Legs in Love

One of my favorite Christmas gifts I received was from, well, myself.  I had seen a pair of fleece-lined tights in the store in December.  Since I live in a frigid state, Montana not my personailty (!), I decided to go ahead and pick those up for my Christmas stocking  Yes, I fill my own stocking and wouldn't have it any other way.  That way I get some special goodies for myself, by myself.  

It wasn't until last Monday that I put the tights on.  And I haven't taken them off since.  Ok, not really, but let's just say I'm willing to wear skirts to work again.  They are warmer than any pants I own and they seriously feel better than my jammies!  

You got legs?  You got cold?  You need fleece-lined tights!

Brought to you by the "Keep Our Legs Warm Society"

Hands Free

I've been hearing voices inside my head lately.  

 

I'm loving my new bluetooth.  I didn't think I would, but not only am I using it in the car now (new law!) but yesterday I two-handedly put on my makeup and made dinner while chatting on the phone.

With that blue light flashing on the side of my head, I just can help but feel like a robot...or Chuck Clark.

Friends: I Have One

Three years.  That's how long it takes me to make friends.  We've figured that out about me over the last, oh, thirty years or so.  And since most of our moves were made close to the three year mark, you can imagine I have left a very slim string of friends spread across the country.  Now mind you, I have 1204 friends on facebook.  So sure, I know a whole lot of people.  And for our 13-year-stay in Siloam Springs, I can proudly boast of lots of friends including one very bestest friend. (Hey, Trish!)

There have been several times since moving to Bozeman three-and-a-half years ago that I have whined "I wish I had a friend here."  That usually happens when I have free time and no one to spend it with.  I'm not really one that likes to be alone.  I thought having seven children would take care of that, but most of them have had the nerve to grow up all adult-like and move out!

So this afternoon, when I realized no one would be home for dinner, I called a friend to see if she could meet me for dinner out.  It was short notice.  And she lives a busy life mothering the last of her six sons.  So I fully expected her to be busy, but I called her anyway.  And we made a date!

It felt really wonderful to sit at the restaurant and chat, and chat, and we chatted a little more.  Three hours later our food was only half eaten and we were still abuzz catching up on each other's lives.  Since we have 13 children, 5 kids-in-law, and 6 grandbabes between us (we have grandsons born on the same day!) there were lots of stories to tell.  It was only the nervous glaring of our waitress that convinced us to bring our conversation to an end.  Although her nervous glaring did diminish when we added an exceedingly large tip to our check.

As we were parting our ways in the parking lot, my friend yelled to me, "You think we'll ever get caught up?"
"Probably not", I replied.

And that may be what defines a good friend to me.  Someone you never get caught up with. 

How Do You Iritate an Esophagus?

David has been complaining the last couple of days about his "heart hurting" whenever he swallows.  Excuse me, what?  Yesterday at breakfast he cringed when he tried swallowing.  Last night at dinner, he all but collapsed on the floor as he took a bite of my ever-so-wonderful enchilada casserole.  He excused himself from the table after that one bite, and laid on the couch for the rest of the night.  I felt his forehead, checking for fever, thinking maybe strep throat?  He did feel a bit warm, or maybe my hands were just cold.  Some say we keep our house a little chilly.  Those people wear hoodies 24/7.  David went to bed feeling glum.

This morning he woke up early for basketball practice.  (Please don't get the impression he bounded out of bed, ready for his day...that is never the case.)  One bite into his oatmeal left him reeling off the stool.  His anger flared.  Maybe it was frustration.  Maybe confusion.  But it sure looked like anger.  I don't like anger.  There.

Jim was able to take him to the doc and found out that what he may be suffering, and I mean suffering from is an irritated esophagus.  Meds on the counter, our eyes keeping a watch on him, and no hot or spicy foods. 

Only one question...how do you irritate your esophagus? 

12 in 2012

Goals/resolutions/dreams are all hard for me to write down.  Somehow I feel like if I write them down, and I don't accomplish them, I have failed.  I do not like to fail.  I like to win.  Maybe you already know that about me.  But in an effort to keep up with the cool kids, I am going to list...       

