Day 81

Ok, I wanted to get a pic of me & my brothers while we were all in one place AND all dressed up.  This is Kevin (6 years younger than me), Steve (13 months younger than me) and Wayne (13 months OLDER than me).  Well, then my parents joined us (WHERE is that pics???  Must not have cropped that one.) Then Kevin wanted his family looking nice.  And then I became the official photographer.  Most pics look better than this one; I think we look like we're waiting for the firing squad!  I need to send out CDs to everyone & make some prints for my parents.

Day 80

My mother's ENTIRE family is in town for my uncle's funeral.  I HATE the reason we're all together but I love that we can all hang out.  Steve invited us all over to his new house.  Monica picked up food from a local restaurant & we warmed it when we got there.  I hate to say we had so much fun but we DID!!!  Ivan, Carolyn & Kelvin came up from Arkansas, Mom, Dad, Nancy, Marvin & Kevin & Missy & the kids came up from Bolivar.  Wayne & Judy (who live in our town but we rarely get together) came and all 3 of Steve's kids were HOME!  I hate to say we had a good time but it was so much fun hanging out with everyone.

This is actually a pic that Becca took.  She swore there was no way I'd keep it.  I can't say I LIKE it nor can I say it's a good picture of me but, it does seem to capture my spirit.  I did get even with her with this shot. 

Watch out for the woman with the camera!!!!

Day 79

After getting some settings advice from Tracey, I tried again.  Waited FOREVER for the moon to rise.  8:50 was when the almanac said it would rise but I didn't get to actually see it until after 9:10!  The settings Tracey gave me didn't quite work.  I played a little & FINALLY go the shot but it was TOO bright!!  I did an "auto adjust" in PSE & came out with this more acceptable moon.  I still have LOTS to learn!

Day 78

Well, sorry folks.  I tried to get a shot of the moon but, alas, clouds.  In fact, I went outside to take the pic & realized IT'S RAINING!!!!  And, as I'm posting this nearly 2 weeks later, I aparently didn't take ANY OTHER PICS today.  Sorry.

I LIED!!!  I forgot I did take a pic but I put in another folder.  Whew!!  My year is still intact (I think....)

I don't know if it's tacky to take a pic of a funeral announcement but, this was the pic I did take today.  My uncle died yesterday.  he's been sick for several years following a stroke.  He'd rallied every previous time that he slipped but this time, he was ready to go "home".  He will be VERY missed by his family & the community as well!!!

Day 77

I noticed it was a full moon tonite so I set up Becca's tripod & tried to get some pics.  They didn't turn out exactly as I wanted but still kinda cool.  Then, I find out it's a SUPER moon.  Apparently, the moon appears bigger than it normally does.  Couldn't have proved it by me.  I'm gonna try again for tomorrow when it's REALLY full (can't you tell it's not quite full here??  Me either!)

Day 76

Ok, you'd think for St Patrick's day, I'd manage to get a shot o my St Pats socks.  Or Becca's green & gold Mardi Gras Beads or ANYTHING GREEN.  But no.  I made brownies in my mini-muffin pan.  Since I had carmels and Pecan.......turtle brownies!!!  They looked better than they tasted.  Not enough carmel (not that they tasted BAD but they just didn't taste turtle-y enough).  I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or if my pan is defective but NOTHING comes out of the pan.  So I used muffin cups; the brownies wouldn't come out of the papers!!!  HUH????

Day 75

Taken out of the sunroof at Daton's house after dropping him off.  Hard to believe they were covered in snow a few days ago....

Day 74

Sorry about another sunset but, i was at the mall, needed a pic for today so becca said to take the sunset.  It really was pretty.  And, the moon was just rising & was pink but I couldn't get a pic!

Day 73

HUH?????  What???  SNOW??? 

Yes, snow.  Even tho they are predicting 60s by friday, we got about 2" of VERY heavy wet snow this morning.  Was AWFULLY pretty but still, SNOW????  Most of it was melted by 3 when I had to go pick up the kids but, I still had to scrap it off the car & into my crocs.  Had to go in & change my socks and put my warm furry crocs on. 

Day 72

Scary, huh?  I restored my computer back to it's factory settings today.  Before you do irreparable damage to you computer, they give you this warning.  I WISH they would have warned me my computer screen was FILTHY & to clean it before I took the pic.  LOL  Keep your fingers crossed the restore works!!!

Day 71

Becca taking pictures on the way home from St. Peters, MO.  We had driven to my friend Debi's house so I could use her SU Top Note Die.  Afterwards, we drove to the Mills and found her Banquet Dress!!!  For $20!!!!    Very exciting.  But, I left my Archivers coupon in the car and we parked too far for me to walk back and get it.  LOL

Anyway, this is the pic she took.  I think it looks like a child praying.  Anyone else see it??

Day 70

Dazzling diamonds??  A stamp project??  NO it's my sunroof!  Pretty!  But, it just figures that the ONE day I have to drive in the morning, there is frost to scrape.  Oh well.

And here's my grass, frosted ever so lightly.  Pretty!!

Day 69

Today is Hannah Winberry's Birthday.  Becca decided that she needed a cake so she made her one.  All by herself.  I helped w/the icing & the sprinkles!  Hmmmm, Becca's never made ME a cake!!  Now I KNOW she knows how so, next time I want a cake, I'll make HER make it for me!!!

Day 68

I LOVE really useful boxes!!  They are the coolest storage EVER!  I love the different sizes, love the pink color, love that they stack & make me FEEL organized when I'm truly NOT!  I just bought the new TEENY TINY ones for my TH embellishment & the long one for pens.  I have ONE empty one that I haven't found the perfect thing for.  YET!

