Happy Birthday to our sweet Jaiden!  She is five years old today and waaaay smart!

We didn't get to talk with her today.  The girls and I called and left a singing birthday message and lots of well wishes, love and hugs!

We hope her mom sends us new pictures of her birthday party SOON (hint! hint! Nikki!!!!) ~

May God bless you, sweetheart!  We prayed for you today at the dinner table and hope your day was a happy one and that God leads you through this next year of your life!

Love,
Granny and PoPo
and the Girls

==================

I love this quote:

This morning, Rissy begged to fix something for breakfast and I handed her two Jiffy brand oatmeal muffin mixes.  I figured pouring the ingredients from a box, and not having to measure them, would be less of a mess.  I was right!

Things were mixed with no mess and I only had to come when called for breakfast!

I can't say I'd buy the oatmeal mix again.  It really didn't have much flavor.  But, hey!  I didn't have to cook - so, no complaining here!

==================

We ran a bunch of errands on Friday.  Grabbed McDonald's on the road, picked up Jesse's migraine prescription, and then dropped the girls off for their therapy appointment.  I saw the therapist first and discussed some things I'm concerned about, regarding Annamarie.  Like always, I came away feeling more competent!

We left there and stopped to pick up the girls' winter shoes.  Annamarie has officially graduated to a ladies size, as the 5 1/2 Maryjane shoes they ordered were too tight.  It was like trying to fit the wicked stepsister's foot into Cinderella's glass slipper.  It wasn't happening!  We'll have to look elsewhere for black shoes for her.  Their price was more than double the children's shoe price for adult size shoes.  $135 for a child?  Nope!  Can't do it! 

                          
                                                Our backyard finally looks like fall.

                        
                                               This was the firewood pile this morning.
                                          Since then, Jesse has unloaded two more ricks.

She visited with us a bit in her driveway.  I got to hug her little boy, Brayden - but, Jesse was the one who got him to laugh.  Good ol' belly laughing!  Bethany said, "Hey!  Don't forget about me!" but, she was busy in the back seat visiting with the girls!  We came home to a wonderful meal of chicken pot pie and a vanilla pie!  The food was so greatly appreciated!

===================

We arrived home to a few more boxes on our porch and have accumulated quite a nice stash in our foyer, by my desk!  That's okay.  It means shopping is under control and all that is before me is wrapping the gifts!

================

Despite how much my back hurt, last night, I was ready to tackle that photo album for Stephanie, today.  I knew it was a lot of work and required many hours of sitting at my desk, but I felt pressured to get the pictures in their slots in date order.  I can go back and add comments and the picture dates later on.

These two pictures aren't included in what I am giving to Stephanie.  But I thought the one of my dad was interesting.  If he had married the woman in the picture, history would have been altered.  I wouldn't have been born, and, well, you know how the rest of that goes!  The picture on the wall over my dad's girlfriend is the same oil painting I have hanging here over my desk!  I hope to pass it down (when I'm done with it!!!!) some day.

                         
                                              Girl on the right is my grandmother's sister.
                                         She died from the flu when her son was 3 years old.
                             My grandma helped raise the boy along with my dad, his first cousin.

I ended up with enough pictures, for Stephanie, to fill two albums (something like 275 pictures).  I couldn't decide on what to exclude.  It was easier to keep almost all of the pictures I had originally picked out and to just do a second smaller album.  The small one includes all of Stephanie's birthday parties in chronological order, all of our vacations, all of our pets, etc.

                         
                                   I need to pick a photo for the black leather album cover.

                      
The black leather album starts with my grandfather's picture from World War I and goes up to 1995.

The small album also has pictures of Stephanie's dance school days and recitals (that's when I taught at the dance studio and lessons were free!!!!).l

   
She's definitely had a full life of friends, parties, vacations, dance lessons, and family history.  I only included pictures up to her 16th birthday and then included a few animals we owned until she was about 18.  She left home and none of the other pictures are really about her life "at home," so I chose to not include those.  This is supposed to be a photo history of HER life with her mom and pictures of her mom's side of the family (back to WWI).  I had quite a few pictures of her dad and his mother that I included in the leather album.  I'm glad I hung on to everything.

During all of this photo choosing, I have thrown away so many photos.  I started with 2 boxes and a third box of albums.  The next thing I have to do is put together an album of Jesse's and my life with our FIVE daughters.  But it won't be tonight!!!!  I ache so much - thus the reason Annamarie was rubbing my neck and shoulders, earlier!!!

