Friday's Favorite Family Fotos...Jack!

Deborah of Pictures Pots and Pens is hosting Friday's Favorite Family Fotos. Please stop by her blog to see who else is posting and be sure to visit them as well.

I thought it was time to give Jack some "air time". I remember just like it was yesterday (well maybe last week LOL!) when Brittainy told me she was pregnant. Just one more month and Jack will be one year old. I took this picture off Britt's blog. She sent me a couple but I didn't have time to re size!

I love my grandson dearly!!! My favorite memory is singing "Jack and Jill" to him and watching him smile at me. That will always be our song!! He just melts my heart. I love that I can walk and to the room and he brightens my day!

Next weekend he and his sister, Mackenzie will be coming over (without MOM) to spend a few hours with me while Brittainy hosts a baby shower for her friend. I am so excited to have them with me for the day. I am so looking forward to the day he say grandma!!!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

It's hard to imagine that a heart can be filled with so much love and still have room for more!!!!!!

take care,
Dawn

Twilight

I swear I am always the last one to read the "in" books. Several of my blogging friends (Darlene and Lorrie come to mind) have both talked about reading them. I asked Britt to get one for me for Christmas. She bought me the first two, I borrowed the third and then bought the fourth!

I got totally hooked on the first book. I couldn't wait for one to end so I could start the next. I devoured all 2,500 pages of this story!!!! I made myself slow down on the last one so it would last!! I finally finished on Tuesday night. I usually read right before I go to bed and I am dreaming about the people in the book.

I never saw the movie but I know Darlene did. I think I'll order the DVD when it comes out. I always like to read a book before I see the movie. Once I made the mistake of watching the movie the day after I finished a book and was just too critical of the movie because it didn't match what I'd just read ☺. I googled the movie the other day and looked at the actors who portray the characters in the story. None of them looked liked they did in my mind. I know they were all young, but I had a more "mature" vision of them in my head.

So, I would like to thank all of you who have talked about this book and got me interested. I am thinking of ordering her new book, The Host. Have any of you read that?

take care,
Dawn

I think teachers are worse than the kids!

Here I sit Tuesday night writing my post for tomorrow (actually today when you read this). There has been talk of snow and many of the teachers are a buzz with wishful anticipation of a day off. I, of course, have spent too much time and energy searching local weather stations on line to see which will bring me the best news. The snow is supposed to be heaviest in the morning and then turn to rain in the afternoon washing most of the snow away.

That's me over to the right in pink!! Can you see me waving. I sure hope when you read this I will have gotten my call that says I can stay home. The downside is that if we do get a snow day we have to make it up in June!!!

We all have our superstitions about how to ensure that snow day. One teacher insists that if you want to stay home you have to sleep with your pajamas on inside out. (Note to self...remember to turn those pj's inside out!)

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and go to check outside the window. I'm so anxious for the news that I usually don't sleep well LOL!

I'll probably be sitting at my desk in my classroom tomorrow tired and a bit disappointed! The upside will be getting out on school on Thursday, June 18th as scheduled!

EDITED TO ADD: I'm off to school this morning, on very little sleep (not because of the snow!) and it's going to be a long day!!!

take care,
Dawn

Chinese New Year

This year is the year of the Ox. I was born in the year of the Ox. Hmmmm, I wonder if this will be a good year for me? Our president is an Ox as well. The other day something struck me that was pretty hard to face up to. This is the FIRST time in my life that I have been OLDER than the president of the United States. Granted it is only by four months, but it's still hard to accept. ☺

Every year in school I celebrate Chinese New Year with my class. This year I have a little girl who was born in China. She and her father have been teaching us Chinese. (She's Chinese but he isn't.) We are learning to count and write a few words. It's interesting and fun for the children!

Yesterday I cooked noodles for the class and they all tried eating with chopsticks. It was quite fun! I also made some pork fried rice to bring in. The children didn't care that much for it. The adults liked it though. I had so much that I shared with a handful of teachers. We will be making several projects this week in celebration. I am hoping to end the week making oxes with the class.


take care,
Dawn

Thank you. I feel better!

Thank you all for your well wishes. I had one doozie of a head cold this week. I came home from school every day and just plopped down! My head was so stuffy I couldn't breathe. My dear friend Beverly called me every night to check up on me!!! I even had Brittainy feeling badly for me and she drove over with some cold medicine! Rich was a good sport too. He ran out and did some errands for me. The other night the only thing I wanted for dinner was French Onion soup and he was a doll and got it for me.

