How Nice

This is the cross stitch that Jamie made for her mom's 50th birthday. Jamie is a beginner cross stitcher, but she did a fantastic job on this. I have one of those calendars sitting on my desk that has a different cross stitch design each day. We look forward to seeing each new day's design. It has the directions on the back of each sheet. She had this done and framed since November, but her mom's b-day wasn't until later in the December. I didn't want to post the pic until I knew her mom wouldn't see the pic on my blog.

Thank Goodness

My new Dell power adaptor arrived on Wednesday while I was at work. They sent a big empty box along with it, just in case the computer still didn't work and needed to be returned (not a good sign....). The adaptor worked, but when I turned the computer on, there was a blue screen telling me that windows had been shut down, with instructions as to what to do to try and recover. Nothing seemed to work, I couldn't get rid of the blue screen.

Well, what good luck....Renee knows computers!! I asked her about it; she said in the business they call that blue screen, 'the screen of death!!' Well, wasn't I just thrilled!!

She clicked on an option that I was afraid to click on and fortunately, everything came back! I have my computer back....YIPPEE!!

Finally, I am still learning how to operate my new digital camera. I downloaded the software last night in order to be able to download the pictures from the camera. My old camera was also a Canon, so I was hoping I could just use that software to download the pictures, but it didn't seem to work. Plus this new software has more things you can do with the pictures, like make panoramic pictures, get rid of red-eye, and add text to the pictures.

More Pics

I seem to be able to only post a total of four pictures per entry; I don't know if it's just me, or that is the norm, but tonite it took about ten minutes to upload each picture, I don't feel like uploading more than four, and then having it not show up on the blog!

Adam, Joshua and Alyssa...they chose to stand further apart, so it didn't look like Adam was sooo tall and Josh was sooo short!!

Josh's mom, Renee, and I grew up together. We met when my parents and I moved to Wind Gap when I was in kindergarten and Renee was three and her brother Todd was only 1. We were very close all our lives. Renee and Todd's mom and dad were almost like my pseudo-parents! Renee and her family (including her brother and parents) have since moved to Georgia, so we rarely see them. They came to Pennsylvania to spend some time with her husband's family this past week. They spent the afternoon with us today. Josh is in 7th grade, while Adam is in 9th.

See what I mean?!?!?

Christmas Pics

Our nephews, Kieran and Conor

Arrangement we sent Chris, Fiona and family to adorn table at Christmas Dinner (Note peacock feather in the arrangement-the flower shop recently changed its name from Something Special to The Paisley Peacock-apparently every arrangement has a peacock feather in it)

Alyssa, pondering her new wind up flashlight

Adam, with the hat Alyssa gave him, after he opened his new Sears Craftsman tool set

Merry Christmas, Etc....

A Merry Christmas to all my readers...I hope you all have a blessed one and a healthy and happy New Year. Just a few thoughts:

+ Alyssa is supposed to have her wisdom teeth out on Wednesday. I don't know if it's gonna happen or not. She has a miserable cold. I need to make a decision by tomorrow. I'm thinking that unless she has a miraculous recovery overnight, we'll be postponing the surgery.

+ This was the first year that Kurt and I were the first ones up on Christmas morning. And that wasn't until almost nine o'clock!! We had to even rush to be able to leave for church on time. Adam had it all planned out last night...we would get up by 7, open our gifts and be ready to leave for church on time. Ha! He was the last one to get up!!

+ Alyssa had a solo today during the service at church. I felt bad for her having this nasty cold. I think she did a wonderful job under the circumstances. She didn't feel quite the same way, however. She thought she did a terrible job.

+ We had a wonderful time at Chris and Fiona's house this evening. She served a delicious Christmas meal! It was just us, Kurt's parents and Chris, Fiona and their boys.

+ My living room is a MESS!! There are opened Christmas presents everywhere and empty boxes laying all over the place. I told everyone it needs to be cleaned up tomorrow while I am at work. We'll see how that goes....LOL!

+ It's been years since I have worked the day after Christmas. I'm not looking forward to it, but I am glad I don't have to be at work at 7, like I had to do when I still worked at the hospital. 9 o'clock is just fine, thank you very much...LOL!!

+ I'm off to bed...g'nite!

