Just Another ....

No all that wow kind of day.. .no pictures were taken... I did go for my mammogram this morning... which there was a debate on what they were going to do since I was there just this past February but then hmmm back then there was no lump so what is the debate about... they said two weeks which is going to take me into mid December and if there is an ultra sound which there is usually that will make it into the New Year... thanks lump ... like could you have showed up say in July or something... grrrr....

Then I spent the rest of the morning waiting for the honey wagon to show up... my god my life is so exciting... can't you see. LOL....

But to end the day it was very enjoyable... as I was driving home this evening I thought I do need to get back in contact with some of my friends... it was nice to sit down and just enjoy a meal and have a great talk to someone other then family... not saying that family isn't great to be with... I was out with my sister in law Sharon and my brother in law's girlfriend Susan.. we did the chinese thing tonight but I have to say ... I didn't eat my worth for the cost... which is always nice to know...

While we were at the restaurant a woman came to the table... she informed me that we hung around together when we were younger... I had no idea who she was... until she mentioned her mother's name... the sad part was she was in town for her sister in law's funeral... for the few minutes we talked it was nice to know that someone actually knew me after all these years... she said the face never changed...

I did get a few more things up for Christmas.. .but at this rate... I am never going to have everything out of the boxes and done... you realize that it is less then a month away... Well that is about it for this woman... 3 hours sleep last night worrying about this morning makes me think that bed would be a better place to me at this moment instead of punching the keys....

Have a good one .. Joanne

Baby Belly Plus....

Tuesday I got the privilege of spending some time with Yvette, Monique and baby to be... and got some pictures...

Baby bellies are so darn cute.... don't you think... well to those who don't have to carry them around that is...

They are just so kissable ... is all I am saying he he...

We went over to visit mom and dad for a while... and I thought a few pictures we called for...
Monique and Mom ... the trouble only started when Yvette got it the picture... he he
She can't keep her eyes opened... so I had to do it again...

And look what I get... Monique talking... mom totally bored with the whole idea... and Yvette making faces... lets try this with someone else... Okay Monique get your baby belly over to Papa ...
awww you want me to move again... but I don't want to... he he

Now there that a better picture....

Now doesn't Dad look like he is totally enjoying the moment... I think so ...

I really enjoyed our time together though it was a short one... just remember get your back side down here again soon so we can get some alone time... next time... Love Jo

At Last Mom's Birthday...

It is the 24th and I was informed by Nikki (who I got to see with baby in belly) that I am being really slow... I have not posted mom's birthday pictures... ohhh darn didn't anybody tell you no one took a camera with them that day... I had too much on my mind and forgot it on the kitchen floor.... LOL ....Ya right like that will ever happen with me... though I know someone else that didn't take hers he he... but not like my computer I did let Pat use it...

November 20th mom turned 87 years old and we were there to celebrate....

Roger came rushing into the house a lot earlier then we thought he was going to... explaining to mom that he wouldn't be home later that some Dork Head (my words not his) didn't show up for work so he had to go back...

he was only coming for the good food.. you know that... he he

and I guess a little bit of good conversation...
Coffee being made... for all those addict to them... where is my coke????

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine....

You make me happy when skies are gray.... you never know dear how much I love you so please don't take my sunshine away....

(Pat was singing that to mom ... Yvette and I joined in)

Mom said enough was enough she was hungry ....
everybody get to the table or she was going to eat it all herself.. he he ... like that would ever happen....

You know that after lunch there is cake... and the story about this cake is Yvette worked really hard to make it.. .and actually it was very good.. even though they dropped on the way to the car.... doesn't look to bad for a cake being tossed around does it...

Mom helping out with the candles...
Yvette lighting the candles... I actually like this picture of her... not sure who took it though.... good job if it was you Pat... way to go if it was me he he ....
Happy Birthday to you... God I love it when mom smiles... it is so becoming of her...

One blow and the candles are out...

And that little glitter just above dad's cheek his emotions getting the best of him... and I wonder at times why I am such an emotional person... I really where it comes from.... LOL... like I even have to ask that question....

So here is the cake ...so where is the ice cream????

Oh one of mom's favorite things... getting gifts...

This one is from Pat and the Sisters...

And do you really think I am going to read all that....

So Pat sat and read what each of the Sisters had to say to mom on her birthday....

And a I love you and thank you ....
My turn.... and by the look on mom's face you know she doesn't have a clue what it is.... then I explained that it was all her great grandchildren....

