Busy as a Bee~!

Goodness to BEE~! I have been so busy, I haven't even had time to look at my favorite blogs to see what you have all posted.. I really miss all this~! I'm in charge of organizing a Women's Retreat with my friend Holly for our church. We are trying to get the program all set up and we have been searching on the Internet for a good DVD to buy to show to the girls.. This is our 3rd Women's Retreat and we are so excited. Last year we had 23 girls come.. Holly and I are also getting the music picked out.. It's going to be April 15 and 16th.. at a Campfire Camp.. One of the girls offered to plan for the food for Friday night, Sat morning and for lunch.. Oh that was a relief.. We usually do the whole thing ~ invite the girls to come and we serve and pamper them all. This year we have had lots of girls tell us they want to help out... YEAH~! Holly and I try and get things all organized one month before the event.. That way we just have the little things that come up to get done. Our theme this year is "Beautiful".. We have lots of Christian Music with the title beautiful.. We found one Joyce Meyer DVD for Friday night.. it's a funny one..
We try to keep Friday night light and fun and then get serious on Sat..

Leaving Friday morning to go to Barrington, Illinois for our son's wedding.. He is marrying Lisa.. She is a wonderful girl.. I will be staying all next week to take care of grandchildren (3) while they go on their honeymoon to California.. Dave is coming back home on Sunday..with our daughter Tracie and Ben.. He will come back and get me when Rich and Lisa get home. I have big plans for the girls.. They want to learn how to knit.. So I'll be teaching them how to make easy knitted slippers. I'm going to teach them how to make bread, cookies.. We are going to give them to the neighbors... act of kindness projects.

Our daughter Tracie called me this evening. She said on her way to school a deer hit her car. She said she was just fine. The windshield is broken , side mirror hanging and huge dent on the front fender.. She can't get driver door open. She stopped by our house and showed us and a big patch of deer hide was sticking out of the fender.(the deer died) I was just glad she wasn't hurt.. But her little car is a mess.. We parked it into the garage and she took our truck.. Well have to have insurance company come and take a look at the damage.

Suppose to snow tomorrow evening.. not too much just enough to let us know that it's still winter.
Have a Tiggeriffic Day~ Ta Ta For Now...from Iowa

Sunday Potluck at Church~ Walk around Pie...~!

This is what I made for the Potluck after church on Sunday.. I make pie dough and roll out 1/2 of what I made and I put it in the bottom of a cookie sheet.. Today I decided to make 1/2 of it cherry and the other 1/2 apple.. Then I just roll out the other 1/2 of the dough and lay on top.. Finger water on top of the dough, slit vent holes in the dough sprinkle sugar on top and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees, or until it's light brown.. I cut it into generous squares, so one can pick it up and just eat it like you would a brownie bar or something like that. People (especially the men) love this when I bring it to our potlucks.. There is so much good food at potlucks. My favorite is home made noodles and chicken.. Yum Yum~! I leave the desserts alone as my diabetes would rise too much and then I would feel not too good.
There were 70 in church yesterday which is a good number for us. It was a great day ~! I love my church and love going and seeing all the people that are there.

After church I came home and took a nap.. LOL..isn't that what your suppose to do.. Jodie our daughter that lives in Michigan called and said she had 5 inches of snow with the weatherman saying there would be 7 more inches coming . I told her she could have the snow.. We were getting rain. Told Dave it sounded funny or different to hear rain coming down .. It was hitting the windows. Week ago last Tues. we were having a major snow storm.. Between the screen and the windows there was quite a collection of snow on the East side of the house ...Some windows we couldn't even see outside.. Our snow has almost all melted and the grass is turning green. I'm sure we will get more snow between now and April.. I can remember in April one year we got 24 inches of snow. BUT the good thing and only thing about Spring snow is we get a free nitrogen treatment for our grass and the snow usually melts the next day or so.