==============

I had planned to fix pork chops tonight - even made a peach pie - but, I simply couldn't stand up to cook.  So, Jesse brought two pepperoni pizza's from Domino's and I was, once more, saved by someone else!!!!

He's my knight in shining armor, tonight!!!!

===============

We are expecting an abrupt and significant change in the weather.  Lots of cold.  Lots of northerly winds.  Lots of rain.  They even said we might see some snow flurries and the Oklahoma Panhandle will get significant snow.

===============

It looks like we will have company for Thanksgiving.  Jesse's brother (in SE Oklahoma) called last night  to say he and Sharon were coming the night before and would bring turkey and ham and get up early to fix the meal.  It sounds like fun.  We may have other guests (Jesse's nephew & his family) as well.  Nothing is certain.  So, as always, it will be a surprise, for sure!

Better head to the bed and my heating pad.  A heating pad sounds like the best thing in life, right now!

P.S.  Please pray for my mom.  Today was the memorial celebration for my Dad.  I'm sure it's an emotional day for her.  Thank you, in advance!

Be Blessed  ~

I did it again. 

I woke up in the middle of the night, heard Stormy (the cat) throwing up in the hallway, and ran down the hall in a dead sleep.  I found her outside the bathroom doorway and bent over to scoop her up and put her on the tile floor (easier to clean up).  I proceeded to knock my head on the door jamb and corner of the opened door.  That bump, in turn, knocked me down to my knees - where Jesse found me.

Jesse was at my side in an instant.  Rissy told me this morning she heard me moan, "Owwwwwww!  Ohhhhhhh!"  and her daddy say, "Awwwwww, are you okay???!!!"   She also informed me it was 4:44 in the morning when the incident happened!!!  Nothing like having a little reporter in your home!

One of my readers suggested I wrap myself in bubble wrap.  We are going to Wal-Mart today (while we take the girls to their therapy appointment) and I may just put bubble wrap on the list!!!!

                          
                                          The remaining two flowers on our rose bush!

We have to pick up the girls' winter shoes, while we are up that way for their appointment.  We ordered them last week.  I can't believe the size of my girls' feet.  Annamarie could, technically, wear a ladies size 7.  The problem with that is the styles of grown up shoes are too grown up for children . . . meaning it will become harder to find shoes for them until their ages catch up with older people's styles!

Some of my online gift orders arrived yesterday.  I think Luci's and Annamarie's.  I'm wiping the sweat from my brow, as things start to come in.  No last minute shopping this year!  I'm incredibly relieved to have the bulk of gifts chosen, paid for, and arriving on my door step!

Jesse is off until Monday.  He has some leaf sucking up (???!!!) jobs this morning and Saturday.  Friday morning he is picking up firewood.  I'll enjoy having him home a bit, even though his being home makes him nervous (worried about finances).

Yesterday afternoon, I brought out some old games that belonged to Nikki when she was a little girl.  I taught Rissy how to play Checkers.  The other two girls were supposed to be watching, but didn't "get it" and thought it was boring.  Rissy ended up with more kings than me and was so excited as she came after my checkers (to attack me).  The vein in her forehead was bulging from her laughing so much!  And yes, she DID win!

We also played Upwards which is like Scrabble but you can set tiles on top of each other to build new words.  I had to help all of them, but we played 4 rounds and they understood the concept by the 4th round.  It was fun.  We should play games more often!  I have educational games (the human body, The United States,  and The 10 Commandments) and we really should pull those out on school days and put the books away for a day, here and there!

                              
                                                Little Bit curled upsidedown in Jesse's arm!

Still haven't baked that banana bread.  Let me ask y'all . . . When the bananas are already black and squishy, do you STILL put them in the freezer?  Or, do you put them in the freezer when they *begin* to over ripen?????

Can't think of anything else to tell about.  I will heed everyone's advise and stay out of the attic.  I told Jesse my thought about climbing and throwing Rubbermaid bins down to the girls.  AND, I told him about the comments everyone left, begging me to stay on terra firma!  He looked at me like I had rocks in my head.  And maybe I do.  The weight of my head is what has been bringing me downward and making me so clumsy lately!

Be Blessed  ~
                

                            
                                                            Annamarie and Rissy
                                                     (Luci had thrown one of her fits
                                                and had been excused from the table.)
 

I'm sure the fact I injured myself (several times in the past 10 days) has something to do with it.  I literally hurt when I lie down and I can't get comfortable.  Then, I wake up a lot during the night with aches and pains.  Jesse thinks it's our mattress.