Oh dear Lord I have that many... no mom we are missing a few of them but I will get them....

and then my card that said you had to bow before the birthday queen....

it was not quite loud enough for mom...

Me showing Hubert what I did for Caleb.... put his ultra sound photo in ... and now I am going to make one for Nikki's will one... baby belly... he he

Some talking around the table... while someone us did other things...

Mom looking at my card again...

My turn to cuddle up to mom...
ok I am not sure how this started but mom went over to dad.... being loving to him...

I think someone said that she should give dad a kiss thank you for his birthday gift to her.... and that was her reaction... she is so bad at times... it is just too funny....

Mom showing me the sweater Tommy and Barbara sent her... very pretty... can't wait to see her with it on....
And there she is the birthday girl.. with her sweet heart... all smiles.. and look at those eyes.. aren't they just too full of mischief .... I think so... got to love her... no the both of them...

Happy Birthday Mom... will be there next year with the camera... Love Ya...

Wow I can't believe it I came home at 3:30 this afternoon and 4 1/2 hours later I am finally getting the first blog out... I have one more actually two more for here and one for Project 2009.... guess I am going to keep those for the morning... when I am more fresh ... this is not helping me here getting decorating done... like I really want to do it any way.. but that is another blog all together... enjoy... and have a wonderful night all....Love Jo

Project Great Grandchildren

Tomorrow is Nanny's birthday ... Just in case some of you have forgotten... She will be 87 years old... Each year I have either did something for Christmas on her birthday or bought her some Christmas decoration because I never have a clue what to get a woman that has pretty well everything in her life... and if she doesn't have it and want it she would go out and get it any way... so about a month or so ago I was in at Walmart... I am getting to wonder if I am the Dollar Store Queen or Walmart one... since I am in there just as often as the Dollar Store... he, he...

anyway I was in the craft section and found these foam snowmen...

Years ago when I use to actually take the time to do things through out the year instead of the last month I made plastic canvas snowmen with no face... quite like this one and put the boy's photos in them.. giving them to mom to hang on her tree... when I seen these I thought I can do something with these little suckers... and that is what I just finished... To the one person that sent me photos thank you... you know who you are... to the others I went on facebook and took what I needed so I could finish up in time... tomorrow after lunch, Happy Birthday to Nanny singing, eating cake I will give her, her great grandchildren to hang on each side of the door leading into the porch....(photos of the finished product will be posted tomorrow with the rest of the photos of the celebration)....

Because mom is having a hard time to remember who is who these days... I went a few months ago and did a collage of the children.. meaning me and the rest of the family... I would like to make another one in the new year of the grandchildren if I can get recent photos of everyone... but that is a 2010 project... the great grandchildren was kind of a bragging thing for mom and dad...

Any way off I go to bed so I can get up bright and early tomorrow to get things going for lunch time... all have a good one... Joanne

A Memory, A Smile, A Tear

I stood back to look at the wall of Christmas Past and that feeling came over me once again... tears filled these old eyes as I got emotional (what else is new) ...Lisette, Monique and Danie not babies anymore that I looked after as they grew into these wonderful women they are today... with children of their own... Connor who just entered the teen years (good luck Danie) and Sarah not far behind him.. so much time has gone by and then I spot Robin and Amanda.. with big smiles and think oh my... they are all grown up too.. my boys are no more babies but men...(not sure if I like that but then do I have any say in the matter) with two married... one with three children and one with one on the way... I laugh at the thought I am no young chick any more... grandma ville hello... and I have the gray hair to prove it...

Most of the great grandchildren I have not spent a lot of time with but that is because they are usually so far away from me but when they do come I do try and squeeze a little when time is available.. but tonight as I stared at the wall through the tears a smile came knowing how blessed I am to have this great big wonderful family...

This week we got new that the homestead will be filled to the rim this Christmas once more... and I thought for a while that no one was going to be here for the holidays... silly me... who I can't say... maybe later when they allow me to tell... so once again each photo I put up...each decoration that fills my home is in preparing for the only thing I have asked for, for many years... I think Santa likes me because it has not been too many years that this house has not been filled....When someone asks me what I want for Christmas I always have said and continue to say... my house filled with family to come and share with us a meal, memories, laughter and even a tear or two from the joy that it brings...

And this year it better be full and they all better be hungry... the turkey was delivered this weekend... a little smaller then last year... but still weighing in at 35 pounds... so any one else want to come and join us they are a more then welcome...as usually it is a Melanson gathering there will be lots to fill the plates...

Now off I go to put some gifts on my walls... he he ... Some people say I don't have much to do with my life when I can take the time to do these things.. .but I love it...

