Did everyone survive???

The Hustle & Bustle of Christmas that is?
While we have some time honored traditions we have had to adjust a few things this year due to having a DIL as well as a Grandson added to the festivities.
Christmas Eve we traditionally opened our Ornaments, I buy the kids one or two each year for their trees. I also get an item of clothing that is the same for everyone. In the past it was matching sweaters from Lands End, Union Suits from the Sock Company, one year I sewed matching boxer style shorts from an amazing vintage looking flannel. Then we try to get a group photo of everyone wearing their gifts. This year Tim & Britt had a Christmas Party to attend with her parents while we babysat Gavin & Jessica was heading to Gabes so the Long John photo didn't happen. Maybe next year!

Now my kids have usually let us sleep in past 7 at least however this year Harley woke me up before 7 after feeding & medicating all the pets Sahara woke up and wanted to open gifts well I couldn't say no so after only 5 hrs sleep we started Christmas.
Thankfully Jess & Gabe bought me a Starbucks Gift assortment so I had plenty of coffee to keep me going.

Gavin & Aunt Jessica









Tyler with his ornie

Sahara with her Ornie


Grandpa home with the Sushi & Sashimi making Gavin laugh


Brittany & Gavin Christmas Morning before she left for work



Great-Grandpa Art Rasmussen, Grandpa Larry Rasmussen, Gavin, Dad Tim


However you may celebrate, whichever traditions you hold dear I pray you had a BLESSED Christmas!

Blessings 2 U Friends

Some wonderful photo highlights

It really is a challenge using an outdated program to edit photos to this blog so I emailed them all back to my desktop & ask that you forgive any discolorations or less than sharp images as iphoto is still not working on this machine...despite my attempts to restore it from a previous version....UGH
The Birthday Boy

Sahara's turn


Now Larry


Hey don't run over my dogs or kids (Peter's bus)

The Newsboys
Sunday Morning looking over the Pasture/Parking lot

Time to leave & head home


Last weekend was a company campout at Hillsborough River State Park
I was completely impressed by the beauty and took over 300 photos....
don't worry I won't post them all here!
Our campsite backed up to the river & the Turkey Buzzard night time roosting tree.

I still haven't learned to mobile blog so I just updated my Facebook Status for family & friends.

Otis & I hiked 4 miles early Saturday Morning before everyone else woke up, we saw King Fishers & Herons.
Then we fed the squirrels breakfast

Later at the cookout/party


Lots of GOOD food and fun!
We sat around the fire that night and cooked more desserts and chatted!
Will post a few more of the critters I saw *More than my 10 years here* and some photos, from Sundays hike & Mondays Canoe trip.

Got to run & get ready for Community Group tonight we are still in the Financial Peace classes.

Blessings 2 U Friends

THE WORLD SERIES STARTS TONIGHT....GO RAYS!

We were fortunate enough to be drawn in the pre-sales ticket drawing for World Series Tickets, Games 1 & 2 Monday morning.
So we decided this would be our Christmas gift for the family this year.
Tim, Jess, Brittany & Gabe (we found out he was still around remember) are attending tonight's game while I babysit Gavin.
Watch for them on the third-base line behind the Corona Beach Bar.

Larry told the to take pictures so they can enjoy the game again Christmas morning!
Tomorrow night Larry & I will be going with Sahara & Tyler.

GO RAYS!!!
From Worst to First!

Rays, Red Sox Game

Well it finally arrived last night after the Rays lost to the Red Sox, Autumn is here. We walked outside at 12:45 to wonderfully cool temperatures. Today the high temp was 80 degrees, it has been picture perfect.

I have photos from the nosebleed section of last nights game...while we had tickets for tonight's game we are not attending & will be watching from home later. Last night during the games we got a phone call that my husband's father & step-mother were in a terrible accident...a lady t-boned them while en route home from Illinois. They were in Jacksonville Hospital but were released and spent the night in a hotel until Larry arrived this morning. They had to wait until after church when the impound gentleman could open his lot & they could remove their belongings from their new car, it is TOTALED. Larry just arrived back home a few minutes after we did, we took the tickets to Lori who found a couple of folks that will be attending the game in much better seats than she & I had last night.

I promise to update the photos a little later tonight or tomorrow morning. I feel hung over from not getting home until 2:30 this morning so bear with me!

Blessings 2 U Friends.
Heading into Tropicana

Sahara & Gavin in their Rays attire

The main entrance of Tropicana Field

Fans coming in early

Sahara playing in the kids zone

Found this rich guy hiding in back

Gavin spinning the wheel

An interesting Cats Head

Dinner at Centerfield

Our seats only 14 from the top of the stadium

Mr. Mohawk

A fan waiting to climb down from his seat after the Rays lost.

GO RAYS!!!

Well after getting to The Primitive Rug Hooking Group a few minutes early I tried to help fix her email (it wasn't sending) well I found out they changed providers & the new provider password was not working and the gentleman didn't tell them their password...GREAT.
We then found out their voicemail had never been set up. Messages have been going into limbo for over 3 years...lol

Finally got started hooking my Santa about 10 just after Susan arrived with her Turkey.

