Great Day!

Today was a great day. It was sunny; which I really need sun any time I can get it. It was also fairly warm; in the upper 30's.

I went to the library and checked out several books about gardening. I am starting to plan out my garden. Lots of tomatoes for canning salsa also some hot peppers and maybe some zucchini. I am really excited about canning this year. I have never done it before and can't wait to make my own salsa.

After the library some of the zoo members and I went to petco. They had their adoption program going. Goosh I wish I could bring some of those dogs home. They are so cute. I know D will not allow it. It took me 20 years to talk him into bringing our Yorkie home 5 years ago. He doesn't like any dogs in the house. He only agreed to our Sassy because she doesn't shed and is very small. I know there is no way I can talk him into another dog. So I go to petco and dream about having another one. Maybe after most of the zoo members fly the coup then maybe just maybe I can talk him into another puppy.

This evening I got to play with both of the zoo babies; Aspen and Drake. There parents were out this evening so I got some good one on one grandma time. It was fun; lot's of snacks and reading books.

D went fishing today and caught over 30 crappy! I am so excited. We can have fish for Sunday dinner. We haven't had crappy since last winter.

Heidi

Evening Out

Today was a very uneventful day which is always good now and then. Last night however was really fun.

I went to my friend HC's house to pick her up for an evening of running around. First off we went to the local Parks & Rec to sign up for a cooking class. We are going to make cinnamon rolls. Yum! Just what the waste line of all the zoo members need. I have made cinnamon rolls on a number of occasion's however I think it will be fun to take this class with my friend. Who knows I may learn something. Not sure how much one can learn from a cooking class put on by the Parks Department but I will soon find out.

Next on our stop was JoAnn's Fabric shop. I am having trouble with my sewing machine so I needed to take it in for repairs. What luck that the repair shop is inside one of my favorite stores. HC and I decided that we needed to see all of their fabric. I love just touching it all and imagining all the things I could make. HC and I decided on making an apron. Apron's seem to be the in thing now and I don't have one. I found the perfect zebra print. No one that knows me will be surprised by my choice in fabric. Now I just have to wait for my sewing machine to be repaired and I will be in business.

With all that fabric shopping HC and I needed some seafood. Red Lobster just so happen to be real close to JoAnn's so we headed on over there. We both had shrimp and as many of those garlic cheesy biscuits that we could consume.

After we were so stuffed that we could not move we headed back to her house for a little American Idol. That show cracks me up. I can hardly believe that so many people think that they can sing. Devin CAN sing; Drew not so much. But at least he knows he can't; bless his heart. But he keeps trying and thankfully it is in the privacy of our little zoo. Devin the one and only person that can sing here at the zoo keeps that little talent to just us. I couldn't get him to try out for American Idol if his life depended on it. But that is ok.

HC made us a chocolate brownie gooey cake thingy while we were watching tv that was to die for. I don't know the official name of it but you get the picture. She served it hot with some vanilla ice cream. When I grow up I am going to cook just like her. Or at least beg her to make more for me so that I can bring some home to the zoo to share.

I had such a great time. I am looking forward to lots of great times with HC now that we have reconnected.

Heidi

Saturn

I am so very grateful that my mother-in-law has loaned us her Saturn until we purchase a new car. Every time I get in it I have to keep telling myself how grateful I am. It has been such an adjustment to go from a large SUV is a very small car. I feel that my bottom in riding on the highway. But the gas mileage is awesome! I had so many places that I had to go today and that gas needle did not move; for that I am very grateful. Just need to get used to sitting so low.

We had a pretty quiet weekend. Saturday night D and I went to a birthday party of a very old friend of mine. His name is Doug; we grew up together. We had a great time; was able to see a few people that we hadn't seen in a few years. Lots of laughs!

Sunday was work around the house day. Didn't even get out of my jammies. Just love those kind of days.

Several members of the zoo have been gone for the past few days. I really think it is time for them to come back home. Maybe tomorrow.

Heidi

Friends

Today I spent most of the day with a friend that I haven't seen in almost 2 years. We met several years ago at a quilting class. We immediately hit it off. Probably because we were the only sane ones at that quilt shop. Unfortunately we let life get in the way and before we knew it years had passed. Now that I am at a different place in my life, and I now have lots of free time since loosing my job in July; I am hoping that we can spend lots of time together. We enjoy so many of the same things. At one point today it was actually scary how much we think alike. I sat down at her kitchen table shortly after 8 am and before we knew it most of the day was gone. So much fun and lots of laughs.

