Chilly Christmas Eve...in kansas

I am a big lover of christmas eve...and i love that it is the evening that we do our present exchange with mark's family...the girls are just so much fun...and journey is just the perfect age for christmas...she is so excited...and is just so full of energy...love it...felicity has no idea...but i know she must feel the excitement with all the lights and the added energy that her older sister journey provides to us all...i hope you all have a wonderful cristmas eve as well...and you all get to spend it with your family as well :)

SO Love my Daughter :)

She is just a gift....she is a fighter...a will to live since the day she was born...she is perfect and she is my daughter...i see so much of my grandmother in her...the love the strength...so far wiser than her years...and just beautiful...since she was able to talk...i think she has known my heed for her..as she made me a promise to never leave me...and she has held true to her word...a long time ago a very wise woman that i did her hair... miss irene boston...told me that no parent should ever out live their child...michelle is that miracle baby...who keeps beating the odds...she is so lucky to have a dad that stood by her side and rubbed her feet...when i just could not...and a brother that took the time to teach her so much ...to hold a spoon...to sit ...to crawl and to walk...her brother mark has always been there... he knew when i was at my breaking point...she could be a handful...a good handful...and now she is paying him back...cause she is the perfect aunt mimi for his two little girls....they keep her on her toes for sure...i love my daughter with all that is in me...she is just a very good thing...and simply the best :) enjoy your day all ...

Call it catching up saturday....

my things that i love or make me happy ...have gotten away from me...partly because i am so busy...my granddaughters take a lot of my time....which is a good thing...this time of the year is a busy one for everyone...and the last few days my baby maxi has been sick...so the morning was spent at the vets...all will be well soon ... a change in her diet...and the vet feels that she may be stressed...she helped me when i was at my wits end ..i will be there for her :) Now on to the things that make this old lady happy..... Dec 11...i love white t-shirts with my jeans...both long and short sleeved Dec 12...i love white leather tennis shoes...with my jeans and white t-shirts...although i have worn some funky colors in tennis shoes recently...for the last 6 months i have been a shoe tester...so i test what i am sent... Dec 13...my best friends...i have one here and we do not always get a chance to speak to each other...but when i need her ...she is always there for me...we both have always put our families first...so sometimes our calls are cut short...but we..are always fine with that...she is just awesome :) i have another best friend in md....always just a phone call away...and she and i share a past...funny to think about sometimes...the things we did...the guys we dated...the choices we made...and why...and how those choices once again...keep our friendship tight... Dec 14...my hair dresser michele gage...always works me in...love my visits with her...she is just a wonderful person...thanks Sis ...for suggesting her.. Dec 15...being a ginny...got to go to my granddaughters pre-school play...went to her first ballet recital...she did an awesome job :) Dec 16...so glad alan chose the right company to work for...he brings a lot to the table...and they seem to be very happy with their choice in him... Dec 17...am so happy that my son mark got his dream job of teaching graphic design..and i feel he is a gift to his students...just like he is a gift to me...always love to see him... he is a good thing... Dec 18...i love my bed...alan built it it is beautiful and it is so comfortable...my bedroom is a happy place for me..it has many pictures that remind me of home :) Dec 19...this one is kind of odd for me to admit...i have driven many cars, trucks and jeeps over the years...but i have found myself lately to love driving a truck...not such a car person...i love our {alan's} truck...he has a company vechicle...so the truck was sad being parked in the garage...so i use it to keep it happy :) Dec 20...i love that my son's are grown up...and have found employment in the fields that they love and went to college for... Dev 21...i love getting packages from home...they always smell like home...and that is a good thing... Day 22...i love having a good vet...that is always so willing to work with me...and i can not forget...the wonderful groomer that i have found for maxi...maxi loves her that i can tell...she does a great job on her...and i trust her with maxi...that is something that is earned...maxi is a big part of my heart...maxi kept me sane through one of the darkest times of my life...no one really can understand that...now that i am not as dependent on her...she is troubled by that...so i have to remember to be there more for her...even when i am busy...i will play needy.... see what i mean...catch up saturday...night all...off to do something with my family :)

VERY...VERY...cold monday

it was so cold here today...i just could not get warm...really having trouble to think of something to be happy... happy... happy... for...or something i love...today has just not found me in the best of spirits...not for any one reason...so i am happy that i do not have to be happy everyday and i am not afraid to say so...i am worried that my daughter is not getting well as soon as i had hoped...i am worried about a dear friend...it is ok...to have an off day...i will be that much happier when i have a happy day...so today i am happy about it being ok not to have a perfect day....now i hope all of you have had a happy day...luv just me :)

Cold and Windy Sunday...