Stay Tuned

My AC adaptor on my six month old Dell computer has died. It's been working on and off for several weeks now, more on than off, so I wasn't sure if there was indeed a problem. Well, tonite it totally crapped out, so I am forced to use my old laptop. Fortunately, the computer is still under warranty. I spent about an hour trying to connect to Dell's live chat, but when I finally did, they are sending me out a new adaptor at no charge. Heaven only knows why it crapped out after only six months.

Anyway, the point of this entry is to say that I may not post pictures until I get the new adaptor. I was just ready to post the picture of Jamie's beautiful cross stitch that she did for her mom's 50th birthday. I have had a picture of it for weeks, but didn't want to post the picture until after her mom's birthday, just in case she would look at my blog. I didn't want to ruin the surprise. I realized just as I was ready to begin that the picture is on the other computer!!

I expect the new adaptor by Wednesday/Thursday next week at the latest.

How Nice

Yesterday morning when I got into the office, this beautiful flower arrangement was sitting on my desk. I couldn't imagine who it was from. Turns out it had been sent by one of my transplant patient's thanking me for all I had done for him this past year! I truly appreciated his gesture! Several hours later another arrangement came....it was from the same patient thanking his physician and the staff for all their care throughout the year. How nice was that?!?!?

Christmas Cantata

Sunday night was the annual Christmas Cantata at our church. Kurt sings in it every year, and Alyssa has participated the last two years. I tape it every year so we can show it to Kurt's parents. His mom was a music major in college, has taught piano lessons privately for years and enjoys anything involving music. His dad is pretty much house bound, so they'll never be able to attend one of the cantatas, so this is the next best thing.

Alyssa and Bethany

How Cool Is That?!??!?

Alyssa and her friend Sarah went to Karlie's house today to decorate gingerbread houses. It was the first time Alyssa ever had the opportunity to do something like that. I think she did a fantastic job! I've never had the chance to decorate one...mine would probably look like a tornado had gone over it...LOL!! Check out the pics...

Amazing!

Alyssa told me about this; said her Economics teacher told the class about it. If I hadn't seen it, I don't think I would have believed it!!

I Wasn't Gonna Do It

I didn't think there was any time to make any Christmas cookies, but I just couldn't resist getting the ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies today while I was grocery shopping at Redner's. Alyssa and I made a double batch of oatmeal/chocolate chip cookies and single batch of peanut butter chocolate chip swirl cookies. I kinda feel like I should make something more festive or holiday-ish, but I don't know if I'll get around to it.



Alyssa and I made a good team...I mixed the dry ingredients, she mixed the wet ingredients...she put them on the cookie sheet, I took them off...she dirtied the dishes, I washed them!!

As quickly as we made them, you-know-who was eating them!!

Yummy Recipe

Disclaimer: Contains pecans
People love this snack everywhere I take it! I have people coming up to me telling me how yummy it is. Please give it a try...it's not difficult to make...


Crispix Mix

12 oz. Crispix
4 cups miniature pretzels
1 lb. pecan halves
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light karo syrup
1 tsp. vanilla


Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Use large disposable aluminum foil pan and spray completely with Pam.

In pan, mix pretzels, nuts and cereal.

In saucepan, put butter, brown sugar and karo syrup. Cook for five minutes, but DO NOT STIR. (I have no idea why that is, and if any of you can tell me why, I'd love to know...LOL! I'll tell you I have cheated and stirred it slightly and it's turned out just fine!)

Remove butter/brn sugar/karo syrup combo from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over mixture in pan and mix well with large metal spoon. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Delicious!

Gotta Vent

I have just about had it. I gave up a long time ago trying to keep my house neat, because I basically live with a bunch of slobs. Everything just drops wherever and then just stays there unless I repeatedly ask for it to be put away. And then there's the member of the family who has to be asked time and time again to put their things away. And what happens? It gets moved from one spot it doesn't belong to another spot it doesn't belong. For those of you who have never been to my house or it's been forever since you have been invited, I apologize, but I refuse to have company when my house is a mess. And, yes, I realize there is a difference between clean and neat. And, no, I don't regularly clean my house. Why, you ask? It's tough to clean around the mess....so why bother? Just don't invite anyone to your house...that takes care of the situation.
So then there's those times that I do try to straighten up and clean and dust...and then I get nothing but grief, "There must be company coming, Mom's cleaning..." I just can't win around here. And as I am grumbling under my breath trying to clean around crap all over the place, I am getting angrier and angrier, so by the time I am done, I am just furious and more than likely in tears. (As is the current case....)

