Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015

Another year is coming to an end, less than 12 hours to go.

It's kind of sad saying goodbye to another year but anticipating the new year makes it okay.

This year has been a pretty good year. All of us here at Ain't Many Acres have been fairly healthy except for a bug David brought home from work and Dave hurting his back. But still, I have to say, it's been good overall.

One thing that's I'm thankful for is that I got to go back to my hometown, not once but twice. First for my niece's wedding in June, which was beautiful and the rehearsal dinner the night before when a video was shown that her father-in-law made as a gift to them, was so heartwarming. He even included the night that my niece's husband proposed to her. It brought tears to my eyes.

The second time I was able to go home was for my 40th class reunion. At the informal gathering the night before the actual reunion, it was so great seeing people and hearing the phrase,"You haven't changed one bit," repeated over and over. I did, but it was nice to hear and to those I said it to, it was true, they hadn't changed. I had a great time.

At the reunion the following night, one of the committee members made a video of what we had been doing since we graduated. Some of us sent pictures and they were included in the video. It was great to watch and again, brought tears to my eyes. He made it available for download, so I can watch it whenever I want to remember the great times and people. He did a very touching tribute of those we lost too. Some I knew about, but there were others I hadn't and was shocked to find out that they were no longer with us.

Another planned event of that weekend was the tour of the new high school. They tore down the campus style one that I graduated from and in it's place put tennis courts and such for both students and the community to use. The school itself, was built where they originally had the tennis courts. It was a start of the art masterpiece all wrapped into one building. It was really nice. I couldn't get over how big the new gym was. Now the students who go there will have a new building to make all new memories of what happens inside those walls, just like we did when we went to the one whose place it took. Hopefully they'll be as fond as the ones I have.

Kenneth and Elicia were able to make it up for Christmas, so that was also a big high light. We don't get to see them nearly as much as I would like. We had a great Christmas day, the weather was beautiful even though there was no snow, but we were all together and that's what mattered.

Those were the three highlights of the year, but I can't complain about the rest of it either. The pups all stayed healthy, even though Rolli has slowed down a lot. That's to be expected though since she is almost 15. She still gets her bursts of energy though and is as bossy as ever. Angel is still her sweet self and Max is still the "zoom zoom" and pesky little brother, but that's what makes him so cute. He knows it too because he gets told on a regular basis that he's lucky he is.

My hope like everyone's is that we will see peace in the coming year, but I also wish for all of you, love, good health and happiness throughout the coming New Year and always.

Merry Christmas to All

May you all have a Merry Christmas and may you and yours have 

Health, Happiness, and Love throughout the New Year.

Christmas Eve Eve

Two more days until Christmas, do you know where your pups are?

Ours are all snoozing. Max is in their chair, Angel is on the couch and Rolli is back in our room probably snoozing on Angel's bed. Patches, one of the cats is probably snoozing on Rolli's which is under our bed, like a little puppy cave.

I did buy them some gifts, cats included and their stockings are hung by the fire with care, fake though it may be. I just need to rewash their bandanas and put those back on them. If you go to my Facebook page, you will see a picture of Angel with hers on.

Max got his bandana dirty from digging in the mud yesterday trying to dig under the fence. I guess he was  thinking that he was going to get that pesky squirrel up in the tree on the other side. I made him come in before he got that far.

Well, I lied

I decided not to wait until after Christmas. So here's a breakdown of what we've been up to in the last six months.

So that means I will start with June.

In June Dave and I made the trip back to my hometown for my niece's wedding. It was held at the church of the Catholic school she teaches at. She looked gorgeous! The wedding and receptions were nice too. They had some of her students participate in the wedding where the Godparents would have. They looked so nervous, but cute. I think she teaches the third grade and from what I've been told, she loves it.

While we were in town, we also also had dinner with my cousin on my dad's side, who I haven't seen for years. It was so great meeting her husband and catching up on things. We had a really good time. We also saw my longest and dearest friend and had breakfast with another, a classmate of mine; we see both whenever we go back.

Not too much happened in July. We did take time out to go and see the fireworks on the 4th. As luck would have it, David had to work and the fireworks were being shot off at the lake across the road. When he was done with work, he just had to walk out to join us.

Unfortunately Kenneth and Elicia couldn't drive up for the day, so it was just Dave and I for most of it. We also celebrated David's birthday and remembered my mom's.

August and September were also quiet. I did spend September and the early part of October getting ready for my 40th high school reunion in October. Dave and I also put in a new sub floor and wood laminate floor in our bedroom and I found an 8x10 rug at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore to go in there. Like I've said before, I LOVE our ReStore. If you have one near you, make sure to check it out. Anyway, the floor looks great and adds so much to the room. Oh yea, we got that at our ReStore too. :)

October, the month of my reunion. Dave and I made another trip back and on the night that we arrived, there was an informal get together for the attendees at the bar/restaurant attached to the hotel we stayed at. An old friend and his wife who I hadn't seen since our 10th was there! This is a guy who was a really good friend, not a boyfriend. I did have a crush on him though. We did try to get together once after we graduated, but he said that it would have ruined our friendship. I must admit, I was disappointed at the time, but in the end, I did agree with him.