It was getting cold yesterday as the temps fell through out the day...and the winds were picking...but I went out yesterday and decided to do some couponing ....which is one of the things that I love to do and makes me happy...I love to save money...I just wish I had taken a picture of my purchases...I went to dillions and wal-greens...... I did really well...I purchased: 2 cream cheese 18 count eggs 2 packs of nestle toll house cookies 92 count pack of huggies 4 red delicious apples dole salad mix 16 oz. cottage cheese 12 boxes of gel-pack finish {for the dishwasher} {2} 16 oz package of oscar meyer bacon {3} 50 count boxes of sandwich bags and I ended up making a profit of $26.00 by the time I was done...not too bad for an old lady...something I love to do...couponing...its a good thing :)

Love me a Quiet Saturday.....

I stay pretty busy no matter what day of the week it is...but today....nothing planned...no where I really had to go...so I stayed in for the most part...alan had to pick up something from ace hardware...and steam off an engine for a tractor re-build he is working on...so I rode with him and then ran in dillons to get some marshmallow whip so michelle could make some fudge today...she is still not feeling well and it is going on 6 weeks...but I do see some improvement in her today... I have kinda caught what my granddaughters have had....I will be fine ...I have no time to be sick...but I sure did enjoy my lazy saturday....a lazy day...it's a good thing...and I am hoping for a repeat tomorrow...happy saturday night all :)

Losing Weight...is it ever easy...what is the right way :)

Weight...never an easy topic or an easy way to do it...but for me in the end I did it my way... after moving to this house I was at my highest weight ever...I felt blah...I had 2 sons in college and one a senior in high school it was 2003...michelle was in 5th grade...it seems like forever ago...felt the empty nest coming...in more ways than one... we were home a lot the the next 5 years...even with extra weight I still could tackle any project...but 3 c-sections later the extra weight...the lonely times...I knew for the first time ever I needed to lose the weight somehow... we had good insurance...surgery was an option...I did consider...but I am not a surgery kind of girl...then in 2005 I had west nile...it hit me so hard...it was the roughest time ever... alan was gone so much then...michelle stepped up and really took care of me...when it was over...I knew the weight must come off...for some reason our scales did not go any higher 386 and I was to that point... I was never a big eater...I am a picker...while cooking I pick so that when dinner time came I was stuffed...I had to do that to get everyone fed...I also am a pepsi/mountain dew-aholic....I gave it up...started to eat better...started to walk ...and it worked ...I lost over 100 lbs in 2 years...my way and for me the right way... then in 2007 my daughter decided to change her way of life...she has just become so healthy over the last 5 years...and for me in total I have lost over 200 lbs...I could probably lose another 25-30 lbs to be the perfect weight...but I feel good where I am...I do not want to have to have surgery for any extra skin...so this is the weight I will stay...which is about 172....for me it is a good thing... my daughter is now a Zumba instructor and is making the plans to be come a personal trainer...and she is awesome...check out her blog at http://www.fitat17.blogspot.com/ .... I will say for me that losing weight and finding me...for me was a good thing :) have a great night....

