Its Been 3 Years Today!!

I stopped smoking 3 years ago today!!!  I'm doing so great.  I'm now on the path of convincing my hubby to quit too.  If he only knew or understood the smell.  Trying to explain it to him doesn't work.  But once he quits he will understand the smoke is bad.  I'm glad we don't smoke in the house, so I don't have to deal with that.  My father inlaw is very sick (not from smoking) he has heart disease.  They say it runs in the family and my hubby being a smoker doesn't help his chances.  So I'm taking advantage hoping he will quit with some nudging.  After 3 years I'm thinking I won't go back but then I learned my sister inlaw who quit 11 years ago went back to smoking..  I hope and pray that life will not lead me back to smoking!  But I know today I won't be smoking.  Celebrate!

Every year before  Christmas we as a family and a few of the kids friends go out for pizza and then we drive around looking a Christmas displays.  Last year we found this display.. So I came home and watched it again on you tube. It is great!  Love the song.

I think I'm driving my family nuts.  This year I finally got brave enough to ship out large blowmolds in bubble wrap and heavy plastic instead of a box.  By doing this is easier for me, I don't have to find a box and the it saves tonz of money on shipping costs.  So far so good, none damaged yet.  However my uncles first time shipping in this manner the buyer complained that it arrived smashed.  So now my uncle won't ship that way.  I've had my biggest year for blowmolds and I've very happy with the profits of this year because of it.  However I am now blowmold obsessed.  Every display with a blowmold I get excited and try to guess a price and wish that it was mine.  Mental note to myself for next years rummage sales to stop at those houses because they might be in the market to sell theirs!!  LOL!  My family is gonna throw me out of the vehicle!

I've got some cleaning and cooking to do today before the family arrives.  Plus one ebay purchase I made (a santa gift) has not arrived.  It had plenty of time with first class parcel shipping...  Man my fingers and toes are crossed it comes today, it was the crown jewel of her gifts.  They aren't getting much to open it's pretty much all money.  So I really hope it arrives. 

Merry Christmas!

New Years Resolutions

Things I want to change this year.  Now that all the Christmas things are stored away and 2011 is behind me.

New carpet in the bedrooms, walk in closet. I'm having a new built in made for the walk in closet.  New flooring in the bathroom.  Paint the bedrooms, walk in and bathroom.  All new curtains and bedding in the bedrooms. 

Buy new furniture.  I can't stand shopping for furniture.  I can't make up my mind.  I want leather but I can't buy that.  We don't have the air conditioner on everyday during the summer and I sweat to much siting on leather.   So I don't know what I can live with for the life of the furniture.  Our current furniture we bought new 14 years ago and I still like it.  However it's out of style and showing wear.  So it's time to move on.  So I have to trust my gut and not stress so much about my decision.

I want to be more organized.  I know where most everything is but it's not as neat as I would like.  I think I would have more room for my things.  I want to purge things I don't need or use any more. 

I want to change the way I put things off.  Especially letting things pile up in the kitchen.  No more letting ebay stuff sit on the table.  I have shelves in the basement for that.  

One thing that I don't want to change is working out.  I have been so faithful working out each morning.  However I haven't lost any weight in a month.  I'm still ok with that as long as I don't gain, it was the holiday season.  Well now that the season is over I hope to continue to lose weight.  I really really love the new clothes and the way they fit. 

I'm sure there are many more things I will change in the new year but these are the things in the near future.  These change will be a good start for 2012!

My Best Friend

This was taken the other day when we exchanged gifts.  We have been best friends since 8th grade.  We have been through everything together.. my maid of honor, god mother to my daughter and a shoulder to cry on and laugh with.

Christmas Card Photos

Two of my favorite people!

Simply the best! 

Merry Christmas

My Daughter is working

Nicci my daughter is now working with me as a dishwasher/buser!  I trained her last night and she did a great job.  Hopefully she will keep up the good work and then become a hostess there.  They make more money.  She is saving to buy a car and pay for her gas and insurance.  I'm so lucky to be able to work with her.