Day 67

Busy day, ended it at Walmart.  Our new Walmart is WEIRD.  There is rarely anyone there, the shelves are empty & it's seems soooo small!  Why on earth build a Walmart if you're gonna make it tiny.  But, since no one is there; I guess size isn't an issue???  Anyway, there was a boy, probably in his very early 20s, wearing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle PJ pants.  I was dying to take his pic & got my camera out.  Took random pics of everything but couldn't get one of him.  So, here's the only candy I'm allowed.  While it is good it's still not a Snicker's Bar.  I'd LOVE a snickers!!!!

Day 66

I have NEVER known a cat to like table scraps soooo much.  I really kinda understand him begging for meat; that makes sense.  This cat KNOWS when there is deli meat in the house.  He can be sacked out, dead to the world & if Scott or I go up to make a sandwich, he's RIGHT THERE, with those sweet little kitty eyes saying "I'd like some ham too!!".  But, the thing that gets me is how much he loves BREAD!!  Any type of bread product!  This is him scarfing down a pancake.  I know it's not good for him & I KNOW I shouldn't be giving it to him but, who can resist sweet kitty eyes (as opposed to his normal EVIL kitty eyes.  LOL)

Day 65

I usually rinse my cans as soon as I use them.  Rinse, crush, recycle.  Lately tho, I've been saving a days worth of can & rinsing them all at once, saving water.  Well, over this weekend, I got a little behind in rinsing.  Time to get moving I guess!!!

Day 64

St. Louis Style Pizza.  I don't think it'll ever become as famous as say NY Style Pizza but I'm glad I live in StL & get to experience it!!!  Provolone cheese & a crust the consistency of a soda cracker; that's what makes StL Style pizza.  And the ONLY place to get it is IMOS!!!  Love Imos.  And, not only is their pizza the best (although, we now order the thicker crust pizza instead of soda cracker) they have the BEST soda!!!  I don't know what it is; crack in the dispenser??  And, the pizza is SOOOOO good warmed over.  Fold it in half and make your own pizza rolls.  YUMMMMMM

Day 63

Nick's been DYING to get Alex over so he can have "manly game night".  So, tonite was the night.  We picked Alex up after school and he & Nick played games until Scott & I went to bed.  Then, they moved the party downstairs & played MORE GAMES & watched TV until they finally fell asleep.  All I can say is, thank goodness for ear plugs!!  LOL

Day 62

Gumballs.  Taken from the open sunroof.  Spring MIGHT be on it's way......

Day 61

Pretty Punches!!!  This is my punch drawer.  It's not ALL of my punches.  My newer SU thumb punches & the NEW SU flat punches are elsewhere.  But they're black & grey & BORING.  I sold off a bunch of my punches a few years back.  Thought punches were passe'.  They weren't.  Miss my snowflake punches!  Anyway, I thought the colors & the jumble was pretty.....

Day 60

Tonite was McTeacher night.  One of my FAVORITE fund raisers!!  Make money for the school AND I dont' have to cook!!!  And McDs loves to have Bethel McTeacher nights; they sell more on our nights than any other school, INCLUDING public schools.  I swear everyone from the church & school come out on these nights.  I think the parents have more fun than the kids!!!



I know my kids get a kick out of seeing their teachers do manual labor.  Here is Jamie (our new secretary) with her "work" pose.  She's so funny!!!

Day 59

I'm sorry to give you so many kitty pics.  When he's asleep & sooooo sweet looking, I can't help but to take a pic.  Lately, he's been a big PAIN when he's awake.  He wants to go outside.  Somehow he thinks if he sits by the door & whines, we'll let him out.  I don't know WHY he thinks this, it's not like we've EVER done that!  I love the way he curls up & puts his nose under his paw.  I guess his nose gets cold when he sleeps too.

Day 58

Happy Birthday Scott!!! 

We went to dinner to Golden Corral.  I made Scott a Lemon cake w/lemon icing (one of his favorites).  I think he had a pretty good birthday.  I got him a external DVD drive for the new computer I got him for Christmas (didn't realize it didn't come with one!)  He liked it until I told him I could have gotten him a blu ray player.  Now, he wants that instead.....  Men & their toys!!!

Day 57

Tomorrow is Scott's birthday.  So, we decided to go out to eat TOMORROW instead of our usual Saturday night out.  But, as the day went on, no one could decide what they wanted for dinner!  I refuse to cook spaghetti on a Saturday (just a rule of mine, lol) so we decided to go out.  Well, no one could agree on where to eat.  There was discussion (argument??) until I suggested Wendy's. 

For a cheap, quick dinner, it was so much fun.  I don't know why.  We just laughed & joked & I took pictures of Nick's fries, his empty ketchup container, the stack of napkins and TRIED to get a pic of him.  He kept putting his hand in front of the camera.  I finally got this shot of him, headless but was given approval to keep this shot.  This is what Nick's about right now:  no pics, hollister shirts, his hollister chicken (yes, I know a parrot) necklace & his american rag hoodie.  For a boy who would NOT wear brand names a few years ago (insisted I get his t's from target) he's all about brand now.  Of course, these are the ONLY TWO brands he will wear.  No American Eagle, no Aeropostale, no Old Navy.  Only Hollister & American Rag.  Occasionally, if there is a Nautica T on clearance at Macy's, he'll buy it.  <sigh>

Day 56

Remember that nice 60 degree day last week when I took the pictures of the budding trees?  Well, today we got a inch or so of snow!!!  Kinda wild!  The trees, bushes & fences were so cool looking w/the wet, heavy snow smashed into them.  The streets & sidewalks were all clear but the ground was covered & pretty!!!