P H A M I L Y / Love is.../ Blue Monday

Tiny Jeremy. I love this photo. He was such a typical boy as a child. He loved balls, baseball, basketball, football, you name it, he had one!

Ah youth! We were younger back than and Jeremy was a tiny boy!

Nick was a tiny baby at his first Christmas 1993. He was four moths old. My auntie Ang made his beautiful Christmas stocking. She was so talented. Look at the afghan behind him. I admire talented and crafty people. I am not one of them.

Nick was a tiny boy. This was Easter and I think he turned three that August.

Although the Broncos lost their playoff game today, I am and always will be a dedicated fan. My Uncle Tom was a diehard Cowboys fan and he always said no one had truer fans than the Denver Broncos. We never turn our back on our team. There are many memories to share and so many of them are so happy.

Blue to share with Sally and all those who participate with us each week.

This Love is....is very colorful and shares a message that holds true for all of us. Sally, the lil cartoon fellow is even wearing his blue scarf.

Today has been a long day. Lots of things going on and we had to get some new tires and an oil change on the car. Watching football part of this weekend and feeling blue that our team lost. Even more blue because Nick heads back to school in Kansas in the morning. My nephew Ed's flight was cancelled today due to weather where he is heading. His layover is in Chicago and they have been hammered with horrible weather. He will try again tomorrow morning. I am always sad when Nick heads back to school and will miss Ed. It has been fun having him here. He reminds me exactly of my late sister, his mom. I tell him he has one thing his brothers don't have, the perfect image of his mom.

I hope you will pray for all the travelers in my phamily. Enjoy the week and visit Sally soon.

¹⁶ Rejoice always; ¹⁷ pray without ceasing; ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus Thessalonians 5:16-18

"The Deep Freeze" and Other Random Blog Thoughts for Alphabe Thursday and Such

Now we don't have this massive amount of snow Y E T ! But.....the sentiment is perfect. When you live fifteen minutes away from your job and the traffic adds another five minutes to your coming and going routine, it is annoying,  but when you have to crawl home on the ice rink the city calls roads and arrive one hour later, that is unacceptable! Where on God's green earth ( yes, yes, pun is intended) did you miserable drivers live? Fantasyland!? Florida? Southern California? The Bahamas? If you can not drive on the white stuff we call S N O W you should board a bus! You can get to where you need to go without hitting me,  shattering my middle girl's car window and bring the entire city to a standstill! Argh......I dislike bitter cold weather as much as I dislike politicians, let me clarify that, A L L politicians!

 Yesterday I had a job. Today no more. I would think age , not youth would be the closest answer to why I was blind sighted by this. I am finding it difficult to move forward. Zipping by the hours in my day , wondering what is in store for me next. I love this quote, Move forward, today is my gift from God and tomorrow is a surprise. I would like some peace and calm. The past two years had been very difficult, the ten prior were easier All the hard work, my honesty, none of it made a difference. Today someone new takes my place.

So I must move forward. Zip along the road of life and stop only if my journey needs a rest.

I need to repeat this. At my age it is always uncertain how you will perceived. I need to work so we can live. It is difficult not having that stable income any longer, I will ask you to pray and be a prayer warrior for me and for all who need a helping hand from the Lord.

These are powerful words I need to cherish in my heart and use in my daily life. I hope you visit Ms. Jenny and pray for her recovery. She has had the worst year with all these health issues. Yet each week she encourages us to participate in Alphabe Thursday and smile.  I hope you liked my tiny "Y" and "Z" shares today. Participate in Pink Saturday and say hello to a lady who always makes sure pink is sprinkled everywhere in your lives. Thank you Beverly

Off to pick my hubby up at the bus and enjoy a quiet evening with him at home before more snow, more bitter cold temps hold us hostage once more. Please pray and thank you for letting me share with you today.

Fun Facts to Know About Me!

I try to organize my time so I won't spend all my free moments at one place, like Pinterest or Facebook or here but several Face Book friends posted tidbits of their lives and when you leave a comment the number of your comment is the number of things you post about yourself. I had lots of fun today doing these so I thought let me share a few here:

1. I use to love eating Ellis Tamales from the can (LOL) and I would  smother them in ketchup!

2. I own dozens of cookbooks and yet my hubby is a much better cook than me!

3. I have a letter written to me by Tom Landry. In case you don't know him, he was one of the   greatest coaches in the NFL and spent many years with the Dallas Cowboys.

4. I have no musical talents. ;-(  but...

5. I love to dance!

6. I have never been a fan of Tom Cruise and his recent appalling comments comparing himself to our military personnel made me physical ill!

7. My first car was a 1972 Canary Yellow Dodge Swinger. I loved that car.

8. I read at least twenty books in the winter. My book shelves are overflowing with lots of great reads!

9. My hubby and I wore the same jean size when we were newlyweds!

10. My taste in music ranges from Opera to Rap and everything in between!

A friend I have known for over eleven years told me today she was born in Lima, Ohio! I love those fun facts! Share a few here with me today about you!