Saw the neighbor boy and his friend going through our driveway with corn stalks, and a metal gate..carrying it on a two-wheeler. I quickly got my camera and this is the picture I got.. Well, be interesting to see what he is building in the pasture on our farm. He is 14 and loves to hunt. Last fall he built a very crude little hut in our pasture near the creek . This is probably a add on to the hut.. Who knows.. He is a good boy and if he gets to use our pasture/creek for a fun adventure I don't mind. Our kids built a fort down there and they have many fond memories of sleeping over night and having campfires there. I wish I could of gotten the picture closer but that's O.K. you all get the idea. Two boys doing something creative.. They are away from the TV and computer games and they are outside having fun.

Ben called me last night and was talking up a storm.. He wanted to know if I knew where you could buy a Mario doll.. I told him that a little boy at church had one and he said he got it from Target. Ben says~ GranAnnie can you buy me one? I told him that could be possible and maybe after I pick him up from daycare we could make a run to Target to see if they had one. He was excited... Before we hung up he said 'Be sure to pick me up early at daycare so we have time to go to Target tomorrow"... Now for a 4 year old that is good thinking.. What a boy~!..

Cloudy and looking like rain this morning. 33 degrees and back to having to wear my heavy winter coat. It was nice last week to just have on a light jacket.

Not much going on for Monday.. Going to go read my book and work on my crochet socks..

Have a Tiggeriffic Day!~! Ta Ta For Now from Iowa...~!

OH HAPPY DAY~!

This morning Dave and I was sitting watching the news, drinking our coffee and eating our oatmeal. Lots to see and hear with the news from all over the world. Wisconsin teachers protesting,, Egypt trying to form a new democracy ,Iran and all the other countries in a turmoil.. The Iowa wrestler that lives couple miles from me in declining to wrestle a girl.. I think he is a great young man and know his parents are proud of him. Lots of things going on and Dave said "Anne? we need to go upstairs and clean out my side of the closet~!"> Where did that come from? O.K. up we went and he started bringing stuff from his closet.. I laughed inside. He was commenting on everything.. Oh these shirts came from Mark, our daughter, Jodie's husband. Let me try them on ~ "Oh if I lose 10 pounds I can wear this".. So they went back into the closet. Pants lots of pants... " My brother Bob gave these to me...Lets see what size they are"...Oh if I lose weight ~ by spring I'll fit into them... Well he kept 4 of them the other 4 he put in the Goodwill bag.. He came across the suit he wore for Jodie and Marks wedding that was 20 years ago. He laughed,,it didn't fit..wouldn't even come to the front to button... He said WOW I built up a lot of muscle in 20 years mmmmm?. I chuckled "Yes you have". When he was all done he had a large bag full of pants, shirts, suits and a suit jacket that he had bought for his brothers funeral a few years ago. He even got rid of the cowboy boots he had bought 34 years ago.. Yesterday we went to a Men"s clothing store and he bought a sport jacket and casual pants . two pair of jeans and a new belt.. our son Rich is getting married Feb. 26th. Out with the old and in with the new... I think you call this Spring Cleaning... Someone is going to like what he brings today to Goodwill...
My spring cleaning was done couple weeks ago so I didn't have to bother looking at my side of the closet. But it does make one feel good when cleaning out your closets.. Makes room for new stuff ~! I did get out the dress that I'm going to wear at Rich and Lisa's wedding to make sure it still fit.. Yeah ~! with the weight I have lost it fits good~! I made sure I had a pair of shoes to go with the dress and they still were in good shape.. Yep~! check that off my list.. It's good to take a look at what's in your closet and give it away or put it back in to wear another day.
Spring is coming and it will be time to do the switch-er-roo~! I have this huge suitcase my brother gave me and I just do the switch-er-roo with winter clothes to summer clothes. or summer clothes to winter clothes. But it's too early now to do that, have to wait until 1st of May to think about that. Flexible weather is here for now.. It's really nice this week in the 40's-50's but next week weatherman is saying cold weather will come and snow again.. That Is O.K. it's only Feb.. and this is what happens in Iowa. The snow has almost melted away and the brown grass has turned to green.. Oh what a nice feeling it is ~ last time it was in the 50's here in Iowa was first part of November.
Have a Tiggeriffic Day~! Ta Ta For Now....

Pie Crust Hearts ~!