My Hero

My Son

My Hero

On Saturday we were invited to a graduation party of a family friend.  My husband was upnorth and late getting back, so Philip went to the party ahead of us.  When hubby came home we left for the party.  As we were walking up the drive way to the party I could hear yelling and I saw Philip from behind and he was all wet and yelling about something.  By the time I got up there I realized that the family friends grandson who is 2 was also all wet. And it was becoming clearer that Philip had just pulled him from the pond.  Philip had found the little boy floating face down in their pond.  Philip had pulled him out of the water saving his life.  The little boy wondered away from the party and some how got into the pond.  The little boy is fine, he has some water in his lungs and a bit shaken by all the fussing over him.  Philip was shaking like you wouldn't believe.   This was the second time he saved someone's life.  Earlier in the year, Philip stopped a friend from suicide.  Philip is now a guardian angel to 2 people.  I always knew my son was special and I love him so much.  I'm the luckiest person to have him in my life every single day.  

Nicci Lettered in Pride!

My daughter lettered in Pride!! I'm excited!

The Monster Truck

This is the MONSTER TRUCK

My son bought this truck and rebuild it first as a muddy truck and then he super sized it with 30 inch tractor tires and new heavy duty axles!  Isn't it cool.  Extremely hard to drive and steer.  He will be hauling it to the pipeline in a few weeks.  He is so proud of this project..  well so am I!!

What life is like at 98

My grandmother is 98 and lives at a local assistant living center.  Her eyes are failing, walking is difficult and her hearing isn't what it used to be.  Every time I see her she tells me that it's a bummer to be 98.  I know she is very proud of her age, but I think she is well aware of how her body is wearing out.  Some many of her friends have passed and most of family members from her generation has also passed.  One out of her five children has passed (my dad).  All of her children are elderly now and can't care for her.  It's even hard for them to visit.  Most of her grandchildren and great grandchildren don't visit.  So it's lonely for her.  She can't see well enough for her beloved crafts or even to see the TV.  Up until today meals were the high light of her day.  Today my mom went to visit and grandma was waiting for lunch in the gathering room.  Mom said she was so sad looking, much like she is giving up.  She said the workers at the home won't let her sleep.  She said that's really all she wants to do is sleep.  Grandma asked mom to take her back to her room so she could sleep.  Mom was completely surprised that she didn't want to eat.  She had no interest.  Meal time is the most important thing in her day.  This is not a good sign, grandma is giving up.  Mom took grandma back to her room and went to find the supervisor.  She said they would bring something for grandma to eat and check on her.  Which I'm glad they are going to do, however this act is going to make her upset because she only wants to sleep.  When I heard this I wanted to run there and see her but I don't want her to be upset with me for bothering her.  I don't want her being upset be the last time I see her either.  So I will visit tomorrow.  I will pray for her today that hopefully she will bounce back over night.  I know the holidays are rough the elderly but this is very unusual her. 

We Need Your Vote

I voted early.. 

Remember it's your right as a citizen..

When you vote you have the right to boost about the good things in government.

 You also have the right to change the things that aren't right when you vote.

If you don't vote you are letting everyone else make decisions for you!!

But when you don't vote you just let another one of your rights slip away!!! 

Please take the time, because  you have to live with your decision not to vote for 2/4 years.

BJ and the Bear Greg Evigan

bAre you old enough to remember BJ and the Bear.  It was about a trucker and his chimp called Bear.  It was broad casted in the 1970's.  There was always a caper that needed to be solved, sexy women to rescue and bear was always in the right place and the right time to help.  I know cheesy, but I keep thinking about it and would love to watch some the episodes.  However it has not been released on DVD and the last time I looked I couldn't find any full episodes online.

But hey I always have this...

Greg's still hot after all these years.  This photo was taken in Iola WI in 2008 at the Carshow.  You are asking why he is at the carshow.  It's because of the semi he drove was restored and was on tour.

You might be saying he looks like the guy from the TV show My Two Dads, a show from the 1980's.  You would be right.  I liked that show too.  I just checked and my library system doesn't have that show.  At least I can buy it.  Not like BJ and the Bear,  Judging Amy, Third Watch Season 3 through season 6 and Party of Five from season 4 through 6. Are still not completely released.  Judging Amy hasn't had any of the seasons released yet.  I understand it has something to do with the music rights used in the show.  They are not released online so I can't watch them at all.   And the others are very slow to release the complete series.  I don't understand why. 





