ride to hospital and 4 hours in the ER, they send Jayson home.  Sunday afternoon late, Kathy was released to go home. The kids and grandkids came to visit so she could see for herself that all was well.
Sunday night got call that my friend Kathleen et al in Bryan, she would be coming in on Wednesday and we would go to the State Fair on Thursday!  So on Monday...gotta get my house in order...bed changed and made, dirty clothes washed, dried and put away!  Tuesday...the bathrooms scrubbed and the floors mopped. Got the grocery shopping done and all the other errands. Wednesday....spent several very early hours at the hospital with my friend Jan's family while she was in surgery! All went well so....home to meet with my company....no one here yet....gave them a call, not coming. Bummed but....got some more work done on closing the office. Thursday...instead of going to the fair, my boss is coming over....nope...she is not feeling well either will come on Friday, so made a big pot of Chicken Noodle soup and took over to Jan's to check on her. Friday morning...make bed....feed all my "critters"....run vacuum and take a shower...boss calls, school out on Friday and Monday so she is baby sitting, not coming today! OK....made some Chicken salad and took over to Jan...back home to take a much deserved and much needed nap...wait...I haven't eaten today, fix something to eat first and then a nap...NOPE!  Got my second wind and did some more packing and labeling....then decided today I will just be lazy!  Nope again, I am in a creative mood....put my country duets playlists and looky here....4 new pages for y'all to see.

Jade finally lost her first tooth so her Grandma sent me a photo of her missing tooth and the money the tooth fairy gave her. I used a kit by Kyra at With A Russian Dutch Heart called A Smile Works Miracles and the cluster with fairy is by Arlene using Kyra's kit Fairy's Delight.

Here's cutie patootie Ruby in a kit by Kyra called RDH N 23 Ultimo Respirodell Estate with cluster by Arlene and the background paper is Spotty Papers #1 by KC

Here's a photo I took from Christina's FB album of Jayson "raking" the leaves as he helps! LOL! too cute! I used the kit Tranquil Moments by Kyra and a cluster by Arlene from the same kit. If you haven't visited Kyra yet....you are missing some awesome free kits.  Her link is in my list on the right....you will be amazed at her generosity!

Another lovely designer that offers lots of freebie quick pages is Linda at Random Thoughts at Linda's Place. This is one of her creations and I used a photo of the kids as they were going apple picking.
Thanks to all you wonderful and generous designers for the freebies that you offer so that we can make all these lovely scrapbooking pages.
Well, guess I better get up from in front of this computer and do something, even if I shouldn't....LOL! Y'all have a fantastic weekend and make lots of memories to share with all of us. Chat more next time. Hugs, Mat

OMG! What a Week!

Monday started out as usual, I awoke with a swollen and tender left foot (?), I had to write checks, etc for work....call my handyman to come check a few things for me, wait for my boss to call about signing checks and still some more packing up of office stuff for storage! My boss called, she would sign checks on Tuesday...my handyman gave me a quote for recaulking all my windows and doors from the outside (the drought this year has created some shifting problems with the house) and put some foam in some of the larger gaps that would have to dry, then be trimmed and caulked next day. Then a friend called and wanted to do a quick road trip to Waco and back and wanted me to ride down too. Okay, if I can get some things rescheduled I agreed!

Tuesday I had an appointment with House Calls (Insurance purposes) between 11-2 and my boss was coming over early to sign checks and the handyman was due between 8 and 9 a.m. As it happened House Calls called on Monday to reschedule me for the 8th...one down...called my boss and she was pleased to wait until Wednesday to sign checks....two down...my handyman said I did not have to be there for him to finish what he had to do and he would come back later to check the caulking of windows on the inside. It was a nice roadtrip...ate some good catfish after getting back. Nice to get out of the house for a day!
Wednesday foot still real tender and swollen and now I am really limping as it hurt to bear weight on it. Went to the post offices and the bank and to my bosses house to get checks signed, she looked at my foot and said it might be a stress fracture...call a podiatrist. I called my favorite one, but he no longer takes Medicare patients...went to pay for her storage unit, picked up some cat food and back home by 1 p.m. fixed me a sandwich and my friend Nina calls wanting me to go with her to Builders Surplus as she is not sure where it is, OK, she came at 2 p.m. Did not find what she was looking for so we go to Garden Ridge, did not get home until about 4:45 and I am pooped and in pain with the foot. Called my doctor for an appointment the next day at 9:45 a.m. Baked a Hawaiian Delight Cake for Janet and Mike. Off to bed!
Thursday, supposed to take my friend Janet to her doctor about 1 p.m. Went to my doctor, he thinks I have a Morton's neuroma...will check in the area for a podiatrist that takes my insurance and will call me...got my flu shot.  Go over to Janet's house and got home about 3 p.m. to lie and prop up my foot.
Friday I think I have an easy day....WRONG....I had brought in the little kitten from outside, (he did so good, knew where the litter box was and the "girls" were tolerating him) I guess I did not get up when he wanted me to, so he peed on my bed....I jumped up and stripped everything including the waterproof cover off and started laundry...he got his food and took a nap (the little &*^%)....last night, he slept outside...today he is here asleep at my feet just thankful to be inside.....I also steamed my mattress before remaking the bed, then I steamed the couch and a couple of small carpets (the kind you cannot wash)....then I decided to steam clean my floors too...went to bed just worn out, but feeling good that my house was clean and all my work was finished.
My sister Kathy was admitted to the hospital again yesterday morning for her COPD and Congestive Heart Failure...she seemed some better last evening....UNTIL....her grandbaby Jayson had a febrile seizure and they had to call an ambulance for him....his daddy had to do CPR on him before the paramedics got there! Kathy called me so distraught because she couldn't be there and it caused her to have a really bad attack, but I finally got her to calm down, the nurses gave her a breathing treatment and all calmed down around 1 a.m. when Jayson was cleared to go home. I hope they are all getting rest today!
I got up this morning, fed all my critters (cats and birds), decided to make a pan of those 7-up biscuits....OMG! they are to die for....so light and so tasty....so there goes the 9 pounds I had managed to drop....LOL! Really, I only ate 2 of them, but that leaves 10 to tempt me....LMAO!  Anyhow, I need to catch up with some of my blog sisters....so off here for now....busy week next week too! Y'all have a BEAUTIFUL weekend and I will chat more with you later! Make lots of terrific memories to share! Hugs, Mat

Here's Tiny asleep on me on the couch...he loves to snuggle up under my chin.

Look at that cute little face. He is no longer baby, but Tiny is his name now....he comes running when I call him too! LOL!

Here he is by my phone, see how tiny he is?  I took these photos with my phone, but they are pretty clear!