Mama fell….

My mama called me last night and said she fell and her shoulder hurt, hip hurt and really skinned her knee up. She said she’s okay and don’t come over now. So I didn’t, dang it I should of not stayed home. Anyways, I went and drove bus this morning and stopped by on my way home just to check up on her and what I found was a very tired, very much in pain mama. I did some checking her bones and muscles (I used to be in rehab so have some knowledge there) and immediately called the doctor and got her in. What they found and I expected was a broken collarbone. She’s on some super strong painkillers, has a sling because that shoulder/arm is not allowed to move and on Wednesday she has an appointment with a surgeon to see what he think needs to be done. The good thing, it’s a clean break and just maybe they won’t have to do anything and let it heal but then again ??? Mama is 78 years young and has way to much stuff to be doing to be down like this. It’s Christmas time for gosh sake, her favorite time of year. Daddy said he can’t decorate alone so he said they’d just skip it and listen to music and watch some shows…….like I’d let that happen. I’m going to just see how much I can do between runs, between helping mama and keeping two houses running and everyone fed and taken care of. I’ll make sure it’s a grand Christmas, I WILL!!!

Please say a prayer for mama that she heals quickly and that I can make this a grand Christmas, no matter what.

Take care my friends. Blessings!!

I have two young ladies….

That are redoing their bedrooms. They use to share but now have their own places. They want to decorate them but like here fundings are a bit short. I would like to give them some goodness for their rooms for Christmas. I don’t suppose anyone has anything they’d like to donate to me to share with them. Rachel is 13 and wants everything purple or cows. And Abby is 11 wants pink and anything cute and tiny in creatures, like My Little pony, Zuzus.

These are my “little” ones I’ve had since infants and have been apart of their lives and they mine for so long. I’d like to help them make their rooms special. I remember at that age when we moved into our new home and Cindy and I got our own rooms it was so neat to decorate it the way I wanted too.

Does anyone have anything that they are no longer using in these special colors or themes? I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

I’ll get an update soon on how life is here. I had 5 days off, or so I thought but ended up driving bus Wednesday for a different district, Thanksgiving I had daycare until noontime on Friday, shampooed my livingroom rug that afternoon, Saturday drove bus for an activity and today … well today I crafted and did some grocery shopping and now looking at what’s out there for Cyber Monday.

Take care my friends. Have a blessed evening.

Look what I learned to make today….and….

Wired wrapped beaded rings. I made 5 today. The picture are in the order I made them except I made a really pretty pink one that fit Kim perfectly so she has that one. Each one is a bit tighter and more in shape and I am loving them so I am going to see if I can make a few more to add to our beading adventure for crafts shows. Now of course I really don’t think I could of figured this out myself, well maybe but why when I found the perfect site which is amazing in teaching just how to do it. Check this out....

This fur ball has been eating all my sunflower seeds right outside my kitchen window. I didn’t have to zoom in to get this picture so you can guess I could just reach out and touch him, if I wasn’t afraid he’d eat me too.

I have a funny to share with you….now it wasn’t funny at all when it happened but in telling it to Mike and hearing him roar with laughter I have to share it with you.

I got this picture from dogpile images because I wanted you to see where the back of the bus is in height because …. well the beginning. Today I drove another drivers bus back to the shop for some maintenance and it’s the same as my bus, or so I thought. Taking the bus back up to the school I had to go potty, I was 5 minutes early so plenty of time to stop at the Holiday station and go in and do my thing. Like always you shut the bus off, take the keys with you and shut the door, but not tight. The door on my bus doesn’t close easily so I never have to worry about locking myself out, if you shut it to hard it latches…..like Dewey’s bus did to me. Once the door is shut and latched you can not open it from the outside. So guess what this sorta short, not to skinny bus driver had to do? I had to open up the back door, in a parking lot with lots of people and get myself in the bus. There is no ladder, no step, no handles…nothing to help haul my behinder up there. Can you imagine seeing this rump trying to get into the back of the bus? I grabbed the seat legs, and it a good thing they are bolted down, and pulled and wiggled and scuffed myself up….but I got into the bus, I did not look around….I didn’t want to see anyone rolling on the ground laughing at me and shut the door, started the bus and left. I’m betting it’ll be a little bit before I stop at the gas station to go potty and I’m betting I’ll never shut Dewey’s bus door like mine. My knees and elbows looking like a little kid that fell off his bike. OUCH!!!

