Being Lazy

Happy New Year to all of you!!

I am being very lazy lately.  Sleeping in late. Not doing too much during the day.  My hubby is trying to get me to the gym today.  Oh, how I don't want to go. I know I need to, but I am so not an exercise person.

 I really need to get into a disciplined routine of doing something to get this body into shape.  As so many others are doing right now, I am going to make this new year a year to get in shape. 

I'll let you all in on a secret.  I joined Weight Watchers about a  week ago.  My daughter thinks I'm crazy to join before the holidays.  I felt like I had to start getting my mind set for this now.  I have done a horrible job keeping track of my points.  Traveling thru 3 different states during the holidays has not helped the diet.  So I am going to focus on doing better now.

I know some of you are planning on doing similar things for the new year.  I wish you luck and courage with the changes you choose.  I know how hard it is to make changes in your life.  Habits are very hard to break.

May all of you have a wonderful new year.

Sandi and Pat

On the Road Again

In New Orleans this morning.  Had a really nice time with the Leonard side of the family.

Visited with 2 grandkids here in New Orleans.

Next on to Memphis to visit with more grandkids. 

I am loving this laptop.  So far it is working.  Yea!!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas !!!!!

I am waiting for my hubby to come home from Mass to get the gift giving started.



This Christmas Eve we are going to go to my Mom's home to exchange gifts with my sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews. There is always great fun and food.


 Then we are off to my son's home to exchange gifts with my children and grandchildren.  This is the really wild part of Christmas.  The children have so much fun.  

Home to wait for Santa.

Tomorrow, up early to start cooking at my daughter's home.  Big Christmas dinner with lots of cheer and good time.  

  This has been a very strange December.  I hope next year brings a peaceful year. 

I hope and wish each and everyone of you a wonderful Christmas.

I

OOPS Forgot One or Two

Forgot to mention Where Women Create  giveaway.  Today is the last day.  Hurry over to check out today's giveaway.  

Please Go Here for an amazing post and Great Christmas music Loveleigh Occasions.

Merry Christmas   

Giveaway

Check out the giveaway at Spun By Me by Marie.  Beautiful items.  Looking at all these giveaways makes me feel like I am getting a visual gift each time I see one.  

Also, check out the giveaway at Viola    Love the pillow and charms.  

I was thinking yesterday while resting in bed that visiting each blog is like reading a book.  Sometimes it's a Diary, sometimes a How To book,  sometimes an Inspirational book, or a Wish Book.  I can't wait to read them and have a hard time putting them down.  I can't wait to see what the new year brings.  


I personally have a few things up my sleeve.  I will share as things progress.  

Lots of trips scheduled. Houston, Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah, and Phoenix, Arizona.  All in the next 3 months.  That is one reason for me to get this knee and hip working.  I have a lot of shopping and snooping to do.  The trip to Utah is one I am really looking forward to. Being from South Louisiana, my hubby and I have never really experienced snow.  So he plans on trying skiing and I am trying snowmobiles, with the OK from my doctor.     Can't wait.  

Giveaways

Go here, Where Women Create  for their last day of the giveaway.  And what a giveaway.

Hopefully I will show you what new giveaway winning I have recently received.  Am waiting till I can move a little better for photos.

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Sandi

Bored, Bored

Just to let everyone know.  I'm home and in bed with my left leg resting on a pillow and books, CD's, soft drink cans, munchies, cellphone, housephone and whatever else I can holler at my hubby to bring to me. 

The surgery was on Friday and was home by early afternoon.  Nothing earthshattering was found.  Just cleaned out the extra junk that shouldn't be there.  Hopefully this will resolve the problem with my old lady walking. 

I can not get the hang of this new laptop.  I am having a hell of a time getting on the internet. If I close the laptop or shutdown and come back to ask to connect to the internet again I may have to wait all day to get it to work.  I have no idea how it comes back on.  I keep trying to connect and then finally it just does. 

The internet gods are not good to me.  Or Maybe, it could be the drugs I'm taking.  I hadn't thought of that.  HMMMMM!!!!!!

Giveaway

Where Women Create are having a huge giveaway.  Make sure you check it out and enter.

Tooth Fairy

All of you who read my blog need to read this.  I know it's not a Santa thing, but it hits the same sentiments.  Loved it.  This is from My Gallery of Portraits.

Well, tomorrow is surgery day.  I won't lie, I'm getting a little nervous.  Add to that, it's Christmas and I am no where ready for it.  My husband has a number of school activities I want to be there for. I don't know how the recovery will be and how it will influence all the extra activities going on this month.  I have been trying to prepare, but I could only do so much.  I'm trying to make my mind understand it will be alright, no matter what I do or don't do it will all be okay.   

Look I what I received in the mail. A lovely gift box from Gretchen of Mimi-Toria's .What a lovely package.

Kennedy was home when I opened the package and needless to say, she had to try the ring on.  Love her fingernail polish.

I think the word Fragile is perfect for the ring and the little hand that is so precious to me.  

Gretchen, thank you so very much for the beautiful ring.  I am wearing it now as I type.  

I don't know if I will be posting anything more before my surgery.  If not, I will try to get back with all of you as quickly as I can.  I have my new laptop, so I'm hoping that will keep me up to date with all of you.  