Ben is back with his Dad and I didn't get a chance to make the heart shaped pie crust hearts. So this evening since I already had the pie crust mixed up I decided to get the hearts made. I just rolled them out cut them with my heart shaped cookie cutter, sprinkled a little water on top and then sprinkled truvia sugar and cinnamon on top. I love sugar cookies but being diabetic I thought this might be better for Dave and I..

It was foggy this morning so it's not a clear picture. This is a Kestrel Hawk.. He kept diving back and forth from the pine tree to the Green Ash Tree trying to snag a bird that was in the lilac bush.. No breakfast for him this morning. He was so big and so beautiful... ~!

Here's Benny boy eating one of those big gum balls that you can get in those machines. He went to the bathroom so he could see it in his mouth. You can see just a little of his Mom (Tracie) laughing. It was really funny. When he chews one of these big gum balls it is really comical.. He just chews and chews and chews.. he doesn't stop until the gum is all chewed out.. Silly Boy~!

Have a Tiggeriffic Day~! Ta Ta For Now...

Here is Ben with his Spider Man Umbrella.. This is at Uncle Rich's house . He has on his Toy Story PJ'S and lovin it~!

Pretty busy day today.. Dave and I drove up to Central City to pick up the Benny Mobile. ( Chevy Equinox) X-son-in-law put new brakes on the back of the car and I'm so glad to get my car back.. Have been without it since last Friday.. Dave left to go into Cedar Rapids to the work-out center and do some other things he had to do while there.

I went over to Holly's house.. The gal that we are helping named, Jackie was having a little disgruntlement with Holly... Jackie has no job and she only goes to a community college and takes one course. She is starting to like living at Holly's house and not wanting to move on with her life.. As I was coming in the house Jackie was leaving. She was not a happy girl.. Holly told her this morning that she would have to move out of her house by March 15... Jackie didn't understand why... So Holly and I did some investigation and found a really nice apartment in Springville that is walking distance to the school and it's available.. We went there to take a look and found the apartment really clean, 2 bedroom with a washer and dryer outside this apartment in the hallway.. The kitchen and living room are all one with a eating area separating the two areas. Nice open area and quite large.. 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. $500 a month. Lots of windows and in a nice area of town.

I called the Springville School to see if there were any custodial jobs available and there were none. BUT they said there was a part-time job in food service.. Hours would be 7a.m. to 1 p.m. the pay would be over $8. Jackie loves to cook. So I called Food Service Director , Iris and talked with her.. She said the job would be available next Monday.. (Can't you just see God working here?) Well at least I'm praying for all this to work... I told Iris about this young gal named Jackie and her needing a job. and I told her I would recommend hiring her. I don't usually stick my neck out this way but I think Jackie would fit into this job and be a great worker for the school. Later Jackie called Holly and told her she was at the school applying for the job. We were both very excited. (we didn't know where she had gone.) So hopefully she will get the job and she will get the apartment and she can have a nice place to live. That will be awesome~!

We found her a car last week...1992 Olds Cutless that had 85,000 miles.. An older lady owned it and had died and her family was selling her car. So now Jackie has her own car and paid $800.

Someone that goes to our church offered to go over the car to make sure it was in good condition. All he could find was it needed new spark plugs and a tune up and a oil change.. So now that is complete. If she gets this job and can move into the apartment it will do nothing but lift her spirits and give her some self-worth.. So we are praying for all this to work...

It's a wonderful day today.. foggy but nice. in the 40's.. The snow is melting inch by inch and it's starting to look like Spring.. The robins have arrived and they are in the garden foraging for whatever they can dig up. Spring really is not official until the Red-Winged Blackbirds arrive.. Then Spring is finally here to stay...

Have a Tiggeriffic Day~! Ta Ta For Now~from Iowa:)

Have a Tiggeriffic Valentine's Day~!

