Glorious Morning ~! Thanks be to God~!

      I took a picture of the Sedum last night while the sun was setting.. I just love the lovely pink that these Sedum's are in my garden.  

I have a wooden barrel that I have these flowers in and I think they are so lovely.  I gave them some vitamins this summer and I think it helped along with watering them regularly since we had little rain.. I gave them three of my Vitamins that I use..Once a year I give my houseplants my vitamins that I take and they just love it~!  They get so green and healthy looking.

I saw this one in my garden this morning. I forgot that I even planted this one.. Course I don't remember what kind of plant it is ,,,anyone help me? I just thought what a beautiful flower this plant has..:)

I love this plant.. It starts blooming in the Spring and it is still blooming... It's really quite pretty.  I'm sure I well have to be careful because it will spread..Wonder who would like part of this plant..?
It's Sunday and another beautiful fall day.. Church was wonderful and I loved the praise singing....
Have a tiggeriffic day~!  ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Hiss ~Hiss~ Honk ~ Honk~!~!

 These pictures are a little dark.. They are pictures of four geese.. Every Thursday evening I go to the neighbors house to meet with some ladies that like to sew. They bring all kind of projects and work on them while we are there.. It's a great evening of sharing , laughing and fellowship.. Sharon who has this sewing group at her house has lots of animals.. Geese, Turkeys, Guinnea's, horses, cows and lots of cats and 3 big dogs.
I'm working on a rug (locker hooking rug).  Sometimes I knit .  Sharon serves tea and usually makes something really delicious.. So far I just love her lemon cake.. Yum Yum~!
When I left last Thursday evening ~ these 4 geese were laying on the dogs pillows on Sharon's porch..  I just laughed because the dogs were trying to go to bed for the night and the geese wouldn't give up the pillows.. I got out my phone and started taking pictures.. Didn't take them long to get up off their pillows and start hissing and honking at me.. I went in and got the girls and told them they needed to come out and take a look..  It was fun to watch them.. Sharon has them all named and she was talking to them.. Ha Ha..~!

This morning the sun is coming up brightly and you can see the shadows of the hummingbirds fighting over the bowl of grape jelly I have set out for the Orioles. Boy they are just swarming all around above that bowl.. I have 3 hummers this year. I didn't know they liked grape jelly.  Won't be long and the Orioles will be migrating along with these hummers.   It's fun this morning to watch them try and get to the bowl that has the jelly.
Going to be a easy Saturday today.. Have to get a few groceries and then the rest of the day is to do whatever I want. Was busy this week volunteering at the school with the 2nd graders. 3 days this week.  They are so much fun to help with their spelling and math. Plus I get to go down the hall and peek into Ben's Kindergarden class and see how he is doing. I can see him but he can't see me.. He was coloring retangles and squares when I saw him last..
Have a great day~! ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Sunday I went to Tracie's house to play with Ben. We went outside, his favorite thing to do.. He decided to climb some trees. Oh such fun he had with getting into these trees and going from branch to branch.. We tried out 5 different trees.. I have so many pictures to show I decided to show just one.  He is such a strong boy that he had no problem going higher into the tree until he saw this huge black bug that was at least 2 inches long.. He got excited and started coming down the tree and then MUSH  he stomped onto the bug with his foot.. The bug didn't have a chance.. It was fun watching him in these trees. His mom when she was younger would climb the huge pine trees we have on the farm.. I told him he needed a tree house.  He said "Call Uncle Rich ~ he has a good one at his house".. Maybe he can build me one.. I said "Good Idea"...

Here is Ben riding his bike after the tree climbing.. He was tuckered out so we went inside to have a bite to eat..

Ben came over last night and Grandpa Dee Dee and Ben was playing a game on my Kindle Fire.. Where's my water?.. He loves to play this game.. I just had to laugh, both boys have their mouths open.. When Ben and Dave are working on something they have to focus on~ their tongues wag back and forth across their lips.. Don't  see Dave's tongue but I can see Ben's..

Every Tuesday and Friday I go to Springville School and volunteer in the 2nd grade class..The teacher since school started has had a butterfly project for science..The caterpillars arrived the first week of school in August. She put Malva in the bottom of these little cups  for the caterpillars food and placed the cap on top.. Then the observation started.. The kids learned the life cycle of these Painted Lady butterflies.  On the 7th of Sept. all the butterflies came out of their chrysalis and were flying around the butterfly tent house.