===================

I told everyone about falling in my front yard when trying to grab the cat.  Then, I told about the time I carried Luci inside - the day she fell on her hand and was crying. 

                             
                                                       Luci in her room doing her work!
                                                             (She was so disruptive,
                                             she wasn't able to join us for school that day.)

=======================

I don't think I mentioned I slipped in the tub (I'd used Calgon's bath salts - a water softener).  My foot slid on the bottom of the tub and up the side.  My 5th & 4th toes slid INTO one of the jets (Jacuzzi tub) twisting my toes AND taking the skin off of the top of them.  Talk about some real pain!  It hurt so bad, I couldn't cry!  In the whole process of slipping, I wrenched my back again.  

Later, that same day, I licked an envelope and gave myself a paper cut in the corner of my lips! 

Monday night, I walked into our dark bedroom, reached for the lamp on the dresser, and walked right, smack into a dining room chair we keep by the dresser . . . I knocked my knee,  jerked myself AWAY from the chair, AND wrenched my back again. 

My poor body just hasn't had a break!

                          
                                          Rissy concentrating hard on addition facts.

===============

My klutziness is so bad, Jesse just laughs.  Well, not exactly laughs, but hides his mouth with his hand and snickers at me.  I'm laughing, too.  It's pretty ridiculous!  I had considered climbing up into the attic and dropping Christmas decorations, packed in Rubbermaid bins, down to the girls.  At this point, I think climbing the stairs would be suicidal, not to mention incredibly stupid, on my part!  There's only so much guardian angel protection one can expect!!!

===============

Today's plan is to finish school quickly, again. 

We are ahead of schedule; so, I'm not assigning as many pages in our textbooks.  It is making the teaching part go quickly.  The plan is to do core subjects before lunch, take a lunch break, and then come back and pick up our history/geography story about the Pilgrims and the colonies (leading up to the first Thanksgiving).  That schedule worked really well, yesterday.

The set of books I just finished reading took place during the American Revolution.  It gave me quite a bit of information regarding life in those times and the fact traveling on ships was quite dangerous (weather, disease, & pirates), which I'm sharing with the girls.

==================

I threw out a second batch of bananas yesterday!  I found a third set that I can use, if I bake that banana bread TODAY!

Other than that, I want to work some more on Stephanie's photo album.  I'm labeling and dating pictures as I go, quite a stretch of my memory in some cases!

That's about it!

Be Blessed  ~

I don't think there is a chance of rain, but that's how it looks . . . dark, cold, and like it will storm.  It's 57° but feels much more chilly . . . kind of damp. 

I saw the girls outside without shoes (brrrrr!) and made them put on shoes and socks. 

        
                                  Notice how no one unties their shoes to take them off??? LOL!!!

=========================

Rissy and Luci are inside, for the moment, playing with Little Bit.  Rissy started it . . . playing on the floor like she was going to attack him - growling at him, etc. 

She's 92 million times bigger than him, but he's holding his own.  Growling, barking, circling, and the tail is wagging the whole time. 

He gets so excited that his little legs come up off of the ground!  *Very* funny to watch!

==========================

School was better today, than yesterday.  We finished after 2 hours and had an early lunch.  I grabbed some info from the Internet to embellish a few of our own books with the stories of Separatists, the Strangers, the first settlers, etc. 

This is all in preparation for Thanksgiving and what we are REALLY celebrating.

I'm combining geography with history, as we discuss the Eastern Seaboard.  I showed them where Miss Shanda lives and their great aunt and uncle and cousins.  I could see their interest beginning to dull, so I quit. 

"To be continued tomorrow!"

                                   
                                            Oh!  If only I had half of their energy!

===================

I found use for the old ham bone from last week.  I'm making a pot of ham & beans for dinner.  It's simmering and smells good.  I can hear the gentle hissing, as steam escapes between the lid and pot. 

I love easy meals.  And, since we haven't had this for almost a year, it will be a welcome change!

===================

We don't usually celebrate Christmas in a huge way, but I have a different feeling this year.  I want to make things really fun (maybe "dreamy"???) for the girls.  I haven't spent much money, but their gifts are already bought.  What a HUGE relief!!!  Even wrapping paper has been purchased.  And, I want to start wrapping things soon. 

Jesse is feeling different, too.  He actually mentioned something about putting up Christmas lights this year.  Also, hiding all of the gifts from the girls until Christmas morning. 

                          
                                          (Does Rissy look like she's loosing steam??!!)