Tracie called me this morning to tell me she was sick and could I take Ben to school... OF course I would. I rolled out of bed and got dressed. Made coffee ~ morning doesn't start until I have a cup of coffee. Off I go~ to Ben's house. He was still in his PJ's watching Curious George and was a happy boy. I got him dressed and got him a bowl of Captain Crunch..He must of been hungry, he ate it all...1 cup of cereal with milk. He drank the milk out of the bowl just like a boy should. LOL... I took him to school 7 miles north of his house. He went in good but when we got to the Pre-School room he clung to me like a monkey... crying. GranAnnie I don't wanna go~! Your my best freind I want to stay with you.. that really tugged on my heart.. So I told him he would miss the party if he came home with me.. He said "Party?".. then he wanted to stay.. LOL
what a boy.. It's almost time to pick him up today.. It's my night to take care of Ben.. Hopefully Tracie is feeling better ~ she has school tonight. I made some pie dough and Ben and I are going to make heart shape pie dough cookies.. Sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar (Splenda) on them... Yum Yum~! I was going to make sugar cookies but decided he didn't need all that sugar so he could be hyper in his diaper.. Doesn't take much sugar and he is a busy busy boy....

Last night I was looking at all the bloggers I follow and came across Nicole's blog.. IT is called:
Coming Alive In Christ.blogspot.com ..she has this written on her banner:
A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her...

WOW isn't that a hearty message.. IT was a golden nugget.. and then today she has this super great post for Valentines' day.. You'll have to go visit her website and see what she has written.. She is tiggeriffic~!

Was thinking of Spring today and seeing that my vegetable and flower garden are unc0vered with snow..I have this embroidered picture that my daughter-in-law gave me last year for Mothers Day. It's titled
"What my Garden Gives"
It gives me many small surprises
when the sun sets and also rises
a place to think and capture grace.
it slows my mind to a peaceful pace
it brings me color filled with cheer
that lasts and lasts throughout the year
it gives me patience and peace of mind
it gives me the time I so need to find
it glows and dances with such great hope
it offers me the strength to cope
So bless this garden, my place to start,
for every day it lends me it's heart..
Maria was such a wonderful gal and she gave such wonderful gifts to me. Cancer took her to be with God ~ Nov. 2009.. I have lots of things to remind me of her gracious giving heart.
I shall see her again someday and it will be a joyous reunion.. Hugs and Kisses...~!

Well, time to go get Benny.. It's a beautiful day...almost 40 degrees ~ the sun is shining brightly . and the snow is melting. I can see the grass.. It's brown with a tinge of green.. Yeah~!
Have a Tiggeriffic Valentine's Day...Ta Ta For Now...from Iowa:)

Snowman weather~!

Here we are on our wedding day 50 years ago. Feb. 11, 1961. We were so happy and as you see outside it was a snowy day.. I posted a picture on Friday , of Dave and I and thought you might want to see what we looked like at 17 years old.. I wanted to post this picture on Friday but I couldn't find the pictures..
I wore a blue dress because the pastor wouldn't let me wear white. Couldn't have the wedding march played, couldn't have my dad walk me down the aisle. Just because we were going to have a baby.. Back then things were so different when there was a baby involved before you got married. Wasn't allowed to go back to my school to watch my class graduate... BUT at Dave's school it was so different. When our son, Wally was 9 months old Dave took him to school and Dave gave a demostration of changing his diapers in Speech Class.. I never have let adversity bother me or get me down.. I just worked around it and have been a very positive happy person all these years. (there has been cloudy days but my dad taught me when you wake up and it's a lemon of a day you turn it into lemonade. )
On Friday on our 50th anniversary Dave and I were out to breakfast and was ready to leave to go see a movie.. Tracie called me and said Pre-School had called and said Ben was really sick and wanted someone to come after him, of course I said 'YES"> So on our way up to get Ben at Pre-School we passed by Ben's Daddy's house and I took this picture. The snow is melting enough one can make snowmen now. Ben and his Daddy made this snowman. Ben was so proud of it~! I dropped Dave off at the house and I took Ben to the Drs. She said that Ben had a virus and to give him Zyrtec for his runny eyes and nose and that would help his cough and give him Ibuprofen for fever. I took Ben to his Mommy's house and he settled into taking a nap.. Tracie called and said she was going to stop at Tomaso's Pizza and get pizza for supper. She called Dave and he came over and we had pizza, our favorite.. "Happy Anniversary"...~! It was a great day and Dave and I can go to a movie another day.