It was so fun to see the kids all excited  seeing their butterfly flying around. They had them all named..
On Tuesday , Sept. 11 I helped the teacher take the butterfly's tent house outside.. It was the big day for them to be set free.. I took a picture of two of the children's drawings that they had drawn in their books.. (not allowed to publish their pictures) I thought  their drawings were so good.. So I asked them if I could take a picture of their drawings and ta da here they are.. So glad they said Yes.. Have to be careful now a days.. There are 21 children in this class.  I really enjoy volunteering at the school and I just love 2nd graders..They are still eager to learn and they are so sweet.
Today was a beautiful sunshiny day..Tomorrow is going to rain ~ we need rain~!~!  Have a great day and ta ta for now from Iowa~!

Apple's Galore~!

Yesterday Dave , Tracie my daughter and grandson Ben and I went to Gays Mills, Wisconsin to the apple orchards.. There were a lot of orchards to see. I was surprised to see that the apple trees are not very big.. But they were loaded.with lots of apples.
     We stopped at this one market and went inside. Ben was so excited.  We looked around and then decided we needed a cart to put our apples into so we could buy them.  There was this one area where we could sample all the types of apples that were on sale. Ben liked the Honey Crisp apple the best. Of course they were the most expensive.. But Tracie and I shared the cost and bought one bag.. He has his arm around the bag of apples we bought..

After we bought our apples we went outside and saw this display of  swings made out of rubber tires.. There were tractors and horses.. Ben liked the tractor the best.  A little girl came by with her family and they were swinging and their tractors collided.. They thought this was so fun. So they had a tractor collision each time they went back and forth.. with their swinging.
There were a lot of people there today beings it was a really nice day.. I don't think it got up to 70 today.The last week-end of Sept. will be their Apple Festival. I can't imagine being there at that time.  Lots of traffic and lots of long lines to buy your apples..

There was an area where they had huge pumpkin patches and along side the edge of the patches were these pumpkin people.. Ben thought this one was pretty funny.  He said "It's a bad guy".. look he stole the money."  So of course we had to get a picture.

He loves to roll down the hills . He must of rolled down this hill at least 20 times.. Sometimes he would get up and be so dizzy.. He would laugh and laugh and go right back up and do it again.. Made me dizzy just watching him..

Here we are in the car going home.. Within 15 minutes he was asleep.. I just love to see sleeping children.. They look so sweet. I love Ben's blond hair. It"s so white.. We had a great day and Ben had a 2 hour nap.. I asked him if he wanted to go to the Apple Orchard tomorrow and he said "GranAnnie it's too far to ride in the car".. "Not tomorrow maybe another day"..
Have a great day~!  ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Ben at Old Theshers Reunion

I know it's Wednesday and I still want to show some of the things we did at Old Theshers Reunion.
IT was a fun filled day from the beginning to the end..

After we were at the shoot-um up gunslingers show we visited the jail.. Of course you have to get a picture. Ben thought it was so cool to be in the jail with his Mom.  I love 5 year olds. They are so naive and gets a thrill out of the silliest things.. I started keeping a journal of all our adventures and now all the funny things he says.. Last night we passed by Subway Restaurant and he said "Subway has 6 letters ".  Then he tells Dave and I that 2 +2 = 4 and 4+4 = 8.. So he is getting aware of numbers which doesn't surprise me.  I think putting projects together with Lego's has helped a lot.. He has most of the City Legos and puts them together in a short time.. Last night we worked on the Police Dog Van and he had it put all together in less than an hour..  I think Lego's are such a great thing to put together..I even enjoy putting them together myself..

You can hardly see him sitting on top of this caboose he is so small.. He loved riding on this big steam train.
It was a good time to ride around the outer circle of the grounds and Ben said this was is favorite part of the show..

EXCEPT for finding a Popgun in Museum B  this was the best.

HE was one excited boy.. Every boy and some girls I suppose wants one of these.. He had such a great time with shooting it at the show.. See the purple rabbits foot around his neck?  When we were at pioneer village he had to buy one for himself and one for me.. He smelled it and he said "GranAnnie this smells like cow poop~!".. The people around us just laughed.. He was right they did smell bad.  When we got home I sprayed them with Frebreeze.. that helped..  When leaving Pioneer Village we rode on my favorite Trolley Car.. They bought it from Australia.. Ben thought it was scary at first because he was riding on the outside and he hung on tight to the pole.. He looked down at the ground and he said 'That ground is going fast".. We had a great time while at the O.T. Reunion...Ben said he wants to come back next year.

Have a great Wednesday and ta ta for now from Iowa~!

Old Threshers Reunion 2012 in Mt. Pleasant Iowa.