I want them to have pretty wrapped gifts and memories of making cookies & candy.  I want them to remember the beauty of a house decorated with twinkling lights and the sound of Christmas songs playing in the background. 

We did away with a Christmas tree quite a few years ago, and we also quit decorating with ornaments, etc.  Instead we use bird nests, birds, berries, and flowers stuck in garlands of evergreens, wrapped with clear mini lights over the interior doors.

My thoughts?

I'm honestly thinking of getting the garlands up early this year.  Like, the week before Thanksgiving.  Just the evergreen garlands wrapped with clear mini lights.

THEN, after Thanksgiving's meal, turning on the clear twinkling lights that night.  The next day (Friday), I'll start adding berries, etc. as I have the energy.  I'm thinking PRE-planning and doing chores spread out over a few weeks won't be as tiresome on me.

Jesse's birthday is December 4th and I don't like things to look too much like the holidays on his birthday.  It's a shame that he grew up with no Christmas gifts because, after all, "You just had a birthday," (isn't that rotten???!!!); but, I think he has always felt cheated on his birthday, because people have made his birthday feel like it got in the way of Christmas.

======================

I forgot my afternoon pain pill, yesterday.  AND, I didn't ever lie down to rest my back.  I was in so much pain last night, that I couldn't fall asleep. 

When I finally started to doze, my feet (toes, arches, AND ankles) began to cramp with Charley horse cramps.  I didn't know (before I had chemo therapy) that an arch or ankle could HAVE a Charley horse cramp!  It took me standing and walking around the bed (for quite a while) to ease the cramps.  By then, I was awake again.

Point being?  I realize the importance of resting and taking it easy.  Whether it's a lack of energy from being in bed so much this year, or bone damage in my vertebrae, I MUST remember to not push myself so much. 

I didn't even notice the back pain until I began to prepare dinner. 

By then, too late. 

MUCH too late!

I think my learning to pace myself is more of what's behind the early preparation for the upcoming holidays. 

That, and the fact I want the girls to always remember the beauty and peacefulness of the season. 

Not the "Hallmark Card Company" perfection with parents stressed and short tempered. 

We haven't ever subscribed to the Santa Claus story.  Instead, we've told the truth of Jesus' birth and the fact He wasn't really born on December 25th.  I don't think we are misleading our girls by having family gatherings, exchanging gifts, or traditional recipes at that time of year. 

All of those things will be a success, if I'm happy and not in bed hurting!! 

It's all about pacing myself . . .

which means an early start this year!

Be Blessed  ~

*  It's almost 3:30pm and I'm just now stuffing down 1/2 of a fried hotdog sandwich

*  Before I know it, it will be time to cook dinner - ground beef somethin' or other!

*  Still haven't made that banana bread!  The bananas from the first try found the trash & the remaining bananas
   will soon find the same fate, if I don't make time to make the bread!

*  I really want to work on the photo album I'm putting together for Stephanie.  It's been over a week since I last
   thought about it!

*  Jesse cooked chicken thighs outside last night.  They tasted great and the family time spent together was greater!

*  He started his new part time job today.  Hard for him.  After owning his own pawn shop and always holding some
   sort of managerial position (at almost ALL jobs), it's hard to stand around at this new pawn shop and not jump in
   and help!

*  One of the dogs (probably Sushi) got my feather duster this morning.  It looked like an ostrich had been killed
   in my den!  Feathers everywhere and a chewed up wooden handle.  She's definitely a chewer and very destructive if
   not kept busy!  Little Bit has helped occupy her, and this is the first thing she's chewed up, since he came to live
   with us.

*  Today's sky can't decide if it wants to be sunny or cloudy.  The dark and light changes are making me sea sick!  It
   looks bright in here and then dark shadows encompass the house, only to be lightened up again a few minutes later!

*   The windows are open and the air conditioner is on - for the rooms with windows where screens have holes.

*  I spent time online last night at a friend's blog.  Shanda writes about different books she reads and I was looking
   for something different to read.  (I final finished my epic FIVE novel series!)  I didn't go to bed until almost midnight!

*  I have such a horrible time falling asleep, it really didn't matter that it was midnight - I would have been awake,
   lying in bed, anyway.

*  Laundry is done.  House is clean.  AND, our cleaning help came today and cleaned the dusty blinds!  Yay!

*  I guess if I want that photo album worked on, I need to quit "bulleting" on here!

Be Blessed ~

You can see what a great job he did . . . .