Today church was just great.. We had over 100 people attending today. We usually have 60 or so.. Must be Spring.. It was in the high 40's. Very nice day~!

After church I went over to Tracie's house. Ben was a wild man. He was wound up today like a 2 dollar watch. That is why we call him "Rascal Shorts".. He was so happy to see me.. He ran and jumped into my arms.. Tracie went into her bedroom and took a nap.. She said she was exhausted.. So we got out the Thomas the Train track and the trains. I let him build the track as it's good practice for him and it takes longer if I let him do it.. We had a good time running Gordon and Percy around and around the track..making all the train noises we could muster. WE haven't played train for along time. So it was good.. I read him a bunch of books and we played out the book of the 3 little pigs. We built three houses around the house and I was the big wolf and he was of course the pigs.. We had a good time laughing and role playing. I was ready for a nap... I had him help me wash the dishes from supper ,, I wash ~he rinses.. He loves to play in water.. Tracie got up from her nap and I told her I was going home.. She put a movie in ("Curious George" ) for Ben and she thanked me for my help. Ben saw me outside getting into the truck so he ran out to give me one last kiss and hug.. He said "Bye Gran Annie you are my favorite person...kiss kiss hug hug. What a sweetie~!

Now I'm home and can relax.. that's what is so nice about Grandchildren.. You can enjoy them and then go home ....Yeah~! I love them all so much.

Have a Tiggeriffic Day~! Ta Ta For Now ~!

Happy Anniversary~!

Today is our 50th wedding anniversary~! Ya-Hoo We made it ~! 50 years ago we were 17 years old and still juniors in high school.. Very young.. DON"T recommend this to anyone. Had our first child in September, and 3 more children to follow. My children were my life.. I loved them dearly and thought that each one was so precious.

On the day of our wedding it was cold and snowy.. When we turned around after the I do's were done and we kissed , everyone in the audiance looked like they had been to a funeral.. So sad.. Yes, we were young, toooooo young but we were being responsible and taking on a new life for each other. Back in 1961 it was expected that if you were pregant before marriage you got married. I went to night school and finished my junior year and Dave went on to finish his junior year and graduated in 1962. We built a home on Dave's parents farm in Ohio. It was great and not saying it was always great because we had our ups and downs, but who doesn't.. My stronghold through out our marriage has been my strong belief in God and he is still with me today. We live in Iowa now and when we go home for my class reunion we always get a standing ovation. We ~ of course are the longest ones married and always win the prize of a huge bottle of aspirin.

We are going out to breakfast this morning and then go to a movie. IT's a snowy cold day just like 50 years ago and it's a wonderful day~! Have a tiggeriffic day~! ta ta for now...from Iowa

Bright and shining day at my house:)

This morning we started out at -5 degrees.. It is now at 2 degrees with plenty of sunshine and the weatherman saying it's going to be a grand total of 9 today.. Well, that is promising.. It's almost noon.

Best news is that on Saturday it's suppose to go to 35.. We are going to be in a heat wave...That is going to feel so good. It's February and you just can't count on the weather to be good all the time.. As I have always said "If you don't like today ~ wait until tomorrow"...

I just went outside to get the mail and the birds are singing ~~! I mean singing not squawking. They are starting to sing with their spring voices.. Isn't that exciting...Spring is going to come and all this snow and cold weather is going to be behind us.. Just hope that all the melting snow doesn't cause anyone to have problems with flooding..

I see a bald eagle in the sky hovering over the field just North of my house. His lunch must be making movements in the snow out there in the field.. WOW he has been there for quite awhile.. He looks like a helicopter just hovering in one spot.. He is so big and his wing span is so large...He looks amazing.~! He must be after a rabbit... Whatever it is he can't outrun this big bird ~ Run for Cover~! Run for Cover~!

Have you ever thought of sponsoring a child through World Vision? I have a boy Paulin that is from Africa that I sponsor , he is 6 years old now.. I just received a letter from him telling me that the money I sent him has helped him with going to school this year. He is able to have books, pencils, paper and other school supplies. His village has a well now and he doesn't have to walk miles to get water anymore. He wrote to me and thanked me for all the things he and his family has received because of the money I have sent each month.. I thought how wonderful is this letter and knowing that the money I have sent has really helped this family and this boy.