Have a great one all... because I am... Joanne...

Just Dropped By

I always look for comments when I am writing blogs for the simple fact that if there is a comment at least I know someone is reading what I am writing... well I am sure most people who write think the same thing.. well it has happened again ... I don't know how they find me but they did... this comment was about Viagra like I was going to put that one up... so if they even take the time to read these things which I doubt they do.... I only have to say... in a very polite way... Bite me...

So with that out of the way he he.... Well it is that time of the year once again for me... I got Carl to get out the famous 20 boxes that house all the things that I do for Christmas and spent the last two days... washing my Christmas dishes... putting the tablecloths, towels and anything that is material into the drier to freshen them up... all the dishes from the Kitchen are gone and the Christmas dishes are in their place until the 30th of December when everything goes back to normal... I have no idea where anything else goes except for the decorations of the tree... but that comes later... my TV room looks like someone just moved in... took everything out and left it where it landed.... so you know what I am going to be doing when I am at the house this week, and next and probably the following week as well...

I have done some baking with mom this week which is always a fun time... but Carl and I decided that the baking is going to be left up to M&M this year... with one tray of small cakes from a lady from the Market which I will be ordering next Saturday... I am not making all that much this year... the less I have left over the better it is for me when it comes to January 7th when I got for my test... I do have will power but it is a very weak at times and this time of the year it is terrible... so the less around the better it is for me.... and it seems that almost everyone around is not eating this that or the other thing... no salt, no sugar, no fat, no wheat or grains... makes for a very interesting meal when it comes to 20 or so people...

Dad was taken to the hospital on Remembrance Day for a problem he had (kind of personal so I am not going to say) but he is back home and doing good... and Roger landed in from the North on time last night after a week gone... I am sure Flo was sad to see him go but I have to admit ... was happy to see him come back.. but like normal back after all the excitement is over he he....

Well I just thought I would drop by and leave a short one... not a lot going on... I am sure there will be photos sometimes around... but at the moment... they are reserved for Project 2009 ...

Have a good one all Joanne

Lest We Forget 2009

Last Year was the first time I heard this for Remembrance Day and today pass it on to you who have already heard it before or those who have not ...

Lest We Forget

Those who never came home...

Those who came home but their hearts remains there...

Those who still live this time through their stories and tears as they share their battle for our freedom...

And those who are free because of what they sacrificed

Take a moment today walk up to a Vet, give them a hug, a hand shake and say thank you for the freedom that we take so much for granted....because without their bravery, belief that this world could be a better place because of what they did... we wouldn't be able to be who we are today...

P.S. Thank you Dad for the love you have for your country, the belief that all people should be free and I know at times you don't think I am listening to you when you share your stories of those years I am... I love you ... Jo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq_TmHt5Ncc

A Pittance of Time
Written by Terry Kelly
Published by Jefter Publishing

They fought and some died for their homeland
They fought and some died now it’s our land
Look at his little child, there’s no fear in her eyes
Could he not show respect for other dads who have died?

Take two minutes, would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who went over
In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.
It’s a pittance of time

God forgive me for wanting to strike him
Give me strength so as not to be like him
My heart pounds in my breast, fingers pressed to my lips
My throat wants to bawl out, my tongue barely resists

But two minutes I will bide
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls who went over
In peace may they rest, may we never forget why they died.
It’s a pittance of time

Read the letters and poems of the heroes at home
They have casualties, battles, and fears of their own
There’s a price to be paid if you go, if you stay
Freedom is fought for and won in numerous ways

Take two minutes would you mind?
It’s a pittance of time
For the boys and the girls all over
May we never forget our young become vets
At the end of the line it’s a pittance of time

It takes courage to fight in your own war
It takes courage to fight someone else’s war
Our peacekeepers tell of their own living hell

I am Back and It is All About Me Today

Almost 3 months ago I said that there was no more blogging because there was nothing really to say… but after Sunday and taking up some space on my Project 2009 Blog I thought maybe I will come back for a while… it seems that I have more to say about what is going on recently and have thought this should be a blog….There are more things going on this time of the year and it has always been my venting place and I kind of miss it…

I am the baby girl of 7 children and I am spoiled so I am not sharing this blog with anyone… he he not saying my nieces’ blog Sis3ers (http://www.sist3rs.net/ ) isn’t doing a great job because they are… and enjoy reading all their adventures, opinions and recipes…

Being that this is the first blog for a while I think I am going to talk about ME…

I have been dieting for most of my life because I have been a large person for that length of time… and did really great when I did do it losing fast and when I did the slip I always regained what I lost and added more to it… 12 years ago I stopped everything and ate my way up to 270 pounds… 7 years or so ago I decided that I was not going to be around much longer if I didn’t do something about it and with the help of Flora McLean I started to walk at the civic center a few times a week… meeting Carl later on and he started giving me little tips on what not to eat in my life… and got me going to the gym….

