Advice from Gracie

So, anyway...  there's a few things you'll need to know if you want to visit with the nag the grammy often. 

 First of all, if the nag grammy gives you a cookie, always ask for another one because you want to give it to the dog  more is always better.  

Secondly, never eat Cheerio's from a no-spill bowl.  I heard they're cheaply made in China and the paint's not good for little cookie carriers like you - oh don't worry about spilling them... I've got your back.  

Oh, and one more thing...   the dog always trumps the baby.  

Got that? 

  Now go see if you can't get us yourself a cookie...

   

In Trouble

I hate to admit it.  Especially after the silly $400 'bet'...

Remember the Ipod Touch that I was 99% sure I was getting? Along with a box full of bricks? 

Well...  I was wrrrrr  

 wrrrrrrrrrrr  wrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrong

That was very hard to say.

It was actually an ipad2!  

And the bricks...  well that was a cinder block.  Ahhhemmm...  isn't that in the brick family??

 I love my ipad!  Thank you Gary.  Now, lets let bygones be bygones.  I promise I'll never try to guess another gift.  Never.  Let's just drop that silly bet!

The kiddies showed up a little before noon today.  I had made a lasagna casserole and it was hot on the counter.  Gary baked fresh homemade bread...  and my homemade cookies and fudge were on hand for dessert.  

We are so blessed to have grandchildren!  

The aroma of pine mingled with soy based wax melts  and candles in Zucchini bread scent could be enjoyed upon leaving the dinner smells of the kitchen and entering the living room.

Then I had to shove my hand half way down Gracie's throat to retrieve a hershey kiss that she'd stolen off of a package and swallowed almost swallowed whole.

Kids make Christmas so special.  I don't think I've ever seen Jake so excited.  He could hardly contain himself while he was telling me about the train set Santa left under his tree and how last evening he saw Santa on a fire-truck and Santa gave him a candy bar.

Justin.  Son #2

Summer found the perfect place to lay her head...

Right on Grammy... Where she belonged.

 Jake and Rissi played for a long time with the train and Christmas village.  

We ate, laughed and spoiled the grandkids.  

After the family fun, Gary and I went to a Christmas movie.  War Horse.  It was a beautiful movie and yes, it made me cry.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas Day.  I sure did!

Dear Diary,

What kind of a mom would take a wonderful, best toy a dog ever got from Santa, and hang it up high so their dog couldn't get it?  A mean one..  that's what kind.  

  She had no right taking it away.  So I begged and I barked and I watched my toy and asked... Please, mom I promise I won't rip it to shreds! Then I barked some more.

Finally she caved.

But in a weak moment I did what I was not supposed to do. 

And Now I'm in trouble.

Merry Christmas

Dear Diary,

I have good news and bad news.  The good news...  Mom was unable to locate the battery operated reindeer antlers.  The bad news... 

Gracie.

Christmas Gifts

Every year I guess what my Christmas present is, and this year is no different.   Our conversation went something like this.

Gary:  I don't know what to get you for Christmas.

Me:  That should be easy...

Gary:  Well it's not.  I have no clue... you're hard to buy for.

Me:  Well then you must not be paying attention.  I'd love to have a new Ipod Touch  OR an Ihome  OR Itunes gift card. 

 Easy peasy... that's what I am!

Next day Gary proudly announced that he had overcome his 'gifters block' and my present was bought. 

 "You'll never guess!" He said.  

"I'm getting my new Ipod" I said 

"Not even close..." he said.

"Yea... right.." I said. ((giggle-giggle))

The UPS man came and Gary grabbed the package, then hurried back to the garage to 'put my present together' according to him.  'it came in 2 parts' *according to him*...

and I would be so surprised.  

 The very lightweight package got extremely heavy after gift wrapping...  and I'm 99% sure the above box is bricks....  and an Ipod of course.

Oh, the fun we have!  

Right Gary?  

Leaving the office for a week for Christmas break... 

 I'll spend time with family and friends 

and loving on the grandkids.

And on Christmas Eve I'll open my 

box of bricks & IPod Touch.  

And Gracie will discover that the Animal Planet door hanger/organizer that she stumbled across was intended for her. 

Disclaimer
*** Christmas is not about the getting of gifts or even the giving for that matter.  It is a time to remember the perfect gift...  Christ our Saviour.  The date that we observe is not exact...  and details of a story that has been passed down from generation to generation may differ a bit...  But the message is the same.  God loved us so much that He sent His own son to save us from our sins.  Only those whose hearts have been changed by His Gift know the true meaning of Christmas.  

Remember Him by treating others the way 

He would treat them.  

Show love, compassion, and forgiveness. 

 Discover the true meaning of Christmas. 

The Four Letter Word

 Today I accomplished the 2 things I really hate doing.  I bathed the dog and colored my hair.  They are both messy and time consuming especially since Gracie's become more shaggy (and I've become more gray).  It takes me an hour to dry Gracie.  It went real well.  Gracie was a good sport and surrendered nicely when I scooped her up from her comfy spot on the chair and plopped her down in the tub of nice warm water. 

gracie and me - all better

Dear Diary,

Today was one of the worse days of my life.  I thought I was safe from abuse in my own home but obviously I was wrong.   Out of nowhere, the nag mom submerged me in cold soapy water and started scrubbing me hard and spraying water in my face.  She called me dirty, disgusting, and beyond hope...  then she doused me with more water.  

The soap tasted funny and I thought I was going to toss my morning cookie....