Went to Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa with Ben , his Mom, Tracie Pa Pa Dee and of course me.   It was a sunny day and ready for the excitement of the show...We first went to the North Village where they had a shoot em out with gunslingers.. Ben was afraid they were going to shoot him.. I told him that the bullets were fake and it was just a act.. Like being in a play.. The guns were loud and Ben had a great time watching them.. They gave away money afterwards and he was able to get one.. Just one because all the other kids were grabbing up as much as they could.. He said those kids are grabbers.. It was fun to watch~! 

After watching the shoot em up show Tracie and Ben stood behind The Golden Sipper  sign and put their heads into the cut out circles and I told them to say "Cheese".. Whoever started that saying?  It was fun to watch Ben stand on the barrell that was behind the sign and he loved it~!  We had attented this Reunion since 1976.  It has gotten bigger and better. We have many great memories of going almost every year.

Ben wasn't sure about riding on the carrosel on this horse.. He said he thought he was going to fall off.. He said GranAnnie ~ did you look under the carosel and see how it is run?  There is a belt that goes from the center of the carrosel and attaches itself to a gas engine on the side..There's a lever that the man pulls and makes the carrosel stop and start.. Only Ben would notice how it works. After he got started the ride got better and he smiled and waved..

We had a great long day and I'll post more pictures tomorrow.. Everyone who lives in the area should go and visit the Old Threshers Reunion.. IT's one of the largest Steam Engine Shows in the U.S.   There is so much to see and do you can't see it all in one day.

Ben just called me and said "GranAnnie when are you coming over?"  I said I'm coming Ben.. for another adventure .  So Have a great Labor Day`!  Ta Ta For Now ~! from Iowa....

Lots of excitement at my house...

Ben has started Kindergarten now and he is so excited.. He loves going all day to school now and is doing  really good..  There are 31 in the Kindergarden class and they are divided up into 2 classes.  I volunteer at his school and I'm helping  the 2nd graders in Mrs. Wittenburg's class.. this is my second year helping her.. Mrs. Wittenburg is a wonderful you lady and a great teacher.. She is 52. She went to school with my oldest son.  

I go twice a week to help her and she is so grateful that I come and help her out.. It's so rewarding .              

This is 11 out of 17 Quail that come to my feeder every morning and they come back in the evening.. Last fall the neighbor bought 50 of these little guys and let them loose.. I was so happy that 17 of the little babies that were born this Spring came to my 40 acres to live.. My husband, Dave and I call them "The Kids".. They are so sweet .  When they get older their song will be 'Bob White".. I can hardly wait.  It's been fun to watch them come twice a day.

I woke up this morning and looked out into the yard..What a surprise ~!  Two baby fawns..They were eating the grass from our yard.. It's so dry here and the corn is dying because we haven't had rain for so long.. 

Thanks to the hurricane Isacc we are going to get some rain tomorrow.Yeah..Won't help the crops at all but it will put moisture back into the earth.. This two fawn's stayed in the yard for about an hour . They were chasing each other and having a great time running all over the yard.. 

I know I haven't been writing since March and I'm sorry for that because I feel I have missed so much.  So hopefully I will continue with writing in my blog and start reading all my favorite blogs once again.

Not sure if I like this new look on the blog site.. Guess I need to watch the video to fiqure out how do things again..  Have a great Labor Day Week=end.. ta ta for now from Iowa~!~!

 

Good Morning Spring~!

It's was so great to lay in bed this morning and listen to all the song birds sing their mating songs.. The sun was peeking up in the East and the window was open to smell the good smells of Spring.
I love this time of year when I can open up the windows in the house and let the warm air filter into the house.. 
Going to Springville School this morning to help Mrs. Wittenburg's 2nd grade class..  I just love going to her class on Monday andThursdays..  It is so rewarding to help these little ones with their reading, spelling and math.. 
It's almost time for Ben to get here this morning. He is going to Pre-School . I'll drop him off on my way to Mrs. Wittenburg's room.  He has been so sick with a virus this week.. I went over Tues and Wednesday to take care of him while his Mom went to work.  On Tues. his temperature was 102 and he was so sick. He said "GranAnnie just pray to God for me that he can take this virus away".. So we prayed.. It was so cute, he layed there with his hands folded.. Yesterday when I went to see him he told me he knew God was listening because he was feeling so much better.  I told him I was very happy, God loves us so much and doesn't like it when we are sick. When I left him yesterday afternoon he was jumping on the trampoline and feeling good.
    I look outside the window this morning and see the grass is getting so green, and by next week well need mowing. YIKES~!  that's too early.  The flowers are blooming and the trees are leafing out.  This is way to early for this to happen. So we well just trust that April well be a warm month too.:)
Have a Tiggeriffic Day ~ ta ta for now from Iowa:) 