12 Want-Tos for 2012.

1.  Bake a cheesecake with Grace

2.  Make two baby blankets

3.  Vacation with Jim in Glacier National Park

4.  Go to Maggiano's in Chicago with Bethany

5.  Paint our front door red

6.  Pay off our credit card

7.  Rearrange our bedroom

8.  Finish Lonesome Dove

9.  Find a mentee

10.  Purchase new shelving for the garage

11.  Exercise wisely

12.  Eat more fruit

Get Away

The day after the last of our Christmas guests left, Jim and I left town for a minication.  We drove ALL the way to Livingston, spent the night and had a fabulous breakfast and morning drive.

Breakfast at the Beanery

Good food.  Better company.

Original 1902 building that sits along the tracks in Livingston, MT.

Great customer service including free coffee!

A mountain drive.

A lone deer watching us pass.

A very big sky.

My favorite wildlife.

Runaway Bride?

The bride shifted nervously on her feet.  Her bouquet was getting heavy and she looked pale.  Finally Jim asked "Are you okay?"  She replied "I need to sit down".  One of the groomsmen brought a chair to her.  She sat, breathing shallowly.  She got up, left the sanctuary, and Jessie whispered in my ear "Runaway bride?"  I wondered if she might be right.  We all sat in awkward silence as the bridesmaids left the stage to tend to Bride.  A moment later we could all hear her vomiting...poor girl.  As Groom nervously smiled, Jim went to check on things.  He returned to tell Groom that Bride would return momentarily, "but if she doesn't come back, you're going to have to marry her sister".  Groom laughed to relieve his tension.  Fuzzy-haired groomsman made his way to the piano to fill the stark silence.  We could all relax. 

What seemed like an eternity later, Bride came back into the sanctuary waving the Queen's Wave.  Someone started applause, and we all followed suit.  Bride still looked pale, but determined to make it through the ceremony.  And she did.  And made it through dismissing the guests by aisle and photos with a forced, yet gorgeous smile.

During photos one of the bridesmaids told Jim Bride had been sick all day with the flu.  Well, that would have been good for him to know. 

The reception began with a 7-up in Bride's hand.  A Retro 40's reception.  So gorgeously simple. 

Red Birds everywhere!

Jonathan and Jessie: some of our fave peeps!

Appetizer Buffet

Bride feeling good enough to flash a gang sign!

Our Caption:  "In sickness and in health!"

Entry Table with Guestbook and Birdcage for Cards

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Lippy!

Looking Ahead to Less

Last year I rose to the challenge of  adopting a word-for-the-year.  That word, strength.  I even bought a ring to wear with "Strength" boldly engraved around it.  Basically it was my goal to become a physically stronger person.  Along with that, I knew that strength would come in handy in many areas.  And that it did.  I am happy to say I feel like I have become stronger physically, and without any injury!  I also experienced my single most difficult moment as a parent in 2011, that which would require strength from the depths of my being, that I would not have ever known I had.  Strength was a good word to focus on in 2011, and I hope to remember it's importance forever.

Looking ahead I have chosen another word-of-the-year.  Less.  It took about a week for me to think through what I wanted to accomplish in 2012, and less is it.  Without going into tons of detail there are three areas where I want less in my life; less debt, less stuff, and the ever-present less weight.  I've commissioned Christa to create a pendant for me with the word "less" on it.   That should be a helpful reminder to keep my eyes focused on less. 

I'm excited to see the changes in my life that less will bring.

Looking Back

We had 17 for Christmas!  It was a bit crowded.  It was a bit chaotic.  It was a bit of perfection! 

After everyone left, I kept thinking of things that were unfinished.

1.  We never took a tour of Emily's new home.

2.  Grace never told Christa to take the flute.

3.  I found one baby boy sock in my dryer.

4.  A Chicago bathing suit was left in the laundry room.

5.  I never got to share our Turkey scrapbook with Granny.

6.  The little Keens were not shown to the Castles.

7.  I never got to ask Bethany what the pack of white tablets are that are in my room.

8.  Where did all the apples go?

9.  So much food uneaten.

10.  Clark 4-generation photo.

But if I were to list for you all that was accomplished, there would not be enough time to read it all.  We had a blessed Christmas.  I want everyone to come back next weekend!