I didn't recognize him at first and I felt so bad about it, but we ended having a really great time, talking over old times. I also found out that his birthday is the day after Dave's. He joked me about always robbing the cradle; all my boyfriends in high school were younger than me and so are he and Dave. It was also so fun seeing other classmates in the relaxed atmosphere.

The next night, October 25, was the reunion. It was the Best! The committee did such a great job in planning it and decorating for it. My name was even mentioned in the Chairman's speech, although he had my maiden and married names switched. One of the classmates had us all send him pictures of our lives since graduation and made a video of them. He also did a really nice memorial to those we lost, 42 in all. A couple of them I wasn't even aware of. One was a guy I worked with years earlier at another hotel.

Our last night in town we had dinner at my brother's and sister's-in-law house with my other two sisters in attendance along with my oldest sister's husband. We all had a nice time and I had to agree with my sister-in-law, it was a lot better than going out to a restaurant. She made dinner and my oldest sister made dessert and my other brought something else. All of us had a nice time.

We made really good time driving back, making it to Galesburg, Ill our first night. We made it to Dayton, Ohio on the way there. We made it home around 3:00pm central time. It was nice not being in a hurry.

After the highlights of October, November was another quiet month, with Thanksgiving being like just another day. David had to work and again, Kenneth and Elicia didn't make it up again, so it was only Dave and I. We did celebrated Dave's birthday and both of my sisters did call to wish us a Happy Thanksgiving.

We had snow in November and even had a white Thanksgiving. The first week of December, we put the tree up and I decorated the rest of the house and put some LEDs we bought last year at the after Christmas sales outside on the bare lilac bushes. They look good.

I don't know if Kenneth and Elicia will miss Christmas, I hope not! Thank goodness David will have off both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so that's good. The weather has been warm this week, but is supposed to get colder. I don't know if that will add up to a white Christmas, but I hope so.

Anyway, I will post again soon and if you don't hear from me before then, I hope you all have a Very Merry Christmas and the Happiest of the Holiday Season.

Till next time, take care.

I know, It's Been a Long Time

Actually, I'm not going to write much today, just that I know that I haven't written lately.

I really have no excuse, other than I haven't really been in the mood to, but I promise that after the holidays, I will write a newsletter, per say, of what I've been doing the last six months. For now, let me just say that I've had some fun.

Until then, I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and Very Happy Holidays!

Memorial Day

May We never forget those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

I hope that you all had a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend. I hope you also took the time to remember those who are not with us because of their sacrifice and those who are still doing so.

Spring, Spring, Oh Beatiful Spring!

Yea, Spring is here! And along with it the flowers are blooming, the trees are blossoming, and the allergies are bothering. But at least the temperatures are warmer and the sun is staying out longer. For a while there though, it looked like Old Man Winter wasn't giving up his reins, but Mother Nature won out. She is woman after all, hear her roar! Even one of the lilac bushes I planted a couple or three years ago is blooming this year. Too bad the other two still aren't. Maybe next year all three will finally bloom.

Around here you can see the many calves that have been born and pretty soon the same will be true for the foals. I love seeing the babies all running around getting used to being alive and checking out their new environments, the foals especially with their long, toothpick-like legs. They're so fun to watch, when they're not sleeping that is. There are several farms that raise horses, so we get to watch them grow and of course the same is true with the calves.

The ticks are out and I assume, so are the fleas. I gave the pups their treatments on Sunday since I had that two or three day reprieve from rain. It says in the directions that it shouldn't rain for a couple days after you treat them. I don't treat them in the winter after the first hard freeze because there are no ticks or fleas. That is one nice thing about living here.

I'm proud of myself and also ticked at myself. I've been walking to try to lose weight. Well on Friday, I finally went over the three mile mark and what did I do yesterday, did I walk? Dave and I did take the pups for a walk when he got home, but other than that, nope, nothing, so I need to suck it up, my stomach was upset yesterday and still is today, so despite that, I still need to walk.

Dave noticed that I was pacing because I hadn't walked earlier. That's when he suggested that we take one, even though it wasn't nearly the three miles I intended to walk. I suggested taking the pups. When I take long walks, I go by myself.

Today is laundry day, so I started early. I should be done, or nearly done by the time I have to take David to work. He got another job on top of the other one he has. When I get home is when I'll walk. In the meantime, I best get the other things I need to do done.

Have a great Spring day and don't forget to stop and smell the flowers.

Happy Easter

Have a happy and blessed Easter everyone. Enjoy your day.

Happy Birthday, Rolli!

Lost a Good Friend Today

We met on a message board I belonged to years ago, it had to be at least 10. I never met her in person, but we did talk on the phone several times. She lived in Texas and although she suffered from MS, she loved life and lived it to the fullest.

She loved her family and friends and you could tell that she was proud of her family in the things she said about them. She was also loved by all, including her many cyber-friends.

She will be missed by so many.

Rest in Peace, our dear Evelyn and may the Good Lord welcome you into His loving arms. You've fought a long and hard battle with that terrible disease, now it is time to rest.

Happy Spring!