Ben washing the Benny Mobile

Ben had a sleep over on Saturday night. We went to church on Sunday morning and after we got home we had his favorite dinner.. Spaghetti  ~ He ate quite a bit..  We went outside because it was such a nice day.. He was getting bored with blowing bubbles and drawing with chalk on the sidewalk and making beautiful flowers.  So I got a paint brush and a bucket of clean water. We made letters and wrote our names on the cement driveway.. Then he decided that the Benny Mobile needed the windows washed.  What a fun time he had doing that ~ kids love playing in the water..  Ben asked me "Why do you call this car the Benny Mobile".. I told him that when he was born that is when I bought the Chevy Equinox.  I took care of him and the money that I made taking care of him paid for the car..so that is why it's called "The Benny Mobile".. He said "I'm glad you took care of me when I was a baby".. I told him I was glad I got to take care of him too..

Benny is 5 now and is growing up fast. He likes to do boy things like burp and fart..  He loves to be read too and he talks a lot~!~! He goes to pre-school for now and next year he will go to Kindergarten.
My knee is getting better ~ but still in a lot of pain. Thank goodness for pain pills and ice.  The knee is good, it's next to the knee that hurts, on the outside. Soft tissue issues and swelling.. It will go away someday and all will be better.
Weather is unseasonably warm right now.  Spring is here too soon. Flowers are blooming, leaves are sprouting on the trees and I just hope April doesn't bring cold weather and ruin it all..  Farmers are in the field stirring up the dirt and getting ready for planting season..  I'll just enjoy each day the Lord gives to me and wait what comes tomorrow.. I always tell people if you don't like todays weather wait until tomorrow..
Have a Tiggeriffic Day~ ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Sunny and a bright Sunday Morning~!

Just can't seem to be able to post with out a picture.. So here is Ben posing for another picture.. He is such a sweet boy. Haven't seen him for awhile and I really miss him.. He is with his Dad this week-end and he'll be back to his Mom's this evening. 
Yesterday was Dave and mine 51st anniversary.. What a celebration we had all day.. Lazy in the day watching the movie "Marly and Me".. Oh my goodness that was a sad movie.  I think my favorite movie that Mrs. Wittenburg lend me to watch was Simon Birch.. I thought this was such a sweet movie and want to watch it one more time before I give all the movies back to her.. Mrs. Wittenburg is the teacher that I have been helping Mon. and Thurs. with the 2nd graders.   I went to her class this last Thurs. morning for a visit.. Hadn't been there for over 6 weeks and the kids were so excited to see me.. They ran to the door with lots of kisses and hugs. I was so happy to see them.. I stayed until 11 and then went back home. I was tired..I plan on going Monday. I told her I wouldn't promise how long ~ She was excited to see me again and told me she was glad I was able to get out again.. ME TOO~!~!
     Last night our church held a Valentine's Dinner at the restaurant in Springville.. Shelly's.  There were 50 people there and it was good to get out of the house.  They all wished Dave and I a Happy Anniversary. It was a wonderful evening and we had a great time.   The food was so good and for dessert we had cherry rhubarb pie and vanilla ice cream.. there was just plain cherry pie also to choose from..  
     This morning I woke up early and went outside and fed my birds, burned the trash and got the Sunday paper.. It 9 degrees and well go up to 30 today.. It was really nice outside with hardly any wind blowing.. It feels so good to be able to walk outside again.. Still have to be very careful that I don't fall. Knee is doing so much better.. I now have a bend of 117 and working on the straightness.. Lots of work.. Lots of pain.. But that all goes along with having a TKR.. (total knee replacement).  I'll just be glad when everything is back to normal..
       Today is my son's , Richard's birthday.. what a joy he is and a great young man, dad and husband.. He is 48 today.. WOW~ that doesn't seem possible.. I'm sure in Illinois where he lives with his family there will be birthday celebrations ~ tomorrow his daughter turns 13. Kelly is now going to be a teenager. Yikes~!  February is a big time birthday month for our family. and anniversaries..   One doesn't get older we just get more valuable.. I love my birthday and my children do too..
      Oldest daughter, Jodie and her husband Mark are at Tybee Island for a month. That is in Georgia.. Oh how nice is that to be able to go where it's somewhat warmer than what it is here in the North.  She calls me almost everyday and it sounds like they are having a great time. They are 4 blocks from the ocean and she said they walk everyday .  They have rented a 5 bedroom house for a month. They took our grand-cat with them on this trip.. She said Calvin is enjoying himself with his new stuffed mice that some one made for him.. Catnip I think is so fun for cats to play with. Makes them go looney and they get lots of exercise chasing the mice around.  
        Going to church this morning and Dave and I are going out for lunch.. It's going to be another wonderful day~!
Have a Tiggeriffic Day ~ ta ta for now from Iowa:)

When is my birthday? It was yesterday~!