I still remember the day that I decided what weight I was going down to.. I was on the treadmill and thinking how far am I going to go with this… and for some reason 180 pounds came to me… not too big not to small… I was going to the gym and still eating pretty well what I wanted but was losing some weight… it took a long time to get from 270 to 250 and then I stopped… not going to the gym but losing weight… I knew that if I didn’t maintain what I lost I was going to get it back… like before…. So for 6 months I continued the gym and watched what I was eating… that is when I was told that I was a diabetic….

Since then my goal has still been 180 pounds… and I have worked on it very slowly through these years… going down and maintaining it for 6 months and more at times like the last lost for almost 2 years… this year I had to make a decision on what I was going to do with my teeth.. .and because of the cost I choose to take my top teeth out… with the removal of them and changing what I was eating because of it I finally was out of the 200s and into the 100s… at the month I am 13 pounds to my goal… as I sit here sitting Indian wise in my computer chair and enjoying the fact that I can put my legs up without having and problems…. Wearing a 3x jack shirt that I don’t want to give up and only wear outside of the house when I am having a slob day…. When this started I was wearing a size 24 jean today I am in a non stretch 18 (and it being non stretch is very important to me) but I know that they should be 16 but I just got them a few months ago and really don’t want to go out and spend the money on another 2 pair… I am cheap… actually I waiting for when I take them off and not have to unbutton them to go get another pair… yes I am a strange woman… and when I get to 180 pounds I will have lost the total weight of my mother …

I do know that according to the BMI (Body Mass Index) I am still fat and would have to grow 7 more inches in height to be at their perfect weight… but then I have never said at any time that I was perfect… so why start now… he he…

I have never taken the time to look at myself in the mirror… Why Should I? I know that I am big so why bother looking… but about 1.5 months ago I was in at Pennington’s getting some personal wear and as the sales lady was adjusting things I actually took a look in the mirror… and was totally amazed at what I seen…. There were no lumps or bumps showing with the clothes I was wearing… my jeans were fitting just right with nothing hanging out over the waist band… though according to some people they are still too big on me…I still have a baggy backside…. but I always liked big… I also seen something that I had not seen in a very, very long time… my body actually has a curve in it.. I do have a waist people…

Each day I get up and say that I am going back to the gym and never get there for some reason or other and they are all lame excuses by the way… no one has to tell me that but I know I have to if I want to get to where I want to be… one day I am going to stop and take up another membership….Throughout these year I have heard a lot of people tell me how good I am looking and that I have lost a lot of weight but there is one person that makes me go on which is funny because though I should see him more often I don’t and that Harold’s father Charles… when I go to hug him he always comments on how much smaller I am and that I am not as soft as I was before… I am firming up is what he tells me… and of course the most important one how much easier it is for him to put his arms around me… though I don’t really care what people think of my in weight wise… his comments always got to me… and always made and still makes me feel good about myself…

So will I get to the goal that I have set for myself… I don’t know… will I maintain what I have done… I hope so… will I cheat … often I am still a junk food junky and love my pop, chips, bars and desserts… and continue to have them with a lot of fighting going on inside me between each cheat… when the cheats are smaller… instead of a whole bar I get York Mint Patties they sell in canteens… I don’t get a large bag of chips and when I do the puppies get more then I do… I think in time it will come because of the work that I have done to get where I am… I actually like looking at myself when I get dressed and put on my skin tight camisoles with the smooth lines… before I put a large top on top of them… Like I said before I like big and baggy….

On this finally note… I would like to thank Danie for some extra clothes once again she has passed on to me… most of it is big but that is the way I like it as I have said many times in here but then wearing your hand me downs is like when I wear a shirt of Carl’s when he is away too long… or dad’s …..it is like having you close to me even though you are so far way as I travel through my day… thanks again…

And when will you hear me talk about myself and my weight… probably the day I get on the scale and see the 180 numbers come up… and maybe that day I will get someone to take a photo of me… to celebrate…

The rest of the blogs will be of what is going on in the Melanson’s…. this is not just about me… he, he….

Have a wonderful Tuesday people… Joanne