There were some great rugs & a felted tree I took photo's of but my iphoto program keeps crashing so I will have to transfer them tomorrow to my laptop & mail them to my desktop. Or I could figure out how to mobile blog one of these days...BUT NOT TODAY!
This is Melanies Snowfolks Rug aren't they adorable

Melanie is now starting her stained glass Dragonflies (I love this rug & her color choices)

Maggie started this rug after the last class in September, she chose a beautiful bright green backing for this rug, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

I have to get cleaned up & change clothes to meet up with friends to head to the RAYS GAME. We are in the nosebleed section on the third baseline, but we are going to be at playoff game 6 and it better be their final game before the World Series. I have a theory that they throw the games so they can sell more tickets & merchandise by dragging these things out to 6 or 7 games.
If they clinch it early both teams loose out on revenue from ticket sales & all the food/merchandise, parking, etc.

Larry, Tyler, Jess & Gabe (apparently he is still alive) are heading to the Lightening Game tonight. So the critters have the run of the house.

PLEASE PRAY this doesn't go into extra innings I am too old stay out late & drive another 60 minutes home.

Blessings 2 U Friends!

Ahhh the smell of Autumn in the Air

Well at least cooler air this morning....all the doors & windows are wide open again
Sounds of birds from all around our home are dancing in on the breeze.

It has been a doozy of a few days here since my last post. After getting all 'psyched' up to start back on the road of disciplined money management we came home to find Casper had gotten into the trash...not only had gotten into it but ate the leftover pork ribs from Sunday night and GOD only knows what else. So looking like a little pot bellied pig he waddled around in the discomfort of his gluttony for the rest of the night.

The next morning he 'lost' his breakfast and a few undigested rib bones...still his belly looked a bit swollen. So we kept an eye on him (of course Dr. Mac is Closed on Thursdays) through out the day and while he was still moving around he was uncomfortable & bloated. Finally about 5 I decided we should get him in somewhere to have an xray & blood work done to make sure there wasn't an obstruction or his kidney stones weren't causing another infection.

Thankfully my walking buddy works for a wonderful Vet nearby & they got me in at the last second...ran some tests, did a couple xrays and gave him some meds. There is no visible obstruction from the bones he ate, the stones seem to be all in his bladder again (from what we could see through the engorged stomach) however bloodwork showed possible pancreatitis, we are watching him over the next 48 hours to see if anything changes. I did manage to get these few Cards done to preview next months Cards & Tags class

Hopefully I can finish the other 30 sometime today.

Saturday is my BIG yearly Croptoberfest here at the house so today is cleaning & moving furniture day so I can finish setting up the tables & chairs for all the ladies. Larry was making scones, Pumpkin Caramel Scones & White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Scones, last night & the house smelled wonderful when Brittany came to pick up Gavin oh yeah I forgot to mention he had to be dropped off at the Vet while we were there....lol The girls at the desk looked at me funny when I came out with his car seat, they didn't see Brit come in, I told them we were here so long I gave birth. :-) Not to mention another $330 dent in that emergency fund that we didn't get set back up after all the other emergencies this year....
Please say a prayer that everything Casper ate passes quickly and there is no pancreatitis, I want to make sure all the ladies have a great time & not have to worry about the dog tomorrow. We have so much planned with hourly door prizes, gifts, food, and fun things to make during the day.

Heres hoping you have a SPECTACULAR FALL DAY where ever you live!

Blessings 2 U Friends

Good Friends, Good Music, Good Morning

Friday Night was a blast! Sarah's cousin Beth had never been so we took her on TWISTER first
...then THE MUMMY!
That is my favorite ride...it starts out like Pirates of The Caribbean, it then reminds me of The Haunted Mansion, then it's alot like Rockin' Roller Coaster but it is over too fast!

We then ate at Finnegan's and Tyler ran back & forth between the stages & his food.


As you can see BETH is a stitch & fits right in with our little group! She kept us laughing every time I took a picture with her poses!

After dinner Kristin & I stopped at Starbuck's, I had to have a Pumpkin Spice Latte even though it was about 85 degrees out still.
I have realized I am getting old because all the noise in the lines hurts my ears! Sarah had run to the First Aid to get earplugs for herself & ibuprofen for my headache from the noise of the teenagers in the lines.

There was still an hour to go before the Newsboys took the stage so we headed over to try to get nice & close.....HAHAHAHAH
It was a LITERAL WALL of bodies all the way back to the lighting tent... we found a small area near the middle where we could breathe and maybe do a little jumping.

It NEVER ceases to move me when I see this many people come & worship GOD, multi-generations/race/nationality it is AMAZING!

When they came out on the catwalk to the mini stage we found out we were closer than we expected!

Peter, Paul, Duncan & Jeff

Sarah got one of Duncan's drumsticks after the concert so she & Sahara posed with Peter's cocktail set


I hope to post more later & hopefully add that short vid clip...The glass repair guy is here & I have to elevate my foot since I broke my toe yesterday




Blessings 2 U friends