It’s a good thing it’s Friday tomorrow. I’m pooped and tomorrow is my longest day, 4 bus runs, 1 work out and a dinner out with my friend. I’ll leave at 5:50 am and get home sometime after 8:00 pm. Then it’s the weekend and I am not going or doing anything I don’t want to do on Saturday. I can clean, if I feel I have too…I can do the laundry, if we need underwear… I can work outside, if the sun is shinning and it’s 50* or better …. or I can sleep in late, putz some and take a nap and fix dinner and go to bed early and be ready for a fun filled Sunday of grocery shopping and unloading another ton of coal.

Take care my friends and have an awesome evening. Blessings!!

Good afternoon….

So how are you? What have you been up to? Any great news happening? Are you ready for the holidays that are just around the corner?

Today has already been a long day. I got up at 5:00 to shower and start my day as a bus driver. You know, being a bus driver is awesome. Oh it isn’t easy at all. You try and coral 56 students for 2 or so hours in an 8’x50’ area with no TV, no moving around, quiet talking and no food. But you know, they try…they really do. When I started this bus route I had a sit down talk with most of the students and told them I remember riding the bus for 2+ hours twice a day and I know just how hard it is to be good and I don’t expect them to be perfect I just expect them to listen when I talk and respect each other, the bus and themselves. So far only 1 time have I had to bring in the principle and for that many kids, that many hours and confined, well I am please with them. I have taken to bringing treats about once a month. Not always candy because not everyone can have candy. But super balls, now they love them. Pencils and erasers and the next time stickers. My bus is K-7 so everyone is easy to please. I started taking in toy catalogues, Dirt Bike and Motocross magazines (after taking out the pictures of those girls that make the boys scream) and now coloring pages. I printed out about 25 princess pictures last week and now have a few boys that want to color too so I am working on that now. Anything to make the bus ride safe and happy for everyone, especially me. :o) I drive a 2.5 hour route in the morning, a 2 hour preschool route midday (some days) and then another 2.5 hour route after school. I work 7 hours a day but am gone 12 hours a day. That’s when I….

…have also been making it to the gym 3 times a week and also an extra walk/jog or two on the trails. Each workout is at least an hour a half and though I’m not keeping track of the calories I’ve burned I have done some reading and have learned since I’m only making it 3 times a week, if I do 45 minutes cardio and 30 minutes of weights and 15 minutes of stretching I am doing my body good. Really any movement is good but since I’m there, I’m leaving soaking wet from sweat and smelling like a gym locker. My eating has not be tip top, though it’s not candy and pasta, it’s more oatmeal, cold cereal, fruit for breakfast, sandwich and milk for lunch and …. well supper, it’s hit and miss. I don’t always eat and sometimes it’s a salad or maybe it’s mac and cheese (yes I know, why exercise if I’m going to eat crap….well because at least I’m maintaining right now and after 12 hours a day of working it’s better then the nothing days). I need to plan my menu, this I know and I’m not to good at that but I will just have to do that. We have chicken now after butchering them last week (and I did skin them so it’s good for us chicken without the nummy but bad for me skin) so it’s time to make some soup, a big batch of chicken/veggie broth soup.

I have my daycare wee one once a week on Wednesday and have been taking her to the library for story time. It is so much fun watching her and the other little ones play and dance and sit to listen to stories. After that we go over to Kim’s for lunch and a visit. This is of course between my am/pm bus route.

My cleaning job of the million dollar cabin is really an unique experience. I live in a single wide remodeled trailer that fits in the livingroom of this cabin. It is such a wonderful place and the owners are awesome and just for a few hours I get to just see how the other half lives and plays. I do have to say that these people are the coolest and nicest people and are very considerate of how I feel and how I’m doing. I think this cleaning will work out awesome. It is however a lot of work and nothing to spend 4 hours at a shot just keeping it clean.

I also have another cleaning job, it’s a dance/meeting hall with a dining room/kitchen and a couple storage rooms.  This is just a once a month job in the winter since it’s only partly heated and you now it gets cold in Minnesota. Mike has held his eagle project here and a couple other get together and I think when Mike graduates from college we just might have a get together just cuz we can.

I cook/bake from my husbands store 2-3 times a week. Nothing expensive or elaborate but filling and tasty. Hot dishes, soups and breads, desserts.

Each of these jobs pays me enough to keep Mike in groceries and gas and I went and bought myself a pair of Nike running shoes. I had the Kohl’s 30% off coupon so got myself a new pair. I wore them today …. well they put my feet asleep. Maybe my feet will get use to them? Hopefully. We’ll see. It is what I have and it is what I’ll be wearing.

I just wanted you to know what’s up and how things are going. I know this was a bit long…..heck really to long for a post but I had things to share with you.

