Cora's First Snow!

 

Today we had our first little snowfall, and Cora thought it was just the best thing ever! 

Water that you can eat! Who knew?

And More Christmas!

 Christmas day was very nice! The weather was gorgeous! Warm and mostly dry. 

Tim and I got up early and had our coffee and prayer time. Cora was enjoying her morning by the tree. I had put out the gifts and stockings and she was very interested in what that was all about. 

When the guys got up they ate some cinnamon rolls and got to opening their gifts. It was kind of a slim Christmas this year, because we are doing some cash help for things, gift cards and so there were fewer packages. They are both such nice guys.

Cora kept a close eye on the proceedings, since it was her first Christmas, and she has to figure it all out. Autumn ventured upstairs to check it all out, and took up the arm of the big chair. She has been at this awhile....

I gave Tim a bottle of Whiskey that Paul and I picked up in Tennessee, and also gave him the trip to TN that I set up for March. It will be fun to stay there for a few days and have a look around. Maybe we'll find the perfect property for a Yak farm!

Laura gave Nina and I each a "Welcome" sign for the front of the house. I love it! It has little, round wooden boards that you change with the seasons. So Cute!!

I worked on dinner off and on all day. Put a turkey in the oven. Made Pilaf and Jello. I also made a pumpkin dessert and Brendan made a red velvet cake. 

John came down around noon and it was so nice to see him! He is doing well at work! Got a raise and he is looking for a new living situation closer to work. Nina is selling and he has a couple of months to find a place. It sounds like he is doing what he wants to do and it is going well. 

Nina, Lilly and Finn came around 4:30. They are working to get their new home just the way they want it. Nina is so happy and it seems like Finn is a very good fit. I am so glad that she is finally able to see a future with light and happiness in it. Lilly is happy and excited about the changes, Even Kalisi seems to be happy in the new place. She gets outside a lot more and seems to be relaxed. That is a very good thing. 

We ate around 5:00. There was lots of good food, and conversation. It was very nice.

After dinner Nina's family opened their gifts and we enjoyed a little more visiting. 

It was a good day, but I was really tired! 

Merry Christmas!!

 

Today was Christmas Eve and I spent the day finishing up all the details that were left from the week.

Well, almost. I still have a lot of bread to deliver. 

We went to Mass tonight with Paul. It was a beautiful Christmas Mass. What a blessing to be in that beautiful place with Tim and Paul. What a Blessing to celebrate the birth of our Savior!!

So Long, For Now

 It is one of the saddest posts that I have shared over the life of this blog. On Monday, December 20th, I got the very sad news that Pat Davis, a good friend and the husband of my dear friend, Julie, had left this world. He had fought such a tough battle with Covid, and for a while it looked like he might win. He got sick after Thanksgiving, and it is such a shock to me that he is no longer in the house that he and Julie built together, with his dog following him around and all his projects set up and waiting to be finished. 

I have known them since Laura was a year old. Sarah was a sweet little toddler, and Julie was pregnant with Katie. I didn't know it yet but Nina was on the way. Julie and I spent so much time together and the girls grew up like cousins. Pat was always there. He was one of those people that is just always a part of life. The girls called him Uncle Pat. He was famous for his spicey food and the girls still talk about how they were afraid to eat it, but more afraid not to! 

We went on hikes, had every birthday and many holidays together. Pat was sometimes working at the mill on the late shift so we would have dinner with Julie and the girls, a "girls night", on a regular basis. 

I can hear Pat saying "Hey Jenny". I will always remember the sound of his voice and the way he would bring funny stories into the conversation. It's so hard to believe that I won't hear his voice again in this life. How can that be? 

It's so strange how we look back at the last time that we saw or spoke to someone, not realizing that it is actually the last time.

We had the wonderful day at the Davis' last summer when we were in Port Angeles. We all talked about the past and watched the grandkids and it was so comfortable and right. I gave Pat a hug good-bye and told him that we'd see him when we came back, except now we won't. So strange and sobering. 

I know that many people have lost loved ones to Covid. I know that the pain and loss is spread across the whole nation. Everyone feels the uncertainty and the threat, and we even had it here ourselves. I now know three wives who have lost their husbands, but I didn't know those husbands very well. Pat was different. He is going to be missed, so much, by his family, and ours as well. 

Texas in December...

 ...is...