     

 

It's a Girl!!

Sonja is here.  This makes 11 grandchildren.  My husband had one granddaughter when we married 10 years ago this February.  We have 5 children between the two us.  I really never thought we would have so many grandbabies.  

Here are a few photos of us waiting (again impatiently).  This is Pops with Kennedy and Sydney (Sonja's big sister).

And here is the baby. Isn't she the cutest thing you ever saw.  Her little face is so tiny.  The sounds they make are so precious.  

  What a proud Pops.  He loves to smell the new babies. OK, he is a little weird, but I love him.  

More giveaways

Check out the giveaway at I Am Dreaming of Castles .  Lots of goodies for the giveaway.

Also, my surgery has been moved to Friday.  So will have to be patient.  Oh my, impatient cajun being patient, unheard of.

We are presently waiting to hear from my hubby's youngest son to let us know that our 11th grandchild is born.  I never dreamed we would one day have 11 grandchildren. Amazing. 

Cinnamon Christmas Shapes

I made these these this weekend and the house stills smells like Christmas.  Go over to Rebecca and Maggie's site Homemade Mamas to get the instructions.  They are made of Cinnamon, but I put allspice and ground clove too.  Wonderful smell.  These are ornamental, not to be eaten..  Check it out.  Very, very simple.

Next on the list, Kennedy had her recent Christmas recital and we have photos ( not good ones) to show you how cute she is.  I really need to post something about the grandsons.  They are feeling left out. I promise I will make it up to them.  Here is Kennedy.

 

Giveaway

Hey everyone go to Karla's blog for a great giveaway.  She offers a number of ways to enter.  Hurry over.

There's a giveaway at The Feathered Nest too.  She too is doing multiple entries.

I love giveaways.

I Won!!!!

I just received an email from Gretchen at mimitoriasdesigns.blogspot.com telling me I am one of the winners in her giveaway.  This is way too cool!!!! 

I believe I won a beautiful ring Gretchen made.  This is the first time I am a giveaway winner.  


Everyone go check out her site to see the ring.


Hey!!!!

Snow and Gumbo

Can you believe the weatherman has forecasted snow for this afternoon and evening.  For all of you "Northeners", we DO NOT get snow in Cajun Country.  Everyone down in south Louisiana are hoping and praying it really does snow.  Now, by snow, I am talking about, if we are lucky, to see it falling and maybe some will not melt when it hits the ground.  NO snowmen for us.

With that said, it is also time to make GUMBO.  Every good red blooded Cajun is making roux and stirring that pot of gumbo.  Cold weather and gumbo is like heaven.  By this afternoon each and every neighborhood will smell like this wonderful nectar.

 

I have already called my daughter and will be calling my daughter-in-law to discuss the snow forecast.  I know the grandkids are probably having a hard time staying focused in school today.

I'm going to get in touch with Jodie and Sarah a little later today to see if they have snow yet.  You see Jodie and Sarah live a little further North and West of me, so they will get the snow before me.  Like this I can get a little fore warning as to how long to wait for snow.    

Sidebar:  I just figured out how to link a blog to a name on my blog.  Hooray!!!

Now beware the following photos.  Look at your own risk.  They are pretty strange.

This little girl is my 4 year old granddaughter. Every Tuesday I pick her up after her dance class and we do lunch and then she comes home to visit with Pops and Meme.  This is what she was up to this past Tuesday.
Face paint is really something, don't you think.

Next we have what she can do with her Pops.  Obviously she can do anything she wants to do.

Love these two clowns.  What a proud Pops and Kennedy.

Look at this face.  Amazing isn't it?

Happy Snow Day to all of you.  Eats lots of gumbo and hug those little children.

Christmas Cookie Recipe

This is a favorite of my children for many years.  I originally received the recipe while living in Arlington, Texas from a cook at the local elementary.  She called it a " Power Cookie".  I feel it should be called "Everything, but the Kitchen Sink Cookie".  Enjoy.

1 cup Brown Sugar                                 1 cup White sugar

1/4 and 1/8 cup butter                             1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs                                                     1 tsp. vanilla     

1 1/2 cup flour                                         1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda                                    1 1/2 cup oatmeal (not instant)

1 cup coconut                                          1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup nuts                                             1/2 cup raisins

 

Cream together sugars, butter, and shortening.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine flour, salt, and soda.  Beat into 1st mixture.  Add remaining ingredients.  Drop heaping teaspoon on greased baking sheets. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  Note:  Pull from oven before they look done.


   

Here we go again

I went to the doctor today and scheduled surgery for my left knee for next Wednesday.  For all of you that do not know, I had a hip replacement 6 months ago.   This is not what I really want to do, but I am not able to walk properly with the knee the way it is now.  Hopefully, after the surgery I will be able to function like the rest of humanity.  

So if I am slow in posting entries, it is because I am cooking a few casseroles to freeze and am trying to get this house in order.  I am presently working on trying to downsize our stuff.  After the holidays I plan on having a heck of a huge garage sale. 

But for now, I am trying to get things in order, so when I am recovering I won't be freaking out about everything.  Well, you know I will be freaking out, but maybe not as much.

I haven't done anything as far as crafting in a couple of weeks.  Will hopefully be doing some in the next day or so.  I have a couple of special gifts to make for special friends.