A Few More Pics

Alyssa and her awards

Alyssa and Rachel

Proud Parents

Alyssa receiving her award

Alyssa thanking God and her family for everything and telling the group that she intends on studying secondary education in the field of math and spanish

Alyssa, Rachel, Nick and Steven
(Alyssa and Nick were December Students of the Month, Rachel and Steven were November Students of the Month)

Michele, Alyssa, Rachel and Monica


Alyssa was honored this evening by the Northampton Exchange Club as December's Girl Student of the Month. Three other students (November and December honorees) were recognized, as well. Each month during the school year they honor a boy and girl from Northampton High School for their academic and extra-curricular achievements. The November Girl Student of the Month is my best friend Monica's daughter, Rachel.

Each of the families were invited to the dinner program. We all went to support Alyssa, including Nani. It was her first outing since her second surgery. We sat at the table with Joe, Monica and Rachel. There are approximately 503 students in the senior class; how ironic that Alyssa and Rachel were chosen back to back as students of the month. I knew that Rachel was going to be at the dinner, but Monica had no clue until we walked in that Alyssa would be there, as well.

Kinda Late

Yahoo vs. Google: You decide! by ZDNet's Donna Bogatin -- Holidays are not complete without the cheery, or in this Halloween case, scary, theme logo designs put forth at the Google and Yahoo homepages. Arch rivals Google and Yahoo are facing off again in the battle of celebratory holiday logos on this Halloween day! Below are the competing entrants. Which Halloween logo design best celebrates Halloween? You decide! [...]

Latest Work Of Art

Shhh, don't tell Pete and Lauren about this! They won't see it until Christmas....

I started working on this cross stitch back in February shortly after I found out that Lauren was pregnant. At that time, they didn't know the sex of the baby. They eventually found out they were having a little boy, but decided to keep his name a surprise until he was born.

Imagine my surprise when I found out they had named him Noah! How appropriate was my cross stitch?!?!?!?

Unbelievable!

Guess you just never know....

Stuff

Here it is! This is the Austin Heeley that Kurt has been working on for years (and, yes, I do mean years...LOL!). He got the engine going this weekend and he and Adam took it for a spin around the block. Note Adam's eye protection...I guess it was to keep the dust out of his eyes from the high (!!) speeds....NOT!

Mom's friends brought these flowers for her today from their church in Nazareth. Aren't they beautiful? (I suspect they were white as today was Christ the King Sunday; the colors in church were white...)

I Am Pathetic

This morning was the annual football clash between Northampton and Catasauqua. It was actually the first Turkey Day game Alyssa ever attended. It was also her last. The game was broadcast on WAEB-AM. As I listened to the game on the radio, every time I heard the announcers mention this was the seniors last game ever, I had to hold back the tears. As I write this now, I'm tearing up....how pathetic is that?!?!? It's not like she's been doing this every year...it was only the first time she played with the band for a Turkey Day game! I keep thinking that all of these "last" things she is doing and how it is the "last" time she is doing it. The kids just laugh at me!

Oh, and ps....Northampton 35, Catasauqua 14...WAHOO!!

Houston, We Have A Problem

This could pose a problem! They are both out like a light! And I took this picture at 11:30 p.m. Not a problem...Nani can sleep on that comfortable dining room chair!

She's Home...Finally!

Mom finally came home late today after her second hospitalization in three weeks. She is going to be spending a few weeks with us....actually more than just a few weeks, I guess. We now have a bed in our kitchen! And a television, and a shower chair, and a wicker chair, and a walker, and a television stand, and a bedside stand, and a few suitcases....and so on, and so on, and so on!! It'll be a challenge for a while, but we'll all get through it, I'm sure. She's just thrilled to be home!

This is where the hutch used to be!!

I Hate To Be The One To Tell You This...

That's what Alyssa was greeted with earlier today when she was called into the Guidance office. The Guidance Counselor's face was very solemn. She was petrified...she didn't know what she had done.