Happy first day of Spring! The weather today is gorgeous, sunny and supposed to get into the 60s. Alas, it's not supposed to last. It's going back down to the 30s by the first of the week. But it will be back!

Signs of spring are popping up and needless to say, so are the allergies. All of us here are suffering.

I'm thinking that maybe I'll take the Soul to get washed, it needs it desperately. The inside needs a good vacuuming too. First though I need to fold the towels that are still in the dryer from yesterday. All the other laundry was folded and put away yesterday.

What I really want to do is to go shopping up north, meaning West Des Moines where all the good stores are. Not really even to buy, but just to look. I need to start thinking about what to wear to my niece's wedding in June.

That's it for now. Hope everyone enjoys their day.

Hello Daylight Savings Time!

I know we set our clocks ahead Sunday morning and not everyone likes it, but I love Daylight Savings Time.

I love the longer daylight. It gets me in the mood for spring, well actually, who isn't in the mood for spring after the winter we've been having? Today's weather is giving us a preview. The days are slowly getting warmer, but after last year, I'm still on alert being that we had snow on the ground at the beginning of May.

Anyway, I like the longer daylight because it feels as if the days are longer, which they aren't but it feels that way. When it's sunny out, like it is today, it makes it feel that much better. The warmer temps don't hurt either.

I Had a Dream

I don't know about you, but this felt very real to me. I debated about whether I should write about it.

I had a dream one night a few weeks ago and in my dream I saw my mom. She looked younger, like when we were kids or before and she was happy. She looked happier than I remembered seeing her in a long time before she passed away.

Another thing about the dream is that she had Jake with her and he was healthy and happy too, wagging his tail and having that beautiful shine to his gorgeous strawberry blond fur that he used to have. My mom was telling me in the dream that she knew that I had been feeling guilty because I wasn't awake when Jake passed away and that I had been missing him terribly. She told me that she wanted me to know that he forgave me and that he wanted me to see that he was healthy again. When I woke up the next morning, I felt happier and more at peace than I felt since before he passed away back in April.

I had a similar dream a couple years after my dad passed away and after my first son was born. In that dream my dad was sitting in my grandmother's kitchen and he told me that he was proud of me and that David was a beautiful child.

I know I had been missing my mom and Jake and that was probably why I had the dream, but I'm also one of those who believe that our loved ones let us know after they pass that they are okay to ease our minds and give us peace.

Are You Ready for Some Football?!

No, my Steelers aren't in it, so I'm not watching. Actually I probably wouldn't be even if they were.

Why, you're probably asking. Well because I get too worked up, too ticked off if things don't go my way and I can feel my blood pressure rise with each play.

I quit watching the first time they played San Diego in the playoffs...and lost. After that, I told myself, "No more!"

I used to watch, in fact, I was at work when they played in their first Super Bowl, so I was allowed to drive home and get my portable TV so that we could watch it back in the kitchen. I worked in the hotel as part of the kitchen staff back then, the one the team stayed at for every home game. I used to see some of the players, like Terry Bradshaw and Lynn Swann, to name a couple, in the dining room as I left for the night. That day there was one guy rooting for Dallas, poor sap. He was from out of town, so that's why. It was the best game! A friend and I even went to the "Welcome Home Parade" a day or two later. These days I wait until the after game stuff or if I happen to catch the halftime show, I'll watch that. I don't even know whose doing the halftime show this year. I haven't heard anything about it. I also already saw the new Budweiser commercial, all I can say about it is, "Awwwwww!" It was so cute.☺

I do have a preference of which one of the teams I would like to see win this one, but I'm not saying which one. Let me just say that I'll be glad when it's all over so that come fall, the new season will start and my ♥Steelers♥ can start all over and hopefully make it next year.

Today is My Anniversary

It was 17 years ago today that I quit smoking. :)

Another Christmas Done

Well, the house is back to normal. I took the tree and all the decorations down. Thankfully I didn't put up a lot. Dave and David took all the storage boxes back to the storage building, so it's all done for another year.

Only 356 more days until Christmas day, 2014.

Happy New Year!

I hope that all of you had a nice and peaceful Holiday season, no matter what you celebrate. Ours was fairly peaceful. Kenneth and Elicia couldn't make it up for Thanksgiving, so it was just the three of us. They did make it up for Christmas and it was nice. We did have a White Christmas, which I'm always happy about when it happens. We're having a white New Year's day too. Thank goodness no one has to go anywhere today.

Dave and I were lucky when we went to Walmart yesterday, we got the last tree box they had. The week before they had a big stack of them.

Well here it is another year. Have you made any resolutions for the new year? I didn't this year. I always seem to break them so I didn't bother. It's always the same one too, to lose weight and get in shape. I have been trying to eat healthier and in the process hopefully drop a few pounds, but if I at least stay the same weight I am now, I'm not going to sweat it.

Maybe I'll make that my resolution, not to sweat the small stuff. Like the saying goes, "Stay calm and carry on." I need to stay calm and not get upset about every little thing, things I have no way of changing, but instead, changing how I react to them. Instead of thinking about how I've been slighted in the past, being thankful for all I have. I do have so much to be thankful for.