Christmas decorations! Laura's house looks so festive! We were so happy to get here and to see the tree, and the special things that the Cookes do each year to dress up the home.

A pair of birthdays, on the same day! Max and Miles birthday was Tuesday and it was a great day! They got to stay home from school and open presents in the morning. 

The big thing that we got was a pair of hamster cages so that we could go to Petco and purchase two new buddies for the boys. They were so thrilled! They each got a dwarf hamster, twins of course, and Max named his Bob and Miles named his Mr Truffles. They seem like very happy rodents! The cages are super nice!  We had a wonderful dinner and then a chocolate mousse pie to celebrate them with. 

Christmas baking! Yesterday was a big baking day! Madi came down to visit and we got started making Peanut Butter Blossoms, and Russian Tea Cakes. 

We also made Chocolate truffle balls, Spritz, cornflake wreaths, and a couple of other things. It was so much fun, but also exhausting! I went to bed so tired!! 

Today we went shopping and I finished up a couple of things and then we came home and Paul and I will be going down to visit Madi's family for dinner. That will be fun! We are taking Cora to play with their dog Stella. 

Cora has had a blast with Tucker, and he has been such a good role model. Playing with her, but still being a good boy! 

Friday was the boys birthday party, and I did take pictures! I don't know what happened...

Andrew had a dinner for work, and he took Molly as his +1. She looked just beautiful! She loves to get dressed up and this was a special night for them!

Paul and I had such a nice trip! I am looking forward to the next time!

Knackered in Nashville...

 Wow, what a long day it has been, and tomorrow is going to be even longer! 

We finished packing and got out the door around 7:20. There was a LOT of fog, and there was some really awful weather in the mid-west last night. Tornadoes and tons of destruction. 

I watched the weather as we drove and kept an eye on the clouds, but except for some rain it was a really easy trip.

Cora is definitely a road trip dog. She just rides in her bed without a peep and gets out to do what she has to do when we do. 

We got into the hotel and we did some walking around so she got some exercise. 

We ordered a door-dash dinner and now I am going to take Cora out one more time before I tuck her into her crate for the night. I am beat! 

Packing For Texas!

 Well, we head out tomorrow for the great state of Texas! 

I have been packing and cleaning and preparing the car.

Cora got a bath and a good brushing, because her coat is getting pretty long, and I want to stay ahead of mats. I even got her out for a short walk, since she has to ride in the car most of the next two days. 

It's still really chilly here, but we are packing tshirts because the temperature in Texas is going to be in the 70s and 80s! Delicious!

We will drive through Tennessee tomorrow and we'll drive right through Cookeville! Interesting to see what it looks like, although by the time we get there it will probably be dark. We will get into Kyle sometime in the evening on Sunday. 

Just wanted to post a little pre-trip update. Maybe I'll even have the presence of mind to post something from the hotel tomorrow night!

It's Tuesday!

We've been busy, but it's all good!

Yesterday was a really wild and windy day. Probably because the temperature was going from 61 to 44. We did a lot of stuff inside. I had Bible study here in the morning and that was nice! It was the last one this year! 

I needed some medication for Cora from the vet, and I had to weigh her to see what the dosage would be, and she was 7.5 pounds. She is 8 months old and she's not 8 pounds yet! She has a big personality though! She is going to be a fun little travel partner! 

I hadn't put the tree up because I was thinking that I would need the fence for Cora, but she doesn't seem too interested. She is much more interested in her chew toys. We will have to watch her, but I think she is going to be less trouble than the cats! 

She found her own decor for the season today in the yard.

Paul will be home soon! It will be so good to have him here for the winter break! We have some fun things planned! He is driving home soon and I am praying that the weather behaves for his drive home.

I really am going to try to post at least a few words each day from now on, with hopefully a picture.

Colder, but a Nice Week!

It has been a busy and tiring week, but all in all it has been a good one. I wish I could remember to blog a little each day. I don't know why the days always get away without my notice. 

Well, let's see. On Monday I had a very busy day starting with Mass and then home for my bible study. It is really amazing digging into Romans! We are so blest to have scripture to walk through as we go through life!  

Tim and I have been looking at properties in Tennessee, just for fun. We have always loved driving through there and I said that if I was ever going to leave this area it would be to go to that beautiful state. It has so much going for it! It's also halfway between Texas and Maryland, which would be handy. I don't know if or when we would go, but that is the Holy Spirit's business. He always lets us know what the next step is, and He has been prompting us to look and consider it, so that is enough for now. 