When we give to a charity, we have no way of knowing who we are helping. In this instance, I not only get to know who, but I have the privilege of getting to know him as well. My ongoing relationship reminds me how fortunate I am to be in a position to help Paulin and his family.

89% of World Vision's total revenue goes to programs helping children and families in need. Aid from World Vision's partnerships reaches nearly 100 countries around the world.. There is a lot of hurting families not just here in America but also around the world..

SO if you are interested in sponsoring a child with World Vision.. go online and type in www.worldvision.org and sign up today to help a child in need.. I don't mean to sound like a commercial for World Vision.. I just received Paulin's letter and really enjoyed hearing from him and he telling me all the new things that are happening in his life because I care for him. What a joy it is to help out...with some one's life.. and to get a letter in the mail from him...

WEll, have a tiggeriffic day~! ta ta for now from Iowa....

Victory ~! Victory ~! Victory~!

Here is Ben doing his Victory Dance~! He is happy because we have popcorn and icecream with Root Beer on top.. Yeah~!

Yesterday we went over to Holly's house for the Super Bowl Game party.. I didn't watch the game and Ben was having too much fun playing with the kids.. Holly has a big BIG basement at her house and the kids all went down to play flashlight tag.. He was having so much fun with the kids, running ~ laughing and hiding. When it was time to go home Of course he didn't want to go>>>>So I told him we would make some popcorn and have root beer floats.. He said "OK">>~!~! So off we went. I dropped Dave off at the house and we went to his MaMa"s house to have popcorn and RB floats... Tracie was home and Ben was so glad to see her..~! Here in a little bit it will be time for me to go pick him up from daycare and take him to MaMa"s house again.. Tracie has school tonight and I will stay and take care of him.

Went to the dentist this morning and had no cavities.. hardly had any plaque on my teeth . I think my Phillips electric toothbrush must be working... I brush twice a day and it must be keeping the plaque off.. I was a happy happy person..

Holly called and said I need you to come over right away.. So I drove my car to her house.. When I got there she had this gal, named Christine at her houseand she was very sad and crying. Her daughter age 18 was threatening to do harm to Christine.. She was really scared.. So we talked with her for along time. Christine said her daughter was mad because she told her she had to move out and find another place to live... The daughter is very abusive to her mom and it's just awful... Daughter has a job and works 40 hours a week.. Why are people so mean to each other .. Just doesn't make sense to me.. Well, Christine told her daughter she had to be out of her house by Saturday.. Now Christine is afraid to stay in her house ~ so today Christine is going to stay at Holly's house and this evening and tomorrow go back home. Poor girl, I'm not going to go into detail but it's just awful what this daughter is doing to Christine.. At least she will be safe with Holly and her family. After she talked with Holly and I she felt better and she was stronger in spirit >. She just needs support and someone to help her through this hard time she is having in her life. Another girl that needs lots of love. Jackie and her two girls are still living in Holly's basement ... She has a job now along with going to school... and her life is getting better. Won't be long and she will have her own place and be on her feet again.. God is helping us with these girls and keeping us strong and in turn working in these girls lives.. They have both accepted Christ into their lives...What a blessing~!

Sun is shining today and it's a really nice day.. 16 degrees but at least there is no wind.. It's time to go get Ben... Have a great tiggeriffic day~! ta ta for now,,,from Iowa

This is where I go on Thursday nights to be with the sewing girls.. I'm reading a book called Land of the Burnt Thigh written by Edith Eudora Kohl. Edith and her sister Ida Mary were in their 20's and they decided to move to South Dakota in 1907. They found a community of homesteaders, lived in a tiny tar paper shack on 160 waterless, sun baked, and snow blasted acres for eight months until they could "prove up" their claim. Within a few weeks Edith was running a newspaper, Ida Mary was teaching school and the two were helping others who had come to settle.. Couple of girls, Margie and her daughter, Katie, come to our sewing group are Quakers and where I live here in Iowa there is a Quaker Community. Used to be very large but now there are only a few. In Whittier just south of my house there is still a Quaker Church that is now listed as Historical. They still have church on Sunday mornings.. I see maybe 5 cars there . Margie and Katie go to my church across the street from the Quaker Church but they tell stories of how Whittier and this community used to look like and the people that lived here.. Very interesting and reminds me of all the hardships that these girls went through in this book.. It's a really good book and I recommend it to anyone who likes to read about how it used to be like here in America..