I really hate that we have lost 2 years of this friendship. But I am so looking forward to all the things we plan to do this year and hopefully many years to come.

Note to self: Don't ever let life get in the way of an awesome friendship or any relationship for that matter.

Heidi

Optimism

Real optimism is aware of problems but recognizes solutions; knows about difficulties but believes they can be overcome; sees the negatives, but accentuates the positive; is exposed to the worst but expects the best; has reason to complain, but chooses to smile.
-William Arthur Ward

I ran across this yesterday as I was organizing my quilting-craft room. Boy is it ever speaking to me. As I am going through this season of difficulties I will put this on my frig to remind me to be optimistic. This winter will be over soon and all will be working again.


Heidi

SUV IS DEAD

After paying off my SUV about 7 years ago D and I decided to drive it until it died. Well Sunday night just a few short hours after driving home from the lake; it died. Now I don't usually have an attachment to things like this but it kind of hit me hard. I have had my Expedition for over 10 years. This car has taken us on many family vacations; has driven many kids to school and ski trips. Not to mention the countless shopping trips. Boy have I had that thing loaded down. Now with just down to D and I; what kind of car do I get? (Meaning everyone else at the zoo has their own vehicles) I can't imagine not driving an SUV. But do I really need one that big?

Decisions; decisions. I really don't want to be dealing with this right now. It seems that when it rains it pours. I would rather be spending money on two bedrooms and a bath that we just built in our home. Or repainting my bedroom and bath. UGH!

Clean Billl of Health/Old Friends/Birthday's

D's test results are in from his stress test on his heart. All is good; no blockage. I did however tell him this does not give him the go ahead to eat everything in sight. He is seriously addicted to sweets. Not sure what I am going to do with him.

I heard from and old friend today that I hadn't spoken to in over a year and a half. I was so excited to hear from her. I really thought since I hadn't heard from her that she was going to be one of those friends that come into your life for a short time; you know, season, reason or a life time. But as soon as I said "Hello" it was as if no time had been between us. Don't ya just love that. We have decided to get together later in the week. I can hardly wait.

We had a great time last weekend at the lake. I always enjoy going. This little guy turned a year old on Sunday.
This little sweet girl had a birthday two weeks ago. But we celebrated both birthdays this weekend. Aren't they just the cutest.


Here are all three of the babies including Drake eating cake. They were so much fun to watch. E the middle one had no problem diving into his birthday cake.
He also had no problem eating Drake's cupcake after he finished his. As you can see on his tray there is nothing left of his cake. Watching all three of the babies play together was so sweet. I hope we can get them together again soon. We all live so far apart that it makes getting together difficult.

Still too much snow on the ground after above freezing temps. Not sure when it will ever go away.

Heidi

Drake

See this beautiful boy? He is the youngest here at the zoo; he will be 15 months old tomorrow. As you can tell he is teething with that wet shirt he is wearing. Drake is such a sweet boy. He has a pretty good attachment to his Binky's.

Here he has one in his mouth and holding about 3 of them. Doesn't want them too far away.

Drake loves to ride the tractor with his poppy. Matter of fact what ever poppy is doing is what he wants to be doing. Sometimes we call him sunshine; he brings so much happiness to this family. Happy Birthday Drake; granny loves you.

Tomorrow morning half of the zoo members will be off to the lake for the weekend. We are going to be celebrating another babies birthday. He is a year old as well. Gotta love these little ones birthday parties.
Tomorrow is the last day for deer hunting. Thank goodness; one can only handle so much camo and deer urine. Done for another year!

Heidi

Haiti

Yesterday the country of Haiti had a devastating earthquake that hit yesterday afternoon. Hundreds of thousands of lives lost. I pray tonight for that country; as well as the rescue workers as they have many hard days ahead of them.

We enjoyed warmer temperatures today with some milting of all this snow. Yahoo! I can only take that beautiful white stuff for so long. D is working tomorrow. I am so grateful. He hasn't worked in almost a month. With all this excitement I did what every women would do. I went and had my nails done. I know. Just couldn't help myself.