B en is into posing now for his pictures.. He poses and then he wants to see what the picture looks like.. Thanks goodness for digital camera.Silly boy.
      Went to the Dr. today that did my surgery for my total knee replacement. The nurses always ask you when is your birthday? I got to say "It was yesterday"~!  She  looked at me and said "OH~! Happy Birthday~!.. Yes ~I get to be 68 this year.. She said I like that ~ you get to be 68.. I told her I was actually 1/2 way to 136.  I love my birthday and it's a great day to celebrate life..
     Dr. Munjal was very happy with the results of my knee.. I now have 113 bend and my straightness is at a 7.. must go to 0 in order to be a good straight.  I went to Physical Therapy after the Dr.'s visit.. Oh man, what a work out that was, my muscles were shaking..  I go back on Wednesday and hopefully I can get my bend better and the straightness.. It's a lot of work.. Seems like that is all I get done, exercise-exercise-exercise.. Stretch-bend-ride on the bike and go 1/2 way and go 1/2 way the other way since I can't make it go all the way around.. It's coming slowly but surely and with time and patience I'll have all this pain behind me.. It will come it just takes time.
         The Dr. said I can drive the car now.. Ya-Hoo~!  So I drove the car after my visit with him.. It's been 6 weeks..   When Dave and I got home today we had lunch and I took a 2 hour nap.. then I rode the bike for awhile and stretched the back of my leg..
Having lots of pain in my hip right now, I'm sure it's not liking all this stretching and bending.. Too bad. 
        My friend Holly had a Super Bowl Party yesterday afternoon.  There were a lot of people there and we had so much fun... The women were in the family room playing board games. Men were in the TV room and watched the game.. It was great to be out of the house and be around people again.. Most of these people go to our church and they gave me lots of cards and flowers..  It was a great time.. 
     Time for bed ~ Have a Tiggeriffic Day and ta ta for now from Iowa:)
       

Ben is my favorite person ~!

 Dave left for Dwight, Illinois for the annual U.S.A.Plowing Organizations board meeting on Friday afternoon. Ben and Tracie came over and we played games on my computer. He just loves it~!  He has reached the age of not wanting to look up at the camera and smile.. So one has to get what one can get.  He loves to play Mario games.. they are free and he does quite well with pushing the right letters to get Mario to go forward, jump and maneuver through the course.. 

He told me he was cool with his Mario hat on and his new Mario shirt.. 5 years old and he thinks he is cool.. He told me today I was his favorite person. I told him he was my favorite person too. He is quite a boy~! 

After supper Ben and I went outside and he showed me how he can jump on his new pogo stick that he got for Christmas.  He does quite well. He then ran around the garage ~ around and around .  He had me time him to see how fast he ran. Good thing I have a stop watch.. He can really run fast.
Tomorrow is my birthday. I can't believe it ~! I'm going to be 68 years old.. I sure don't feel this old.. But time marches on whether we want it to or not.. I'm going to my friend's house Holly after church.. She is going to have a Super Bowl Party.. She has a very nice recliner I can sit in to watch the game and visit with everyone.. I have a hard time sitting in a kitchen chair, my knee gets very jumpy and hurts.. Come next Tuesday it well be 6 weeks after my total knee surgery.. I still have a lot of pain especially in the evenings.. Thank goodness I have Loritab for the pain, it sure does help.. Went to Physical Therapy Friday and my PT really gave my knee a work out.. I now have 110 bend and my straightness is at a 6.. She wants me to have 115 plus for a bend and 0 for straightness.. I told her good luck.. It's a lot of work to do all the exercises and be pain free.. I use a lot of ice.. to keep the swelling down and the pain under control.
I go back to see the surgeon on Monday and hopefully he will let me drive a car again.. 
       All is quiet right now, Ben and Tracie are staying the night. I told him we would have waffles in the morning for breakfast. He said "Yum Yum~!~!".  
      Have a Tiggeriffic Day tomorrow ~ ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Luigi is busy~!~!