Birds of a Feather

 The ducks were swimming at the lake today.

He was preening near the top of the hill!

 Great Egert

I think this is the same fellow getting camera shy!

 American Avocet

A friendly fellow at the edge of the water!  A Pigeon!

Who is this black and blue character? He is a Grackle

I think this one is a mourning dove! Sometime I see two of them at my house and they sing beautifully!

These Canadian geese babies got up close and personal with me. I think their mother thought I had food!

If these are not Canadian geese let me know! I am learning to handle my Canon Rebel camera as I am trying to identify the various feathered friends I love!

Mr. Killdeer has a chirpy, throaty sound and he is strutting his stuff!

Mr. Killdeer is a sweet one!

This one is anti social! I think these next two are girls, as they appear to be gossiping, perhaps about her?

Gossip girls? Cormorants! I guess they are just clicky and leaving their poor feathered friend out of their conversation!

An early morning swim!

Mama bringing her babies on shore. She was watching me carefully!

 This is Mr. Robin Red Breast!

I wonder if this squirrel was getting ready for babies? A real chunk and just sat in the ground watching the wind rustle through the trees!

Tell me what you think of these fine feathered friends!

 Hebrews 4:13 - No created thing is hidden from Him; everything is uncovered and stretched fully open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves. 

 

Tell me something about you.....

1. When you were a child,  what age did you think was old ?

     When we were in the first grade, my friends dad passed away. Although he was in his
     30's, I thought it was ancient!

2. How often do you have dessert?

     One of the pharmaceutical reps brought lunch from Olive Garden today.
     I shared my piece of Tiramasu with my hubby!

3. What's your favorite kind of exercise?

     I like to walk around the water near the rec center close to our home.  We can
     see and hear all the birds and enjoy nature. Especially early in the morning. Sigh!

4. Do you watch movies on T.V., movies from a rental or the library, or movies on line?

   
     Sometime we watch movies on T.V. Occasionally the kids rent a movie but we watch
     old shows Like "I Love Lucy" and a few weekly favorites like "The Big Bang Theory"
     and Person of Interest.

5. Tell me something you remember from your grandmother's/grandfather's house. I'm thinking of    
     something you saw all the time, like a picture, a clock, statue, teapot, or something 
     that was always there.

     My maternal grandmother always had a bag of Kraft Butter Mints in her cupboard and because
     she was blind, she always trusted us to bring the bag to her without sneaking any. My grand-
     mother was my BFF and I am still saddened by her death nearly 46 years after losing her.

     My paternal grandmother had a picture of Christ and He was rising into the clouds, on
      Resurrection Day and the picture appeared to be moving upward. As a kid I was so
     fascinated with that picture!

     After my paternal grandmother passed away my grandfather had a little tiny tin can on his stove
     that had grease in it, and he cooked his eggs in that and recycled it! He lived well into old age
     and I adored him. He was an amazing man. He passed away in 1968 and I still miss all
     the wonderful stories he told me.

 This is a google image as close to the image in my mind of that little tin can with oil/lard in it.

Pre Lives

Steve Prefontaine was one of the greatest distance runners in  the USA. He died too young, in a car accident May 30, 1975. I often wonder what he would have accomplished had he lived. I love to watch old videos of his running and wanted to share my thoughts on the anniversary of his death.

To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.
Steve Prefontaine 

A favorite quote.

The Pre Classic has run each year since his death and I look forward to seeing it each year.

Since my own son is a runner I am dedicated to the sport. It is the one sport where people on the sidelines seems to share a common bond, a kind heart. So many other sports are so violent and aggressive that people become enraged when their "team" doesn't win it all! 

Another favorite sentiment on t shirts  regarding running:

"My sport is your sports punishment"

Steve Prefontaine was only five foot nine. As a child he said he had one leg shorter than the other . He participated in many other sports but had no success due to his small stature. Once he found running he fell in love with the sport.

Prefontaine won 120 of his 153 races (78%) and never lost a collegiate (NCAA) race at the University of Oregon.

At one time he held the American record in the seven distance track events  from the 2,000 meter to the 10,00 meter. An American classic gone too soon.

Pre Lives in the hearts of those that loved and cherished him and in all the runners who strive to be like him.

I wish we had more guys like Pre in this world today.