Praying for Haiti

Heidi

My Mother-in-Law

This is my mother-in-law and myself at a wedding this past fall.
I love her....a lot.
I have known her for almost 30 years. I met her when I was 16 when I started dating her baby. She is a very strong woman. Has been through so many ups and downs in my life. Most of the time in the back ground but like a rock when ever I needed her. She has meant so much to me in the past three years. Never passing judgement on the decisions that D and I have made. Always standing next to me and sometimes holding me together. Reminding me that GOD is in control; not me.
As I move through another storm in my life; she is there never asking for anything in return.
I am going to see this beautiful lady this weekend; she lives a couple of hours away. When I return home on Sunday she will have lifted me up and remind me that this too shall pass.

May GOD bless her all the days of her life.

Heidi

Another frozen day at the zoo

We have been snowed in for days. Well I guess not technically snowed in; but the temps are so cold and the snow is so deep that we have no desire to venture out in this mess.
Some of the zoo members are starting to get cabin fever. Well maybe just me. I dream of sales that I am missing out on; Hobby Lobby and Michael's to name a few. I dream of when garage sales will start. I can't wait to paint my patio furniture and hang my front porch swing.

Oh how will I make it until spring!?!



Heidi

Zoo animals loose

Here at the zoo a few of the zoo animals are going crazy being all couped up. So Heather decided to take the little darlings on a sled ride. As you can see the snow is so deep in our front yard that these little darling started sinking. Drew turned them toward the driveway because it had already been cleared off of most of the snow.

There they go down the middle of our street. No worries though; we live at the end of a dead end so no chance of a car passing by. On the sled is Brennon and Aspen. The youngest of the zoo animals is Drake who is 14 months old; he is currently in a warm bed taking a long winters nap. No sled ride for him today. The temps are hovering around zero so these animals will not be out there long. Just enough time to wear them out!

Time to take them in. I am sure their noses are frozen. The bobcat in the back ground is my oldest son clearing out the drive way and street. The city doesn't really pay much attention to us at the dead end so we have to clear it off ourselves. After another 6 inches of snow last night I hope we are done for a while. We currently have about 15 inches on the ground. I am ready for it to go away.

Trying to keep warm,

Heidi

Feeling better.

I think I am starting to feel a little better. I was only up coughing 4 times last night. Some days I don't think this cold will ever leave.
I woke at around 1:30 last night to yet another coughing fit when I reached for my hubby and he wasn't there. I didn't think to much of it and when back to bed. I thought maybe he was tired of my coughing and went out to the sofa.
This morning however I found out that he was out side near the pond watching deer. D and Drew take long naps during the day so that they are able to be up at ungodly hours to sit and watch the deer around our house. This is totally insane. Both D and Drew are not working because of the awful weather conditions that we are experiencing here in the midwest. So they have taken up this unusual hobby of deer watching during the night.
We are expected to have another storm here tonight with blizzard like conditions; 3 to 6 more inches of snow; thirty to forty below wind chill.
The snow is beautiful but I am so over it now.

Heidi

I have had enough.........

After being sick for 3 weeks and already going to the doctor right before Christmas; I had enough and returned to the doctor today. He said that I have a sinus infection as well as upper respiratory infection or possibly walking pneumonia. The doctor said that he was not going to put me through the tests to find out for certain about the pneumonia but was going to treat me for it anyway because of the symptoms that I am experiencing.
So hopefully in the days ahead I will start feeling better. Feeling better would be great if once I felt better I was able to do something. The temps here are frigid. The snow keeps falling. Wind chill will be -30 on Wednesday with the possibility of 3 to 6 more inches of snow. UGH!
It has even been to cold for D and Drew to go hunting. Now that is cold. They did however see several deer in our front yard and have been watching them each night. There are so many things that I would like to do but being sick has consumed me. Back to bed I go....

Heidi

So far in 2010..............

For the last few days it has been very uneventful around here. Half of the zoo members are still fighting a cough and cold. The temps here in the midwest are so very cold. Highs in the teens and lows around zero or below. Yesterday a few of us decided to brave the cold to stock up on more food. We decided a movie marathon weekend was in order. To cold to do anything else.
Hopefully I will start feeling better soon so that I can start on some home projects.

Heidi