I'm very disappointed in CBS, they don't show full episodes on their website.  Usually this doesn't matter to me.  But it's nice if I miss a show on ABC I can go to their website and watch it.  Well I watch all three of the CSI's.  I have been watching since day one of Las Vegas.  Well Miami was on Mondays and New York was on Wednesday's which is perfect for me because I rarely work on these days and there are broadcasted in the slot before the late news.  So I get to see the shows most of the time.  WELL some brilliant broad caster decided to move NY to Friday night and Miami to Sunday nights.  I work most every Friday and Sunday nights, so I will be missing them.  Which upsets me, there are so very little programing I actually like.  Now there are 2 less shows I will not be watching regularly.  Why would CBS move 2 popular shows to nights that are not the highest rated nights???  Are they trying to kill these 2 shows??  Early summer I saw the previews for Blue Bloods on CBS and I was excited because I really like Tom Selleck.  Come to find out the time slot if Friday night, so count me out for watching that show regularly too.  I also was disappointed in CBS for canceling Cold Case.  It was on Sunday's nights and every chance I got I would watch it.  They canceled after the season finale was broad casted, so the ending was left up in the air with the season finale.  No series finale.   I wanted to rewatch the finale and I couldn't because they don't have full episodes on their website.  Grr.  So anyway, hubby is working over time and I'm off tonight so I was home to watch Blue Bloods and CSI NY.  I like Blue Bloods wish I could watch it every week.  And what happened to Stella on CSI NY?  Why is she not on the show any more?  Her replacement is Sela Ward, I like Sela Ward, but she is more of mom figure then a science geek/cop.  I really liked Stella, I can't remember her real name, but she will be missed... when I get to see the show.  

Your asking why don't I record it.  My DVD player doesn't record and we don't have a DVR.  I do have a TV tuner on my computer with a digital converter BUT now that the TV shows are in HD the sizes of shows are huge and take up so much of my hard drive.  I have a big hard drive but I have a hard time watching recorded TV before the next weeks show that they build up in my TV folder and it fills my hard drive so thats not working for me either.

Right now I'm watching Party of Five series, this show was broadcasted in the late 1990's and ran for 6 seasons.  The first 3 seasons are released on DVD.  The other 3 seasons don't have release dates yet.   But season 4 and 5 are online.  I couldn't find season 6.  The show is about 5 children ranging from 24, 15, 16, 11 year olds and a  new born.  They are lead by their 24 year brother who knows what he wants to do in his life however is held back time after time by his brothers and sisters whom he is their guardian.  Many of the situations are very real and are dealt with in real life ways, however they are times later in the seasons were the situations and the solutions are not in the real world. However by that time you are invested in each character, which keeps you watching.  It's weird to see Jack from Lost being Charlie in Party of five!!!  It's strange to see the other characters calling Jack, Charlie!  When Party of Five started Neve Campbell 21 who played Julia 15.  Scott Wolf was 26 and played Bailey 16.  Matthew Fox was 28 and played Charlie 24.  I couldn't believe Scott and Neve played such younger characters, they did a great job looking that young and their acting was spotless.  I can't believe how many guest stars on there went on to much better parts.  Hyde from Thats 70'a show, 2 actors from ER, and even Kate Hudson.   Even Carroll O Connor, he played Archie Bunker on All in the Family and was on the show In the Heat of the Night.  There were many more but I didn't keep track and my mind is drawing a blank.  I can't wait to see who else shows up on the show. 

I know it seems like I watch alot of TV which I don't.  However when I have the DVD seasons from the library I have the TV on playing these shows continuously because I only have a week to watch a whole season before it has to go back.  So it's playing however I'm not watching...  I'm listening when I'm cooking, cleaning, couponing, blogging, doing wash and working on ebay.  So yeah I might be missing some episodes doing it that way, but I only have a week loan from the library.  Well now you know about my TV watching habits.  I know you were dying to know!!  LOL

What Would I never Buy Used

This one is easy.  not much

• food
• shoes (unless they are they clearly new)
• underwear & bras
• socks

What Would I Pay Full Price For

What would I pay full price for:

• Def Leppard Concert (OK any concert, I have never won free tickets to anything, that would be fun tho!)
• Gas
• Stamps
• Doctor Visits
• Prescriptions
• Movie popcorn
• Electricity & other utilities

Ok...  are you getting the idea I don't buy much without a coupon or discount!  It's true.  I'm FRUGAL people!