He said, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this,....... but you have been chosen as the Exchange Club's December Student of the Month!!" Whew....was she relieved!

What an honor for her! We are both so proud of her! There are 503 students in the Senior Class of 2007...to be one of a select few is such an accomplishment.

I believe she will be invited to a dinner honoring her in December. In addition to a female student, they also choose a male student to be honored. She said parents are welcome, but not obligated to attend. You better believe we'll be there!!

I had that same privilege when I was a senior in high school....and that was only a few years ago...LOL!!

He Blew It

I told him he's in trouble! Adam has ruined my blog! He was camping with scouts this weekend; you all heard the weather forecasts...it was supposed to rain. Did it??? No.........

He said, "OK, Mom, it spritzed a little on Friday night when we got there. Does that make you feel better?"

You're darn right it does!

This and That....

*One word....RAIN....

*We did one of our first LASTS this past weekend. It was senior night at the football game. All the senior football players, band members and cheerleaders were honored. Since this is the first year Alyssa has participated in part time marching band, it wasn't quite as emotional for me. Alyssa kept looking at me asking, "Are you crying yet?!?!?" I think if she had participated in marching band throughout high school, it would have been more sentimental.

*Many of you know my mom had a total hip replacement three weeks ago. She did well, and after a week of rehab, she went home. After just a week of being home, she landed back in the hospital with a displaced fracture of her femur (thigh bone). Everyone has asked, "What did she do wrong??" Well, it seems like she did nothing wrong. She doesn't remember stumbling, tripping, twisting incorrectly, etc. On Monday, she went back to the OR and had a left hip revision and her femur wired together. She's pretty much starting all over again. She spent this whole week in the hospital and was transferred today to rehab. The only difference this time as opposed to last time (two weeks ago), is that she'll be coming to stay with us for a while. Also, where she could put as much weight as tolerated on her affected leg, now she can't put any weight on it. This is because in addition to having a hip replacement that needs to heal, she also has a fracture that needs to heal.

Big 'N' Band

I had to take a few pics of Alyssa earlier tonite to email to one of the band mom's, so thought I'd post them on my blog as well. Look at those dimples!! Enjoy!

The Producers

Alyssa and Adam are crazy about the movie The Producers. Both of them know the words to all the songs and can practically recite the movie verbatim. When I saw that the play was coming to the State Theater in Easton, I couldn't resist surprising them with tickets to the show. The four of us went on Sunday afternoon; the show was fabulous. The kids really enjoyed it! The play really followed the movie...sometimes there can be a huge difference in the play vs. the movie.

I meant to take this picture prior to the show, but as we were walking to the theater from the parking garage, we came across a woman who had tripped and fallen on the cobblestone sidewalk. She had a significant nosebleed and was asking to have an ambulance come. Of course, I couldn't walk away...so by the time I called 911 and the ambulance was on the way, it was almost show time. So I got this picture as we drove away after the show was over...unfortunately, they had already changed the marquee to the next show!! So, no...we didn't see Dorothy the Dinosaur...LOL!!

Quiz

Anyone care to venture a guess as to where Adam is this weekend? Winner gets the personal satisfaction of having the correct answer....

Miscellaneous Ramblings

*The high school is currently undergoing a major renovation. This is the second time my kids have had the privilege of their school being torn up. During the end of their elementary years there was an addition being put on that school, and they had the joy of no electricity, broken water pipes, white haze throughout the building, etc. Now as they are both in the high school, they again are having to live through the nightmare! As the renovations began in the high school, they had to remove the portables in the back of the building. This in turn, lessened the amount of classroom space. As a result, they put classrooms in the basement and also divided the gym into several classrooms. The gym classrooms are a different story for another day!! There have been parents complaining that their kids who have classes in the basement have been sick since the beginning of school and are blaming it on mold, etc. Alyssa came home last week and said all the classes in the basement are being moved out; I'm not sure if it's because there is indeed a health issue or not down there. Two of her classes have just been moved up to the first floor, but her honors psych class will now be held in the middle school. Now, I don't have anything against the middle school...it's a lovely place (Dave...LOL)...but it's a bit of a hike from the high school. And it's not an indoor hike...she has to go out in the elements (wind, rain, snow, cold, heat, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc....) to get there. One would assume the high school would protect these kids from the elements, but I have been told by reliable sources that there are no intentions of doing that. One would then assume that these kids would be given extra time to get to class, in order to be able to get their coats from their lockers if they so choose, plus allow them enough time to get down to the middle school and back. My reliable sources tell me they are being given an extra 60 seconds...whoa...so now they have 5 minutes instead of 4 minutes...how generous can they be?!?!?!?!?