Life is busy, it’s suppose to be, I’m not to old yet not to be doing all of this. And when it’s time to relax I am hoping for grandbabies to keep me busy (read that Mike, one day a couple grandbabies….no hurry…I can’t retire for another 15 years or so). Life is good, life is grand.

Praying for everyone I’ve been reading that has major/minor issues happening. I’m sorry for the divorce, I’m sorry for the loss of friends and families, I’m sorry for the weather related badness, I’m sorry that life isn’t good for some. It won’t always be hard, I know this…been there, done that…but remember there are people out here praying for you, I am.

Take care my friends and have an awesome afternoon. 20 minutes before I head back to the bus. Gotta finish printing out some coloring pages. I wonder how they’d do with word puzzles?

Blessings!

Oh, my nephew is turning 18 on Friday. Happy Birthday Scott. I love you so very much and am so very, very proud of you.

Sharing my devotional this morning…

INSTALLING LOVE

Tech Support: Yes, Ma'am.... how can I help you?
Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love.
Can you guide me though the process?
Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?
Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I
do first?
Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located
your Heart, ma'am?
Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it
okay to install Love while they are running?
Tech Support: What programs are running, ma'am?
Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and
Resentment running right now.
Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your
current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory, but it
will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low
Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you
have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent
Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off, ma'am?
Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?
Tech Support : With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness.
Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been
completely erased.
Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?
Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You
need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.
Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program
not run on external components ." What should I do?
Tech Support: Don't worry, ma'am. It means that the Love program is set
up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In
non- technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you
can Love others.
Customer: So, what should I do?
Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following
files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.
Customer: Okay, done.
Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will
overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming.
Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and
empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes
back.
Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is
playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all
over My Heart. Is this normal?
Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually
everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running.
One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and
its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with
others and return some cool modules back to you.
Customer: Thank you, God.
-- Author Unknown

Blessings my friends. I am off to spend the day with one of my best friends. You know, I am so very blessed to have some awesome women in my life. Each holds such a special place in my heart. Each help me in such different ways. And you know what the best part, even when I’m down, stupid, hard on myself, done something wrong or said something I can’t take back …. they love me anyways. Now that is some wonderful stuff. Love you my friends!!

Sorta Wordless Wednesday….

Wyoming is being over ran with Minnesota vehicles. The suburban is Mike’s and other ones friends of Mikes at Wyotech. Pretty cool to see three in a row and there was one behind Mike too.

It’s been two months since I’ve seen this boy…

Christmas can’t come soon enough this year. Oh Lordy I miss him. I love him so!

Blessings my friends.

Butt dragging…but first…

You have heard me talk about Allan before. He’s from Long Island NY and … well here, read his post…

DAY 325 FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2012

Material things are all gone. House, 2 cars, all my clothes and possessions. Vanished into the storm. Feels cathartic, nowhere to go but up. FORWARD...
Thanks for the love, all is well health wise, puppies are great, wife is safe, at Mother in laws until we make a plan...

Can you imagine? I can’t…I can’t even begin to imagine losing everything that was mine. We dealt with flooding this summer and it was bad here. My parents lost years of things from their basement. We spent hundreds of dollars putting it back together just to have it flood once again but it’s good now but they still have their house, the belongs we could save and what wasn’t drenched. But I can’t imagine losing it all. Please just keep praying for everyone out there.

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These are me. I have not had a day off in three weeks. No complaints but over tired.

Today was my first day off and I had a craft show with my best friend/business partner. We didn’t do to bad and were able to make a bunch of people happy.

 

Brenda and I. Phone cameras aren’t the greatest but they do help us document our adventures.

Now is the time to relax and enjoy the rest of the weekend except there is at least a ton of coal that has to be shoveled tomorrow after we go shopping for the week but hopefully it’ll go fast and then we can just relax a bit.

Next week I start my new cleaning job. It’s a 5 hour 2x a month job and I’m hoping to fit it in between bus routes. I have Joss (daycare wee one) on Wednesday between runs and am planning on hitting the gym 3 times and possible a 4th next Saturday. No activities as of today but will find out on Monday for sure for the week.

Just wanted to check in. Hope that all is well with everyone. I try and stop in and check up on you, I don’t always leave a comment but do know I’m around and thinking and praying for you all. Take care my friends. Blessings!!

P.S. Because I keep forgetting to tell you. My sister has made it two weeks now out of the hospital. She has some major health issues and her physically well being is so bad but she’s hanging in there. My aunt is getting stronger and do well after her heart attack. My grandma heads home from Florida on Monday, I still think it’s amazing at 95 she gets on a plane and goes visit family. Just an update here.