Here is Benny jumping on his trampoline. He loves jumping and it's so good for him.. Gets all that extra energy that is stored up and released.. I brought him a bar of soap from the hotel we stayed in couple weeks ago. He was smelling it and holding it out for me to smell.. When he took his bath later he kept saying "Mm this smells good".. Silly boy. He can really jump high on this thing..

Got my mittens all finished and Ben had them on with his play microphone. IT plays songs and he was dancing on his trampoline and singing.. HE wants me to make him a pair of slippers and mittens. So I have them finished to give to him later today. He has a red coat so I made them red. These mittens are not hard to make and are actually fun knitting them. The slippers are so easy.. Infact it was the first project I made when I was 9 years old.. Knitting these slippers helped me earn my sewing badge for Girl Scouts. They were quite a struggle when I was 9 and I needed help lots of times from my Mom..

My birthday was yesterday ~ I am now officially 67 yrs. old.. I always tell people that I'm 1/2 way to 134 ... makes them do the math.. Dave and I went out for breakfast and then we went to the movie "The Kings Speech".. Oh that is a good movie.. It's a true story which I like and it's about Queen Elizabeth's father.. There are lots of people that stuttered, Moses, Winston Churchill, Ed Vaughn, he went to school with me. At our last class reunion, I got to see Ed and he doesn't stutter anymore. My friend Phyllis's husband Richard ~ we called him Ole.. he stuttered badly but when he would tell you how much he loved God and he would talk about Jesus he would not stutter one time. I always thought that was amazing.. Stuttering would be so hard..

There for awhile Tracie and I thought Ben was going to be a stutter-er.. When he talked he kept repeating over and over and over the first word in his sentence.. I-I-I-I-....... We just let him do that and didn't hurry him to finish his sentence and now he has learned to put words together and he talks so much better. Ben didn't learn how to talk until he was almost 4..

It's snowing this morning and it looks so beautiful ~! I hate to say this because there are so many people anti-snow..but I do like the snow and winter. Makes one appreciate when it does warm up and you can see signs of Spring. The birds are grazing at the feeders this morning they must be very hungry or something's up.. The birds are a good sign that a storm must be coming or we are going to get lots of snow.. Either way I'll enjoy whatever the day brings..

Getting ready to go to church this morning and then this evening go to my friends house for the Super Bowl game.. Some of the people that come watch the game and the rest of us play games.. Apples to Apples is always a fun game to play.

Tracie and I made root beer floats.. He has never had one before and as you can see on his face he thought it was yummy. He has a frosty mustache , cute... He is quite a boy and such a joy in my heart to be with.

One grandchild out of 7 that live close to me that I can enjoy..

Have a Tiggeriffic Day~! Ta Ta For Now ~ from Iowa... IT's 22 degrees and a lovely snowy day...

GranAnnie I love to go sled riding~!

After the storm we had on Tuesday night Tracie and I took Ben outside to look at the big piles of snow that were made after the snow was plowed from the driveway..
Tracie would help him get to the top of the pile and then he would ride down just squealing with laughter. He was having so much fun~!.
We received 15 inches of snow,, with all the snow blowing with the strong winds how does the weather man get a true reading..
When we woke up Tuesday morning the house was so cold.. The heat was off. Thermostat said 50 degrees. Tracie and I went downstairs to check on the furnace. I turned it off and then back on..the pilot light came on and the flame went across the burners and then it would shut off. I had her go outside and check the vent that was outside.. Sure enough it was completely covered with snow and and that made it so the furnace couldn't get any oxygen...She shoveled the snow away and Da Ta the furnace started back up and the heat was back on in the house.. I also had her check the (I think it's called the regulator).. and she uncovered it and everything is running good.. That was a relief~! Because I'm sure with the roads closed, the furnace man would of not gotten to her house..