I am still going to be busy with my school, Tim will be working for a few years yet, and the guys all need to get set up. 

Tuesday was a day for cleaning and cooking around here. Lilly came down each day this week and I think it was a good thing for her! We also went to Fr Henry's, took him out for dinner, and set up all his Nativities. It was so nice to get it done this year, since we couldn't even get in to see him last year. He is having surgery this week, and I hope it all goes well. 

Wednesday I went to mass and then spent the day with my books and getting ready for our Revelation study group. Illness crept in and it turned out that we only had one other couple here. Still we enjoyed the study as usual. 

Thursday was wild and wonderful. The Holy Spirit gave us an awesome opportunity to help out with an evening of Adoration and worship at St Patrick's. Our dear Corrie Marie had arranged a year ago to have The Vigil Project come and do an evening of Adoration led by them. So. There were a few things to do to get the whole thing to come together. Like, the group was traveling in a bus and needed a place to take showers and do laundry. So Fr Francis was asking for help and we said that we would be happy to! At around 12:00 I went down to meet Corrie and picked up a load of stuff from Target. Then at 3:00 I went to the bus and got the first of the group to come to our house and shower. We ran then back and forth for most of the afternoon. Two of the guys accompanied me to La Cucina to pick up their dinner, and then I went to the hall to sell merchandise for the group. The Adoration experience was just beautiful. The music was so wonderful and Jesus was there so it was just perfect. I was exhausted, but so happy! 

Yesterday, Friday, was very nice. We have had a chilly but sunny week, and that has been great. I went to Mass and then I had to head to the dentist for a rebuild on a crown that needed replacing. Dr Carr is really a great dentist and I am glad to have that behind me. I will get the permanent one on the 21st. Merry Christmas to me. It feels a lot better than it did, so I am happy with it. After that I went up to see Jennie and she gave me a piano lesson. I am plunking away every day, but I think I am making a little progress. 

We had a quiet evening and I went to bed a bit early because I had to get up and get to Freedom Hills. Today was the last day for a long time. I am going to Texas and will be gone for the next two Saturdays, and Lisa will be spending a few months in the Bahamas! 

Lilly and Ivy had pictures done today and these are some that Nina took. So nice!

I am excited about going to Texas, and it is Paul's last week before he comes home for Christmas break. We will see the family down there and celebrate Max and Miles' birthdays! 

I got Tim's Christmas present today. I am so excited! We played Scrabble for a while tonight, but I was so tired that I just couldn't think. Time to head for bed!

First Sunday of Advent!

 It's time again to prepare for the coming of Our Lord! And as much as I love to celebrate the birth of Jesus, I also love to anticipate His coming again, and I pray that it is soon! 

I do wait in Joyful hope! I love to decorate and make the house look all festive, but I don't like to do it all at once. It took a long time for Jesus to come the first time, so I like to make the preparations for Christmas slowly as well. I have started by getting out some of the Nativities and, of course, the Advent Wreath! 

It was a beautiful day, and I worked on planning for the next few days, trimming Cora a bit, getting a walk in with her and now I am waiting for the Ravens to try to beat the Browns. Hoping that they manage to pull it off. 

Paul and Madi drove back to school today. He'll be back in a couple of weeks and we will head off to Texas! We'll be there for a week, which is short, but he needs to get back and get some work in before he goes back in January. 

Such a Beautiful Week!

 It has been such a wonderful week of fun and family!

I haven't blogged, but I have been taking pictures. There has been so much color in every day. I am just going to put up a bunch of pictures and caption them.

The weather has been just amazing, until today. Today was windy and freezing. 

Last Saturday at the Lockhouse. We walked on the Joe K loop.

Love the Fall here in our little Town!!

Hey! A water view!

Pretty Cora in the Fall leaves- 11/23

And Thanksgiving was yesterday. It started out beautiful and went on all day. What a Blest life this is!

A sleepy puppy

Turkey in the oven

Sweet Madi making the frosting

Table is ready!

Sweet Potatoes ready to bake

And brocolli!

Some of us

Sterling hiding from Cora. Sh. Don't tell anyone.

Thank You Lord!

 What a beautiful morning!! I am so excited to get out in the yard today and get things cleaned up. We have wonderful warmish weather, that is probably going away next week, so I am looking forward to my projects. I think I will start a fire and burn some leaves!