Happy Thursday....

today is easy...things that make me happy and that I love...we bought it 7 years ago... our home...it was my dream home...I have always wanted a huge 2 story home...like the ones I gave the tours in for Old Princess Anne days...our home is not that old...but by kansas standards it is old...built in 1902...it has been a fun house to work with...as with our other homes that we purchased since moving to kansas..it was to be another flip...but we have stayed...we did put it on the market...as we were hoping to down size ...to a 1 story...and the last week it was on the market it almost sold...sort of glad it didn't..but sooner or later we will downsize...but for right now...were are just 2 blocks from our granddaughters and that works well for now for all concerned...and it is home...there have been some good times here and some bad...but it defines who I am and what I like... michelle has played a big part in the last three years of decorating our home and it works for us...right now it is decorated for the holidays...it is home and I love it...I am going to share with you some pictures of our home for the holidays...and I may post a picture of michelle's room...she designed and decorated it all by herself...even helping her dad re-purpose many pieces of the furniture she used in her room...enjoy and have a great evening :)

some people need to check their facts... :)

day 5 of things that make connie...happy... our president. I am proud of our president...this means a lot coming from me, having been a republican for 35 years...I voted for obama in 2008, then re-elected him this year... lets see...he ended the war in iraq, which was unnecessary and was based on lies...he is ending the war in afghanistan... his stimulus plan a few years ago helped alan out with his energy job... "obamacare" isn't welfare...each person buys their OWN health insurance...plus as a parent with a child that has a pre-existing condition, it means a lot to me...to know that my daughter won't be denied health coverage because of something that is out of her control... the cutting of defense spending is touchy but necessary...winding down the wars is the main reason why this is happening... I am really bothered when people post things without reading them or fact checking them...if you are going to take the time to post something online, please read it to make sure that it backs up what you are trying to say...so that you look like you know what the heck you are talking about, and not just talking out your rear... I hear stories on the news, and it has happened in the state of kansas, under BOTH republican and democrat presidents... where some towns are denied fema and others aren't...no one really knows why, there is a very strong possibility that it's the way the applications are put into fema, and in some cases some governors just don't want it... I don't just see why we cannot all just respect the fact that obama is our president...I saw statuses on election night and even the day after, of people who were saying that they are moving out of the country just because president obama was re-elected...funny thing is that what obama has done and is doing, will help them out so much in their lives... oh how are you doing this evening ...kim ;)

LONG...LONG...LONG...Tuesday.....

What a long day today was...journey is still not feeling well...and poor little felicity has the worse cold...and really is not happy to be put down at all...on top of that michelle is getting another bad cold...after being sick for the last 6 weeks...I want to see my girls start feeling better real soon :) on top of that as soon as kayla got here I had to go to our pharmacy...because they needed our new insurance cards...always something... now on to me...things that make me happy...alan had a check up today...and I know he was worried about his blood-sugar...but his A1 came back at 6.1...really really good...his change in his diet is still working well...but he has had some stress with his new job...but that has straightened out...he is staying very busy...which he loves and he loves what he is doing...I love that he is happy and that this job change was a good thing...for all...a great check up....now that is a good thing :)

Dec 3 and a Warm 75* in Kansas today.....

What a warm and sunny monday it was here in kansas today...and today's favorite thing is easy...it is actually 2 favorite things ....it is seeing the smiles of my 2 granddaughters on a monday morning...and knowing they are happy to come on their ginny days... journey is working on year five of staying with me and this year she goes to pre-school in the morning....and miss felicity is just starting year #1...and many people ask why do I keep them ...well...I love both of these girls from the top to the bottom of my heart...and I am sure there is good day care out there...you just never know...no one ...but no one will watch and care for them the way I do...and I believe their parents feel good in knowing that if they cannot be with them ...they are always in good hands here... I get them on their good days and their bad...both of their parents are teachers...they bring them when they are sick...knowing they will be watched and rocked all day ...not as good as their mommy can do ...but I run a close second... I also feel that not paying for the expense of day care...will help the girls in being able to be in extra activities....such as dance...private pre-school and getting projects done on their home...and let me say they have offered to pay...but as their ginny this is the way I want it... the girls feel safe here...as journey put it the other day when I picked her up and I said lets go home... she looked at me so funny..I replied to my house...and she looked at me and said...well that's almost home and then replied...but my house is bigger that yours...an ongoing joke between the two of us... our home is only 2 blocks from their new home...and only 1 block from where their mom teaches and I believe that is a good thing for all of us... sure there have been some rough times...but all in all it has worked for our family...I am also very lucky that michelle is around if I need an extra hand...michelle loves those girls just as much as I do...as I have said before...I love seeing them come in the morning and just like them... I can not wait until 3:30 to see their mom arrive to pick them up...these girls love their parents to pieces...but are content in spending their weekdays with ginny and if we are real lucky...they get to come over to visit their gaga on the weekends...since he misses them usually on the weekdays...all I can say is that I am hoping these girls and their parents will remember the ginny days and not prop me up in my later years with a wreath around my neck or put a santa hat on gaga...that would not be a good thing...now would it...night all :)