I came home on Wednesday evening and on Thursday morning I came outside to take some pictures.. I thought the shadows of the tree on our shed looked so cool.. There was a snow drift in front of the shed ~ hard to see the depth but it was over my knees..

I think this was beautiful ~the cardinal in the snow drift. The birds were so hungry.. I filled up all the feeders and they pretty much said Thank You...as they didn't wait for me to move away.

On Tuesday night I opened Tracie's back door and took a picture.. At first I thought the snow had gotten on the lens.. I checked and the lens was dry.. The snow was coming down so fast and so heavy this is the picture I got.

I thought it was so cool looking~!

We have so much snow...Have been so busy and no time to be on this computer.. I miss you all~!
Tomorrow I will be 1/2 to 134...It's another birthday~! I can hardly wait..I love my birthday..

Just wanted to say "HI" to all and hopefully this evening I can post again..
I have lots of snow pictures... I have to go shovel out the big snow drift that landed in our driveway last night..Need to get my haircut...Yikes ~ so glad I have 4 wheel drive.. I'm going to shovel just enough to just be able to bust out of the driveway.. Our roads are clear of snow..
Ta Ta For Now...yak later... It's 15 degrees and the wind has finally stopped...
Have a Tiggeriffic Day~!~!

Waiting and getting ready for the big blizzard.

Couple weeks ago this is what the feeders and the outside looked like.. The birds have been grazing at the bird feeders all morning.. You can always tell when a big storm is coming. The birds start gulping the food.. I'd open the shed door for them to go into to get out of the storm but not thinking that Hubby would be very happy about that idea. This is suppose to be the snow storm of the century.. I was going to go to Illinois for 5 days to help my son get some more things organized in his house. But they are suppose to get 24 inches of snow with a mix of ice. He lives 4 hours east of me.. He called me this morning and warned me about not coming.. He said "Come next Wednesday mom,, and stay for 5 days.. Feb. 11 there is a Mercy Concert near here and we can go to that with the kids and his fiance, Lisa. We have a busy time with birthdays in Feb.. Mine is on the 5th,, grandaughter Hannah's on the 6th.. our anniversary is on the 11th (50 years this year) Rich's birthday in on the 12th and his daughter, Kelly's birthday is on the 13th. Grandson,Olin's birthday is on the 14th. and daughter-in-law's birthday is on the 27th.. It's a fun filled two weeks of birthdays and 1 anniversary.. So next Wednesday if weather is good I'll go over to his house..
And then on the 26th Feb. be there for his wedding, to Lisa.. I can hardly wait for this to happen.. Lisa is such a wonderful girl...

Going to pick up Ben at noon today. Take him to his house. I have a craft activity for Valentines that I saw on one of my bloggers today.. So I have the tissue paper ready, the construction paper and glue stick packed and ready to do when we get to his house. I also thought it would be fun to make sugar cookies. Heart ones of course..
I'm ready for this big storm that is coming. Just don't want the electric to go off.. But if it does I have the bathtub filled to flush the stoll, I have 9 gallons of water downstairs to use for drinking or washing our hands. Dave made a big pot of chilli , the candles are ready and blankets ready to cover up with. Knitting project packed, good book packed, I'm planning on staying the night at Tracie's house so she can study for her big test on Thursday. I'll help her with Ben. Cell phone is charged up along with my ipod.. I love the anticipation ~! The what-if's to prepare one with is just right up my alley. I was a Girl Scout when I was younger and 'Being Prepared " is still my motto..

The wind is picking up and I can see the snow drifting over the road... School cancellations are being posted on the bottom of the screen of the TV.. Dave just told me.. So guess I best get the car packed and ready to go get Ben at daycare.. Dave will be as snug as a bug here at the house..

He has his TV,,,his newest addition John Deere magazine and a good book to read.

You all have a tiggeriific day~! Be Careful if you are out and about in this weather..~!

Ta Ta For Now from Anne in Iowa