Here is my Luigi~!  He loves to color and while coloring I just love his tongue wags outside of his mouth.. Ben uses a lot of lip balm.  We always have lots of fun when he comes to GranAnnie's house..
      Knee is getting much better. Today at Physical Therapy I was able to bend the knee to 100 and my straightness was 6.. Yeah ~ it's getting better. The pain this evening is not too bad.. I feel like I've had a turning point and things are getting better.. Still lots of pain and I still have lots of work to do to get this knee back to being healthy and able to walk again with no pain.. It's been 5 weeks since surgery.. This is major surgery so one can't think that it's going to be an easy recovery.. It is not..   So I'm working hard ~ being patient and keeping a positive attidute is most important when going through a Total Knee Replacement.. Do the exercises daily and know it's not going to get better in a short time.. Won't be long and I'll be on the mend and back to living again.. 
         My son Rich came to see Dave and I on Saturday and Sunday.. He lives in Barrington, Illinois and it was so wonderful to have him here for a couple days.. He left for home this morning to be with his family. It was nice to see him even thou it was a short time..
         Have a Tiggeriffic Day~ ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Calvin and GranAnnie taking a nap~!

This is my grandcat ~ Calvin.  This picture was taken by my daughter, Jodie.  I was going through some of my pictures and came across this picture of Calvin and myself.. He is such a great cat ~! I called Jodie and asked her when did you take this picture. She said it was  a few days after I got home from the hospital.. (I didn't know she had taken this picture).. Lol..  It was wonderful having Jodie here and taking care of me.. She is not a sit down person and she said "Mom is there something we can work on while I'm here?".. I said "Well, I have been wanting to go through the closets, under the beds, throughout this house."  So in the mornings we started one room at a time.  She had laundry baskets and brought everything that was under the beds upstairs in 2 bedrooms, and in the closets down to where I was here in the living room. We had 3 piles ~ 1 for Goodwill ~ one for the burn barrel and if there was any books we put into a pile to take to the library.(The library loves getting used books to sell in their book fair to help make money for the library)  They were so happy to receive these books.  I came across things that belonged to my children so Jodie found 3 large bags and put names on the bags so that way when we came across things that were Tracie's , Rich's and Jodies it was a great way of sorting and putting things where they belong. Get it out of my house and into theirs.  It took us a whole week of sorting ~ but she got through every room in this house.. (except my sewing room).  It is a great feeling to have all these things gone and you know I really don't miss anything.  Less to clean and less things to dust.. I'm sure someone at Goodwill is excited about some of the things Jodie and I dropped off.  I am so grateful to Jodie for helping me with this project.  There were some things I thought if I sold would bring some money ~ so we googled these items and found out that it was not worth what I thought, so we just gave it away.. I do have some of my things at a consignment store and periodically I get a check from the lady that owns the store.. I'm saving up for a Ipad.. It was a fun week and my house looks so much better.. Thanks to Jodie.. 
       Today is cloudy and going to be in the 30's today.. No snow in the air and it's just going to be a nice day.. I have physical therapy at 11:30 today.  So glad I have a exercise bike to use 3 to 4 x's a day to work on the bend of my knee.  Have also been working on the straightness as that is just as important as having a bend...Lots of work to do after total knee replacement.. I did look on YouTube and watched a video of someone having this surgery.. Yikes~!  very interesting and now I know why there is so much pain after this surgery.. It's remarkable and a miracle that something like this can be done...
     Have a Tiggeriffic Day~ ta ta for now from Iowa:)

GranAnnie your squishing me~!

Ben came over yesterday evening. We played the WII for a little while and then he had supper.. His mom, Tracie came  after she was done working and she had  supper with us and he was so excited to see her.. I just love it when he runs to her and gives kisses/hugs and says "Mom I missed you"..
After supper Ben put a puzzle together. It was a 2 sided USA puzzle.. He loves puzzles.. Then we played Parcheesi game.. Oh he loves it when he lands on a space where our playing piece is and he sends you home.  He just laughs and laughs.. We had to play a short game this evening because he needed to get home and get ready for school for today... So the rules were whoever got one player piece to the home space you win... He was so excited~!  He loves winning.
       Before he left I read him a story on my bed and he was laying across my bed.. So I put my legs over him.. He squirmed and squirmed and we had a good time laughing.. He finally got out and then it was time for him to go home.. He said "GranAnnie ?"  Do you know who my favorite person is?  I said "No, Ben I don't".. He said "It's YOU GranAnnie,,,You are my favorite person ~!~! He gave me a big hug and kiss and off he went.. So sweet.. I love it when he comes here and we can play...
       My knee this morning is very stiff and hurts a lot~! Took a pain pill and got on my stationary bike and worked on the bend for 10 minutes.. Now it feels better and I have ice on top of the knee and bottom..  Now I need to work on getting the tendons and muscles behind the knee to stretch out so I can get my leg straight. So much work to do when one has total knee surgery.  TIme and Patience and I'll get it done and then everything will be fine.. No pain No gain.. So I'll keep at it just knowing at the end of the road I'll have a new knee and pain will be in the past...
    Nice and sunny this morning and just calm and beautiful~!  Saw 12 pheasants walk across the neighbors driveway to go into the field . 2 cock birds and the rest hens.. Very beautiful to watch them strutting in front of the girls..    Earlier this morning there was a big buck with a huge rack walked up our driveway stopped and smelled the air.. He was so magnificent to watch and then in a flash he was running with his white tail lifted and running through the field that we have next to our property.   IT's an amazing view from my window this morning.  God is so good..
Have a Tiggeriffic Day ~ ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Red ~White~Blue~ with a Star~!