Oh...what a beautiful sunday in kansas :)

Day #2...things that I love that make me ...me... Sunday: December 02, 2012 Coffee...Sunday Paper...Coupons...Sale Ads...it is a good thing... I love sundays usually not a lot planned to do around here...so it is my catch up day...but my favorite thing is getting up on a sunday morning to my cup of coffee and my sunday paper...which usually has coupons in it and the sale ads...it is my time to think...what I did not say is that I make sure that alan is feed first and the dogs have their scrambled eggs before I have me time...and then I get laundry done and enjoy what ever comes next... today was a special treat as journey spent the morning here...she is usually at sunday school...but she had been up most of saturday night with a cold and her baby sister is not feeling so good either...we all enjoyed our time with her...her gaga does not spend as much time with her since his job...and they both miss that a lot...we had a good day around here...hope you all had a great day as well...and have a great upcoming week :)

It's a New blog....and I am Back

So you ask where have I been... I took a step back from my blog...one reason I had a stalker....very sad not going back into that...it's over...just was not sure if I wanted to keep this up... oh how i have missed my blogging...had the blog re-designed...love the new look...thanks michelle...I have also been adjusting to taking care of not one but both of my granddaughters...trips to pre-school...and so lucky that michelle has adjusted her schedule to watch the baby while I run back and forth to pre-school with journey...such a big help...but oh does it bring back memories of carrying little ones to school....a big commitment here in kansas...for parents and grandparents...another blog on that later... thanks for all the e-mails and messages about missing my blog...kind of nice...love all the hits it has gotten....while thinking of how to get back into this blog...I thought back to a question I have been asked several times... on facebook during november...many people gave daily run downs as to what they were thankful for...when asked why I was not doing that I thought...these people really do not know who I am...because if you did... you would know I try to make sure the people and things I am thankful know it and I do not have to express it to all of facebook... so today and every day through the month of december...I am going to take a page out of oprah's book...THINGS THAT MAKE CONNIE HAPPY...get to know me better...some days I may even tell you things that do not make me so happy...so let us begin... DAY 1 OF THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY: Dec 1st: how else could it be anything other than maxi...my shih-tzu...it was 1 year ago today that she came into my life...it was one of my darkest days...I had just learned that I was more than likely facing many days and weeks in court due to the death of my neighbor ...and having to repeat over and over again ...a story I could not get out of my head...one so near to my heart... alan purchased her for me as a therapy dog...a dog that would be mine...yes we have other dogs that I love...but you know how you have those ones that are just yours...almost 5 years ago we had lost our akita...he was my dog...well maxi came into my life...and it just clicked...she knew from day 1 that I so needed her... she was 4 months old...I think the first couple of months...I almost rubbed all of the hair off of her...well as the months went on...things got so much better for me...no court...bill was able to spend the last few months of his life not in jail ...but with his brother in texas...he died last may... I will never forget that day june 26,2011...but I have closed that door...yes sometimes it creeps open...yes maxi is still right by my side...but now she seems to need me as much as I need her...but that is ok...I love the place that I am in right now...and she is not just my dog she loves alan ,my daughter michelle and she seems to love my granddaughter journey just like I do...she is not so sure about my newest granddaughter, felicity...but as soon as miss felicity gets mobile...that bond will form...I am sure of that...and I am so happy our other dogs love her too :) now maxi...that's a good thing....