She took me into the back room then, where she tortured me for probably about 215.5 hours by holding this big noisy thing over me and hot air blew on my face and body.  When she was finished, she ignored me and went back into the bathroom where she put strong smelly stuff on her hair.  I pulled her good sandal from her closet and tried to tear it to pieces... I WAS SO MAD!  But she came running out of the bathroom yelling 'Gracie!  What are you doing? What's got into you?  What is your problem?'  

I'm sorry. But to me...  BATH is a four letter word I'd rather not hear.  Somebody needed to pay! Gracie.

I'll Pass on Winter. Summer please.

Winter can chill you to the bone...  

but Summer will warm your heart...

Tomorrow may be the first day of winter. 

 but at our house...  

Summer is here to stay!

I'm Fine With This...

Today I got a few things accomplished.  

Wrapped some presents.

Baked some cookies.

And tried to convince Gracie that she should leave her Daddy's side and sit with me in my chair...  She's been a little standoffish ever since the new baby arrived and has been showing up at our house often.  

Dear Diary,

Mom thinks I'm mad at her because she spends too much time with the newest up-and-coming cookie carrier.  Hey, I don't care that she ignores me and coddles the little thing and talks baby talk to it and kisses it and feeds it and sings to it and puts it in her lap instead of me where I belong  and talks about it all the time.  I'm glad to have some space.  She was really starting to smother me with her constant need to have me there with her all the time. I'm fine with this. Gracie.

  

CRASH

In '07 we decided we'd get an artificial Christmas tree for '08 after a swarm of flying insects mysteriously appeared  throughout our house shortly after our Douglas Fir  was erected and decorated.  "What's with all the bugs?"  I asked as I swatted away the tiny gnat-like pests.  Upon close examination I found the swarm to be thicker

 as I moved closer to the tree. 

There went my yearly tradition of dragging nature and all it's glorious smells inside my living room every year.  

It was time to go fake. 

We found a great after-Christmas sale and at 70% off only paid $80 for our very first fake tree.  (Below) 

I won't lie.  It never seemed right to me. 

 I don't like fake anything...   I prefer the real deal. 

 But for 2  years I put up with Mr. Fake Tree. 

Then ~ a great idea! 

 "Let's create a gigantic Christmas village...  for the grandchildren...  and do away with the tree altogether."  

The only reason Gary agreed (after spending 80 bucks on a tree he assumed would see him through the rest of his life) was because he liked the idea of a train set.  

So the Spring/Summer yard sales of '10 was with one goal in mind.  Christmas village pieces.  

December 19. 2011.  

Me:  Let's put the artificial tree outside and write FREE on the box.  It will be a good time to help a family who can't afford to get a tree.

Gary:  Ok.  Let's put it up along the highway.  On the bench.  

Me:  No, Gary.  It will be too much of a distraction and may cause an accident.  We'll put it out to the side of the house on the side street.  Someone will take it.

Gary:  No, it needs to go up by the highway.

Me:  You are wrong.

***  I drag the huge box out of the garage and tape a FREE sign on it's front.  Gary meets me there and drags the box up to the road and puts it on the bench in front of our house against my wishes.***

Gary:  Don't worry...  someone will take it. 

Me:  It's not a good idea....

We no sooner walked inside... than...  CRASH!

HMMMM>>>>>

Me:  I told you it would be a distraction!   

Okay.  So we found out it had nothing to do with the FREE Christmas tree box along the road, but rather our neighbor went to turn in her driveway and the cars behind her were going too fast and...  well...  you can guess the rest.  I don't think anyone was seriously hurt, but one was taken to the hospital with a stiff neck.

An hour later, the tree was gone.  

Gary loves being right.  

Dear Santa,

How many cookies do you think you could fit in an average sized stocking?  Could you squeeze a chew bone in there too?  And how about a new skunky wunky squeaky toy?  Santa...  I've uhh..  been perfect awesome outstanding good.  

Love and Sloppy wet kisses, Gracie.

PS  Could you define good for me please?  

My Cup is Full and Running Over

'My cup is full and running over'.  

Does anybody remember that song from 

Bible School years ago? 

That's how I feel right now. 

One more grandchild has made a big difference in our lives.

 I can't get enough of Summer's sweetness. 

But there is Rissi who needs to feel 

continued love  and attention...

Then there's Jake who doesn't get nearly as much time as the girls, one reason being that I don't fully trust him around Gracie and I have to watch him very closely.

This week has been back to back grandkids.  

Summer. Rissi. Jake.  

A dear friend came today turning my living room into a studio ~ setting up a photo shoot for the girls.

The pictures are beautiful.

 I miss blogging and visiting you all...

I see some R & R in the near future...  

Because my Grand obligations 

have been fulfilled for a time.

And though I love my time with the little darlings.... 

 I like my quiet time as well.  

And so does Gracie.

It Doesn't Take a Detective For This One...

Me: (at the grocery store)  Oh, look!  Lucky Charms are on sale.  Should I get a box for you too?

Gary:  No.

Me:  Are you sure?  I don't want you touching mine.  You eat all of the marshmallow's and that's the best part.

Gary:  I'm not going to touch them.  

Me:  You better not!

FAST FORWARD - ONE WEEK LATER

Me:  You were into my Lucky Charms!

Gary:  No I wasn't.

Me:  Then why is there a clip on the top of the bag?  I always  fold it over.  It doesn't take a detective to figure this one out...  AND...  what happened to the marshmallows?  

Gary:  Gracie?

Dear Diary,  

Make. Her. Stop.  It's baby this and baby that and isn't she cute and no, she's not talking about me.  

  What's so cute about it?  Gracie.

"HEY!  YA GOT ANY COOKIES IN THERE?"