Here I am couple weeks after surgery reading to my Ben. He is such a sweet boy and I missed seeing him. We are reading a true story about a bear who rode with his master on the Titanic and survived. cute story. 

 It's been along time since I have posted anything here.. On Dec. 27th I had total knee surgery.  OUCH~!  It hurts a lot, but the old saying is "No pain ~ no gain~!".. So here I am with a leg that hurts but at the end of this long road I'll be able to have a normal life and be able to walk on trails again and go geocaching and have fun with Ben.  Exercising twice a day and going to Physical Therapy 3 times a week, the ole knee is getting better.. Ice is my friend and pain pills.  Give it another month and hopefully this pain will go away and I have a good bend.. So far I have gotten it to bend 108 degrees...Have to have 116 to ride a bike..   Just being able to sit down at a movie theater or be on a plane where one can bend the knee when someone wants to get out of their seat would be good enough for me.   

Had 5 inches of snow on Friday and the bird feeder was full of Cardinal, Blue Jays and finches.. What a delight to watch.   I just love to see the bright red color of the Cardinals against the snow. 

This is Ben at his Christmas Program.. It was called The Littlest Tree.  Ben was one of the stars.. It was so cute and of course he was my star..  

At Christmas Ben got to come to our house. He helped us all open our gifts.. It was so fun to watch him open each gift and get so excited that you received a present. He is helping Pa Pa Dee Dee open his gift. Christmas is not Christmas without children present to spark the excitement into the air.   
Today ~ it's Sunday . Got up early and got my exercises done ~ got on the stationary bike for 10 minutes and now I'm icing my knee.. It always feels good after a work out to apply the ice. 
Now it's time for a nap. Hopefully I can continue writing in my blog , I get so tired so quick.  Have a Tiggeriffic Day~ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Ben loves Portillos Hot Dog's.

I just love this picture.. It was taken in Chicago while we were there visiting son Rich and his family.  Ben loves Hot Dogs and this was just the right place to take him.. They give out hats and of course he likes hats.. He looks so cute with this hat on his head..   We were here Dec. 3rd. Ben loves Uncle Richie and had a really good time with him while we were there visiting for the week-end..
He really liked playing the WII skate board game with John, his cousin. John is 14 and was surprised that Ben could do so good in playing this game.  Ben is very good with Wii games.

Last Saturday, Ben came to my house and we spent 3 hours making a garage for his cars..  All sides of this shoe box is decorated with Mario and Luigi  pictures.. I drew pictures of cars on the lid and the people are GranAnnie and his other Grandmother,, JoGram..
He had a great time cutting pictures out and I pasted them onto the box.   He also colored some of these pictures. Overall it was a great time to cut, paste, color and be creative and spend time together making something.  Today he took the lid to school to show his teacher. She was really proud of him and told him he could show the class his lid to the class at snack time.
      Have been busy knitting hats for family.  Christmas is coming quickly and now I wish I would of gotten  the bug to make these sooner.. Oh well, it will get done and all well be O.K.
      Getting ready to have total knee surgery on my right knee now.  Surgery date is Dec. 27th.. Getting house ready to come home to .. It's so different than the first two I had ~ one in 2001 and then 2004 they were on my left knee.  Last time they kept me in the hospital for 5 days AND after the Knee Replacement Class  I went to on Monday they now keep you in the hospital for 2 days. My surgery will be on a Tues and I'll be coming home on Thurs.. They said they will be getting me up 1 hour after surgery.. The nurse said that they have found that one will recover quicker by getting you up quickly... O.K. I'm ready ~ have a hard time with walking but know I will have a better life after I recover..
        Watching the Republican Debates this evening on TV. It's in Sioux City, Iowa tonight. Very interesting.
Have a blessed day and ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Come for Tea~l

Wish you all could come Saturday and come to this old barn that is decorated so beautifully.  All provided by the owner, Debbie ~ free of charge..

