Are We Still On Earth?

Are they moon buggy tracks?


Are these Astronaut's footprints?


They are neither! It is what we are left with after the completion of our drain field. This is what it looks like currently...yuck! Winter is bad enough with all the dead looking trees...but having to look at this every time you walk out your front door is quite depressing to say the least. David has put down some winter rye grass seed in hopes to keep the soil from eroding(if you can call it that, it really is more like moon dust:)


But there's more...I saved the best for last...our boulder!!! This was buried in the yard and the guys dug it out. It is starting to feel like the Flintstones around here!

I can't wait 'til Spring!!!

Confused

Here we are in the depth of winter and most trees are barren. I noticed a couple a weeks ago my red bud tree starting to bloom out. I thought, "No way, it's too cold and too far from spring!" But much to my dismay it has totally bloomed! I am enjoying it but am very afraid the blooms will die in the cold and possible freezes to come. Oh well, I guess I will enjoy it while it's here!


It is a beautiful tree! Just about my favorite in the yard.

1/2 a Century!

Well we have started off the year with a special birthday! This year John hit the big 5-0!
He says it doesn't feel any different than any other day! Well after living 18,250 of them I guess he should know! (We were kind with the candles! :)


Daddy put on his "happy" ears in case John needed cheering up!


But he didn't...he faced that 50 like a man ...


and was still smiling afterward!


While waiting for cake Celia chatted with her new boyfriend...


Still being silly...


David kept warm while waiting for cake and ice cream under my most current quilt.


Daddy was busy getting the ice cream on the cake...Celia was amazed how he multi tasked...putting food away, washing dishes and serving ice cream all at the same time!

In the end all John had to say was...

"50?...It doesn't hurt...come on 51!!! :)

New Look!!

Well I decided that it was time for a change. It is not unusual for me because my hair grows so fast to just go get a haircut and do something different. Here are some before and after pictures.

Before...boring...


after some style!!!

Now after.. fun with Photo Booth (only on a Mac!)....


collage...


tribute to Andy Warhol...


me as a comic book superhero :)


Me as twins. Oh yeah!
It's amazing what fun one can have on a cold rainy afternoon with a cool computer program!

Here's looking at you until next time!

Surviving the Freeze

This past week we had a hard freeze. It was colder than it has been in years here in J-ville. Thanks to a wonderful little greenhouse, I have spring in January.

I opened the door and this is what I saw...


a very happy Christmas cactus,


a bright geranium,


even new buds that weren't there when I put this little guy in safe keeping from the cold.
It was truly amazing to see everything so happy. It's my little spot of life in the winter!

Starting the New Year off Right!

Every year we all gather to have New Year's Day dinner together. We eat lots of cabbage, rice, and black eyed peas for health, wealth, and fertility. I'm not sure which goes with which so I just eat a lot of all of it. It was all delicious as usual. Here are some pics of the bringing in the New Year right....eating!!!:)


This year Daddy made the black eyed peas...he soaked them all night and cooked them all the next day...they were delicious.


Yum...ready to devour!


His first outing (other than the doctor's)


Even the lure of food and the camera couldn't break the intensity of the football game on!


Always ready with a smile.


Nobody wanted to look up and smile...so I just took the picture anyway!!!


Daddy happy to start a new year...Sarah said he was supposed to be wearing his Micky Mouse ears but it didn't matter... he was happy anyway!

Hope your new year has gotten off to a great start too. I don't know about the wealth and health but I do know I have gained some pounds. Guess it's time to start that New Year's resolution...try to exercise and lose some weight : (

Memories of a Year...

2007 was a year of many firsts...happy and sad...but what is it that they say?...It takes the bad to off set the good or every thing's not wine and roses??? Well whatever it is, as hard as some things may seem, when looking back it's the good times we want to remember the most like looking through rose colored glasses, but sometimes it's the sad things that bring back the bittersweet memories and make the good times that much sweeter! Sometimes the things you think are not what you want at the time end up being blessings in disguise. What you thought at the time was bad when looking back it ends up being a fond memory. You just never know which events in your life time line will be on what side. What is for sure though is that time marches on and doesn't stop. Here are some of the good and not so good reflections of a year...2007.

This is one of those...it's a good thing...it's a bad thing! It just depends on the day:) We started off the year with our two little Labrador pups (watch them through the year!)

David lost his Mother in January so his year was full of firsts without his mom.


His mother when she was young...but


time marches on and...


the puppies grow!!!


In February little chubby cheeks was added to the clan.


In March I turned ...40...this is one of those think it's bad at the time and then look back and cry harder...no :) really I look back and realize OH MY GOSH, I'm almost 41????


We found out there was an unknown member of the clan...we got to meet Robin and her family...this definitely was a good time ! :)


All the girls...


and the puppies were still growing...


and so was Rachel...we found out a new j-ville member was on it's way!


Summer came and I planted my first garden..some good cucumbers, a couple of tomatoes and TONS of cherry tomatoes.


and yes the pups were still here and still growing...James asked if I was feeding them miracle grow...humm that was a wonder considering I was using it in my garden :)


Another new member to the family, Keely...with an engagement announcement.


In the summer we also had a nice visit from Aunt Shirley and Uncle Burt


I will always consider 2007 the year of the quilts. Sarah and I learned to sew rag quilts and I have been addicted ever since.


I taught Sarah how to make a rag quilt, and she didn't think she could do it...one of those bad times at first and looking back it's a good thing!!!


The much awaited Harry Potter book came out.


Mom and Daddy celebrated their Golden Anniversary! Those are definitely good memories!


Then Aunt Shirley and Uncle Burt brought another good memory with a surprise visit for Daddy's birthday...

now whose sneaky, sneaky??? ;)


The first day of school came....a Senior in high school. Both of my babies in high school...as I said time marches on...


and the pups kept growing!


In the latter part of the year we found out about Daddy's colon cancer.
There was surgery and many prayers. While he was recuperating...


a first boyfriend came and has since gone...another of those at first bad then bittersweet memories.

Jamie started driving...what a nervous wreck I am now!!!


We played the Wii to pass the time...


the pups continued to grow...


and life started to return to normal.


Will bought his first tractor...


and so the tractor hobby was passed on to a third generation. Definitely not a first!


Time continues to march on...


the dogs continued to grow...


birthday pie tradition was started...


a visit from a long time friend from as far back as junior high. Who would have thought we would have daughters so close in age.


In December we welcomed a new member of the family.


Nana had to make sure her puppy was OK.


As we draw to a close...the Jags made the playoffs...


the yard that took ten years to look like this...


in about 30 minutes, thanks to this... and a need for a new drain field...


now looks like this...this hopefully will be one of those crappy (ha-ha no pun intended) memories now and a good one when it is all through. This will also most likely be the first memory of 2008 as the yard still looks like this 2 weeks later!


And we end the year like we began...almost... we started with two puppies with puppy brains and now we have two roughly 75 pound dogs but with puppy brains!


but I know this will be a future memory that will be all worth it!!!


This brings to a close the memories of 2007. I will look forward to all the memories that are to come in 2008. I hope everyone's is a great year to come with many good memories to be made as...


time marches on!!!


Welcome 2008!!!!