*Kurt is in Denmark this week. I can't decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing this particular week! It has been absolutely nuts with mom in the hospital and trying to coordinate all the running, working, halloween parades, meals, boy scouts, etc by myself. It would have been nice to have some help. But then again, as I thought about it, I also decided it was nice to not have to worry about him coming home from work and expecting a meal in front of him. We could come and go as we pleased. Anyone who knows me, knows that when Kurt's away, we eat out. And thank goodness Alyssa is driving now; that has been a HUGE help!

Cute Kittens

Macy Moose at the window seat

Macy enjoying the fresh air

Sassy hanging out on the sofa

Frodo asleep on my lap

Frodo looking comfortable

Homecoming Dance 2006

First let me preface this by saying I did the stupidest thing....I took pictures of the three girls plus Alyssa who met here before going to the homecoming dance. I planned on posting the pictures that same night, but when i went to download them onto the computer, I accidentally hit the DELETE button. I could have cried! It was only four pictures, but they were the only ones I had! Fortunately, Alyssa had taken her camera with her, so I called her on her cell phone and asked her to be sure she took some pictures, so I could at least post some of those pictures. Silly me!

This was Alyssa's first and last Homecoming Dance; she never had any interest in attending any of the other ones. Her outfit plus accessories cost close to $200 (don't tell Kurt...LOL). I decided I could explain it away by suggesting he divide that cost by 4 (freshman,sophomore, junior, senior years...). If you look at it that way, it really only cost $50 for this year! Sounds right, doesn't it?!?!?!?

Alyssa and that smile of hers

Alyssa, Karlie and Sarah (L-R)

Alyssa and Karlie...self portrait

Friends outside

Friends inside

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 22nd anniversary. Some days it feels like that has been forever, other days it seems like just yesterday. But for the majority, it seems like FOREVER...LOL!! Kurt had these beautiful flowers delivered to my office. They arrived sometime between noon and one o'clock while I was out to lunch. I just now told him that was when they came. He was shocked and I couldn't understand why. Here he said that he only called the florist in Nazareth just before noon!! Now I'm afraid they took the flowers from someone else (maybe someone's funeral...LOL!!) to get them to me so fast! It's about a fifteen minute drive from Nazareth to Easton. Kurt said he was afraid that when he called that late they wouldn't even guarantee delivery today yet!

We went to dinner at the Hanoverville Roadhouse with another couple from church who share the same anniversary as we do. Shortly after we joined the church, they began talking about what the weather was the day they got married....it sounded so much like what the weather was like the day we got married. Turned out we actually got married the same exact day....us at 3 pm and them at 4 pm (at different churches). So we are married one hour longer than them!!

Cool Sites

Here are two cool web sites:

First, the Kim Komando site gives you cool computer links...

Second, this link was on the Kim Komando web site. I used it to resize my picture that I just changed in my profile. Best of all, it's free!!

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy.....

One down and one to go....Alyssa received her acceptance letter today from Shippensburg University!! How exciting! Unfortunately, it's not her first choice...that's the main campus at PSU. She won't hear from them til sometime in December probably. So now it's a waiting game....

Collegiate Band Festival

Kutztown University

Alyssa got tickets for her and I to attend the 11th annual Collegiate Marching Band Festival which was held today at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown. I wasn't really looking forward to going, but I had a fantastic time! The festival featured seventeen of the nation's finest college marching bands. College bands from as far away as Massachusetts and Virginia participated. Some bands had as few as 65 members, while one had 350 members. We weren't expecting the hot sun, though! I never even thought to bring sunscreen....it's October, for heaven's sake!! Alyssa and I both have sunburn on the right side of our faces!! Here are some pictures...be sure to click on them so they enlarge....there will be more of an impact with a full size picture.

Slippery Rock

Shippensburg University

University of Delaware