Quilting for Kids

I hope everyone will forgive me. This past week has been a blur to me and I am joining my friend Suzanne to update you on the Shannon story. As we worked together to get a quilt to the family of Shannon, the four year old  little girl with brain cancer passed away. We respect her family as they ask for privacy during this difficult time.
Because of the overwhelming response for the quilt, Suzanne has had quilt squares arriving daily at her home. She is working diligently to put them together so they may go off to the quilter.
We wanted to share with everyone because there will be enough squares to make a second quilt. We hope you will read about Crew here. The hope is to create two quilts to make a small kindness for two hurting families.
Please pray that these families will be comforted in the days to come. Shannon's family over the loss of their beautiful young daughter. Crew's family in rallying because this baby boy is a miracle. He is given a new health challenge each day and he seems to overcome them. Continue to pray, to share your thoughts about the families and let us know if you have questions or comments. Please feel free to leave them here or e mail us..
I think when we are given challenges in this life we have to take what we have and do what needs to be done to encourage and comfort others. All of us have an ability to make a day better for those who need our helping hand.
Thank you each and everyone for helping with this project and sharing your talents with others. Your love and support makes my day happier and I know touching the lives of these families must make you feel appreciated. Thank you for being here and helping us.You are well loved and deeply appreciated.
"Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud." Maya Angelou

I AM HURTING: THERE ARE NO WORDS FOR ME TO SAY!

This photo was taken last year when my Boots was a happy and healthy kitty. He passed away at 1:18 P.M. MDT Thursday March 16, 2012. He passed on the 7th birthday of his friend and companion Rose. There are no words I can say. I am hurting deeply.  So these are others words perhaps you would like to share here:
You never know when you're making a memory. Anonymous
Sometimes even music cannot substitute for tears. Paul Simon
Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful. Annette Funicello
All that is worth cherishing in this world begins in the heart not the head. Anonymous
All our souls are written in our eyes. Edmond Rostand
We learn only when it is too late that the marvel is the passing moment. Francois Mitterand
It's the things in common that make relationships enjoyable, but it's the little differences that make them interesting. Anonymous
Love is perhaps the only glimpse we are permitted of eternity. Helen Hayes
Heroes come along when you need them. Ronald Steel
You don't look back along time but down through it, like water. Sometimes this comes to the surface; sometimes that; sometimes nothing. Margaret Atwood
The best proof of love is trust. Anonymous
One joy scatters a hundred griefs. Chinese Proverb
Friendship is a single soul in two bodies. Aristotle
They say when you die and go to heaven, all the dogs and cats you've ever had in your life come running to meet you. Kinky Friedman
Unable are the Loved to die For Love is Immortality. Emily Dickinson
Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim. Vicki Harrison
The deepest feeling always shows itself in silence. Marianne Moore
...he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes. Shakespeare
...he is pure air and fire; and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him, but only in patient stillness while his rider mounts him: he is indeed a horse... Shakespeare
No words that I can pen will ease the pain and the feeling of hopelessness that is the unavoidable companion to the death of a friend. And yet he hasn't gone away forever, for he will always live in your thoughts and your mind and be one of the best parts of the past. Earnest H. Hart
Even the best of friends must part. Anonymous
Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart. Anonymous
Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same. Anonymous
Death is the passing of life. And life is the stringing together of so many little passing's. Anonymous

R.I.P. my friend 05-03-1998-03-16-2012 

A Collection of Things

It is 8:15 P.M. MST so I am getting really tight with time to wish you all a beautiful Valentine's Day! I have been under the weather! All weekend long I was bothered by my right ear! It felt plugged and made me dizzy! I also felt some sinus pressure! So Monday morning I pulled my chart at work and hopped in the chair (in place of a patient who had rescheduled last minute)! The doctor said I had lots of negative pressure in my ear so the Audiologist tested it! The doctor gave me a five day course of anti-biotics!  Today I feel a little better! So I am going to share my Valentine's Day with you and add my Love is.. (Sunday) and Blue Monday to this post! I need to prepare my posts ahead of time and then release them appropriately. Someday's I just get overwhelmed! Marydon and Sherry share their favorite Love is.. too! Hurry over to visit!

My "Sweets" gave me the sweetest Valentine's Day card. It is perfect and he knows me so well! Too limited on time to snap photos. So you have to go with my google images!

A"blue" wrapped Lindt truffle. A patient's wife gave "us girls" a bag of red wrapped Lindt truffles! Yum!

Another patient gave us these:

A vendor gave us these cute tiara hair clips! Laugh Out Loud!

Another vendor gave us these:(notice the "blue" socks)

I came home from work and made lasagne for the phamily!

A meaty variety for half of us and

Cheesy lasagne for the other half! Fortunately for me my local grocer has a nice selection of heat and serve lasagne trays for a quick meal and they were on sale!

Some sparkling juice for dinner or

Beautiful "red" wine!

My favorite Valentine, Lady and the Tramp! Aw......too cute! They have a pretty "blue" background and blue tablecloth!
I hope you liked my Valentine wish for you today!
 Our new security doors are going to be installed on Friday! Yea!

 The new water heater Saturday was our "Valentine" gift for the phamily! It cost a lot of money! Whew!

One more "blue" for the Blue Monday crowd! Sally is the "blue" Monday queen! Please visit her too!