           
                                                        Not a leaf in sight!!!!  LOL   
                                                       Yeah, I had to tease him a bit!

One other friend of mine feels the same defeat. ** Lori K.**   Every year, she rakes leaves for weeks and moves them to the backyard to compost.  A daily job with no appearance of success!!!  We used to have a house like hers.  The house before this one.  We had 3 beautiful oak trees in the front yard and (who knows how many) trees in the back.  AND, our house was located at a place on the street that collected all of the neighbor's leaves.  Before Jesse would finish with the right side of the yard, the left side would already be filing up with "fall foliage!"

I rather enjoy the look of the leaves on the ground.  I enjoy the sound they make when the wind stirs them up.  I don't find them a nuisance, except for the leaves that find their way into my house via riding on the bottom of someone's shoe!  But, I pick up the leaves from the floor or carpet and take it in stride, chalking it up as a part of the fall season!

                     
                               All different colors of leaves line our street.  It's just beautiful!

======================

Several people, this week, have asked me how my back was doing.   The ultrasound exam left my shoulder and neck muscles sore.  I had to roll slightly on my right side and raise my left arm over my head.  That "stretch" was held for about a half hour.  You are told you may not move a muscle.  So, I was pretty sore that day and the next.   My arm isn't used to be over, and slightly, behind my head - not even for a minute . . . but 30 MINUTES?????!!!

It made sleeping difficult, because the muscle aches woke me.  Some damage from the cancer to my thoracic spine makes my arms (from the elbows to fingertips) experience pain and some slight numbness while sleeping.  Even though I don't sleep on my arm, I wake up feeling like I need to move my arms around.  So, the odd muscle stretch only increased that pain.

======================

As if that wasn't enough . . .

 . . . Luci fell in the backyard on Wednesday night. 

She's a bit of a drama queen, so I didn't magically appear on the scene during the first screams. 

However, I watched her through the window and determined she didn't appear to be faking it.  I went outside to check on her.  By the look on her face (when I got close enough to see it), I believed she was really hurting. 

She had fallen forward on her hand with her wrist bent, meaning her folded fingers, on her left hand, had taken the brunt of the fall.  I SCOOPED HER UP IN MY ARMS AND CARRIED HER INSIDE!!!  All 50-something pounds of her!

I knew I shouldn't be lifting her, but it was my mothering instinct.  Plus, I didn't know if she had a broken bone.

Well, yesterday and this morning, I am paying for carrying her.  Even though I would say I'm in "severe pain" (shoulders to neck), I would have to admit . . . I'd do it all over again.  I'd scoop her up, carry her in, and hold her in my arms and rock her the same way I did.  I really would do it ALL OVER AGAIN!

"Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, OR, Not the brightest bulb on the tree, OR, One sandwich short of a picnic, OR, A pretty house, but nobody lives there . . . "

Say what you will, but I would do it again in a heart beat, if there was no other adult to soothe her.

======================

She had an x-ray yesterday (the doctor was concerned she had a slight fracture) but she came back with a good report and only a bruised hand  - Praise God!!!!!  He told her to take Ibuprofen for the swelling and pain and to use an ice pack. 

It's amazing what the presence of an ice pack does for Luci.  Remember, this is her left hand.  She is unable to eat food she doesn't like (with her RIGHT hand) because her left hand hurts.  She had to watch TV ("Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?")  in MY room, next to me on MY bed, because her hand hurt too much to climb up on her own (lower) bed!!!! 

She didn't hurt too much to play outside before dinner, but she hurt pretty bad when it was time to get ready for bed.

Interesting injury, no?!!! 

==========================

            
                                                                        Our front porch step.

I got my grandchild's (Jaiden) gifts wrapped, last night.  I'll put the ribbons on them today.  Jesse wants to mail the box of gifts on Saturday.  He will start a new job (part time, through the winter) on Monday.  It means we will have to start cramming all errands and appointments into ONE DAY during the week.  The good news is that the store doesn't stay open past 6pm, so he'll be home around 6:30 - 7pm each night.  I will enjoy having him join us for dinner.

=======================

It's getting close to the time school needs to start.  I had better wrap this up and gather my wits (and take my smart pill) before I start teaching!

Enjoy your fall weekend and

Be Blessed  ~

Can you hear it?

                                    
                                                                      Luci's bedroom

Be really still and listen.   Do you hear anything?

                         
                                                            Annamarie's bedroom

Me either!

                                 
                                                                    Rissy's bedroom

That's because I'm HOME ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         
                                                              My bedroom

Sure enuff! 