Yesterday, my friend ,Holly and I went to Stone City, Iowa to visit the old barn that we were told was offered to women for gatherings.   This Saturday we are having a Breakfast Brunch for the girls that go to our church and live in the area.  Some of these girls go to church, don't go to church ~ believe in God or don't believe..   This is our 3rd month of organizing this for these girls.
      When Holly and I walked into this very old barn we were taken away with the view.   There can be place settings for 30 people.. We think we will be having 20 girls come to this gathering.. We have a young gal, named Hope who is a Freshman in college and she plays the piano and sings in her tenor voice.. She is going to play for us and we will be singing Praise Songs along with her..   We are going to have a $5 gift exchange.. We have asked the girls to bring along a favorite devotion that they have read this week and if they would like to stand up and say something that the Lord has done in their lives .   All voluntary, that way no one feels intimidated... Just keep it light with lots of laughter and enjoy each other.
The gal that owns this has such a wonderful spirit.. Holly and I got to talk with her yesterday and it was just a delight.. She said there would be no charge.. (we are going to have a free will offering and set it under one of her Christmas trees)   She is going to have coffee,tea,milk,2 kinds of juices and she is going to make us her homemade pecan roils.. yum yum...  We have asked the girls to bring something they would eat at a brunch.. So I'm sure there will be lots of food, fellowship and memories made.. We just let God lead us each month on what we plan for these girls and so far he has not let us down..
         After we left the barn we went to Holly's house and had lunch and then went to the local high school and elementary in Springville.  I gave the Superintendent, his secretary and the business office girl each a devotion. Then we went to the elementary and gave the Principal and couple teachers that we knew a daily devotion..   They were all happy to receive one of our devotions it was amazing.
        We then went to Wyoming, Iowa and looked at Camp Wyoming.  Last week-end in February we are going to have our 6th annual Women's Retreat and we wanted to look at some of the buildings to see which cabin would be big enough to hold us all.. We chose Owl's Nest cabin and it will sleep 30 women.  More than big enough for us to use.  Now to get everything organized for this event.. But we have plenty of time for that.We just pray and ask for God's leading.. It's like getting out of the boat and walking on water. I love it~!
          Today I have to get my front living room as we call it ready to bring down a twin bed and put in there. I'm going to have total knee surgery two days after Christmas.  I have already had two on my left knee and now I'll be having this one on the right knee.. Not looking forward to this but if I want to walk again without pain ~it is needed..
       Have a Blessed Tiggeriffic Day~ ta ta for now from Iowa~1
         

Ben playing with his Favorite Person~!

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No this is not Ben's Favorite Person, LOL..this is 3 beautiful pheasants that are in our side yard.. They were so beautiful pecking and walking all over the yard ~ looking ~looking~looking and very skittish.   I told them to stay on our property because we have No Hunting signs posted.. It's been a long time that we have seen pheasants and we are hoping they don't get on some one's table.   I also heard 3 Quail and they were singing their cool song. "Bob-White"...  I used to tell my kids there's Bob when ever I heard them sing and they would say "Bob who?"  I told them Bob White of course.. They would just laugh at me.. But they do remember...

HERE is Ben's favorite person ~  Jodie - our daughter from Michigan.. She came home yesterday to stop and get her cat, Calvin and then this morning Her and Mark left to go home.. I will miss them terribly.. We had a great time while they were here.  Sunday after church we went to Stone City and had lunch at the General Store and then went and picked up Ben.. He was so excited~!
    When we got to my house Ben wanted to get on the computer right away and play Mario games, puzzles with Aunt Jodie.  They had such a great time with all the games they played.. I just love this picture.. Wish it didn't have the shading on it,,couldn't get Ben to pose for another one.. Yikes..~!
      They found a game where you got to dress Mario.. I thought it was just precious Jodie and Ben's faces..
This morning I went to Mrs. Wittenburg's 2nd grade class to volunteer. I just love going there on Monday and Thursday mornings to help out..  She has 15 boys and girls..  Picked up Ben after  school and his mom, Tracie met us here at my house.. We had supper and then I got out the board games and we played Parcheesi and the card game War..  Then it was time for him to go home and get ready to go to school tomorrow..  Grandchildren are such a blessing from God.    I do enjoy them..   Have a Great Tuesday and ta ta for now from Iowa:)

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