Jesse took the girls to their appointment this afternoon and, at the same time, Luci has her routine check up (because of the medication she takes).

The windows in our house are open.  The fresh air smells wonderful.  The only noise I hear is the leaves blowing outside, the ceiling fan over me, and the faint sound of our washing machine.

I SHOULD wrap our granddaughter's birthday presents. 

I SHOULD work on my photo album. 

I SHOULD do a lot of things . . .

               
 . . . but, after a morning of home schooling and a quicker than quick bath (no relaxing this time!), I'm a little tired and rather enjoying the solitude of the moment.

IT FEELS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They won't be gone that long and I'm thinking of putting on some relaxing music.  I have lots of P&W music, but this time, I'm thinking some gentle background music is in order.

Dinner will be easy (chicken breasts made some way and hash brown casserole) and I only have a few loads of laundry to do (Rissy's and mine) and that will catch up the laundry.  No pressure.  No responsibility!

AHHHH!!!! TRUE BLISS!!!! 

These quiet times are so few and far between . . .

I believe I'll get off of here and go enjoy the quiet before the spell is broken!

Be Blessed  ~

=========================

The second opinion of the orthopedic appointment yesterday agreed with the first, regarding Rissy.  Her spine doesn't have a curve and x-rays don't lie.  She toes in a bit, but not enough to merit wearing leg braces.  HOWEVER, he wrote down on a piece of paper the names of two surgeries we could put Rissy through.  Cutting the calf ligaments was one.  The other was cutting through the knee to untwist the muscles that go to the thigh.  Pretty extensive surgeries for someone who has nothing wrong with them!  I guess we won't continue physical therapy and just do stretches at home to keep her limber.  I still say a chiropractor would do the best job - but we can't afford one right now.  Insurance won't cover a chiropractic visit.

======================

We had nachos for dinner last night.  There was some ground turkey that needed to be cooked and we turned it into seasoned taco meat.  Since we had no lettuce or tomatoes, we covered chips with cheese, pinto beans, meat, and black olives (then, MORE cheese!) and called it, "Super Nachos"!!!!!

======================

I was in a panic yesterday.  I couldn't find my friend's (Emily) banana bread recipe.  I looked everywhere in my recipe box.  I even looked in Rissy's recipe box to see if she had a copy.  I was very alarmed.  I have bananas ready for baking and no recipe!  No other recipe I've tried comes close to being as good as hers!  I left word on Emily's answering machine to call ASAP!!!!  But, determinedly sat down after dinner and went through EVERY card in my recipe box and found the banana bread card in the casserole section???!!!

I can't bake today.  I have to teach "some school" this morning and then take a bath and get ready for my afternoon appointments.

=============================

I have a breast MRI scheduled and then, 1 1/2 hours later, an appointment with the surgeon.  Just a check up to be sure things are still not growing.  In three months, I'll have a mammogram and three months after that another ultrasound.  Tests will be alternating every 3 months - Jesse's request - for a while.

The weather remains beautiful and should be the same for close to 3 weeks.  I hope the forecasters are correct!  I'm enjoying the opened windows and fresh air in the house . . .  before the inevitable cold of winter arrives!

==========================

Well, I made it through the 1960's with my photo sorting job!  These are all the loose photos I had sorted several years ago.  The ones already in file folders and filed by decades.  I still haven't touched those 3 boxes of photos I put on here a few days back!  I'm pretty sure that won't be as cumbersome as it looks.  Many of the photos in those 3 huge boxes are of other people's family/children.  Some are vacation trips.  I mean, do we really need 5 packets of our trip to California?  Stephanie didn't even go.  She stayed home and babysat Luci and her daughter, JanaLyn, was just a newborn. 

But, I have a huge box on my closet shelf that needs to be labeled and put into a book.  I don't think many of those will go in Stephanie's gift book, but probably in our own immediate (living in this house, right now) family album.  Stephanie's is the one I want to finish first.  But, I might as well put together one for our immediate family while I'm at it!  One more album won't make any more of a mess, you know???!!!!

===============================

Jesse gave him a bath this weekend and his 3 pounds shrunk to something more like 1 pound!  He's truly a "Little Bit" of dog!

=========================

I must get on with teaching.  We'll do the short version today.  Go over homework and then teach history/geography, science, and health.  I'll leave the reading, writing, and 'rithmetic for tomorrow!  We're progressing through this year's curriculum nicely, so I'm not worried about dropping those basic subjects for a day, here and there!

Be Blessed  ~