I've reminded the kids all week to keep their hands away from their noses (I'll spare you the visual!) and to wash their hands a lot.

I got plenty of sleep this weekend and a lot of reading done. I'll be through with the last of the Twilight series soon. I'm trying to slow down so it was last!

I will try to get back to visiting today. I hope you didn't miss me too much!

take care,

Dawn

Time off

I just wanted to let you know that I am taking a few days off from Blogging. I am feeling like I am falling behind in some other things I need to take care of. You know; work, sleep etc. LOL!

Tim and I both have been feeling a bit under the weather. I had to leave school this morning to take him to my mother's so I could get back to work. :)

I'll be back in a couple of days. I need a little down time. I'll be back soon. :)

take care,
Dawn

My friend Rechelle at Walnuthaven Cottage tagged me. I am to open my fifth folder from my photo folder and then find the fifth picture to share.

The folder that was the fifth was from Tim's 8th birthday. I was nervous for a minute that it might be a photo of his friends and then I wouldn't be able to post it! But alas, it was a picture of the bowl of goodie bags from his Pirate birthday party.

Here's what I posted on my blog in 2006 about that day!

AHOY MATEY!!!!!

Yesterday was Timmy's birthday party with his friends from school. I had eight boys here living the life of a pirate :) I am thinking I don't have too many years left of having the boys do a craft at a birthday party so I took full advantage of it this year. They boys made hooks for their hands out of black paper cups, cardboard and tinfoil.

Here's Timmy doing his best pirate interpretation LOL!!


I bought some wooden boxes at A.C. Moore and my sister stained them for me a couple of weeks ago. I filled them with plastic gold coins. The boys used glue dots and attached jewels to their treasure chests. They also added a few jewels to their treasure chests as well.





They all had a great time, enjoyed their pizza, played hard and we are done until next year!























If you'd like to do this tag on your blog please feel free and let me know. I don't want to over burden anyone with a tag.

If my sister Sam is reading this...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

take care,
Dawn

Tagged and an Apology!

Sally at Smiling Sally tagged me. (I even borrowed her tag picture )



1. Name five things in your purse.

• photographs
• gift cards
• tide stick
• nail clipper
• Bed Bath and Beyond coupons
  

2. Name five things in your work room.

• stapler
• yarn
• guitar
• Nancy Nurse doll
• I Love Lucy purse

3. Name five things you have always wanted to do.

• play piano
• kiss in the rain (*blush*)
• have three children (that's not going to happen!)
• tole painting
• be a size 10!!!

4. Name five things your into.

• knitting
• computer
• reading
• sleeping ☺
• friends
  

5. Pick five bloggers to do the tag

Jeanne at Backyard Neighbor

Darlene at Darlene's Days

Lorie at The View From My Door

Rhonda at Scooterblu's Whimsy

Diane at A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words

I also wanted to let you all know that I am sorry I haven't been able to visit everyone. I have been so busy and tired I haven't had time!

Then, yesterday I came home from school in a snow storm. The driving had my heart racing! I just don't like driving in the snow. I couldn't get my car up the driveway. We have a nice steep hill! I parked at the bottom and had Tim get a snow shovel and we both shoveled the driveway. Where is dear hubby when you need him? The driveway is pretty long if you ask me. At least four cars could park one behind the other. I guess in the snow it feels even longer!!! Well, when I finally finished my back hurt and I slipped on the ice and landed on my backside. It hurts so much to sit!!!! I tried posting last night but I was too uncomfortable sitting at the computer. I hope you understand. I have to sit at a 7 hour meeting today too. UGH!

take care,
Dawn

American Idol

I have been a fan of American Idol for several years now. I started watching during the third season. I am so looking forward to the start of this new season.

It starts to get funny at school when those of us who watch it start the "water cooler" talk about what happened and who said what, etc. That's half the fun sharing the show with friends.

I am typing this on Tuesday night so I haven't seen the first show yet. You can bet that I was in front of my TV set to see the new season begin.

I think with these types of shows there are always the LOVE IT or HATE IT kind of people. As far as reality type show go I generally don't like them at all, but this one has me hooked.

take care,
Dawn

Oh, woe is me!

Sorry I have been missing for a couple of days. I woke up late Saturday night (early Sun am) so sick!!! I spent all day Sunday sleeping and resting and stayed home from school yesterday. I felt much better by the end of the day. I talked to my friend who is the assitant in my room and she was telling me about the kids and teachers that were going home sick. I guess there is something going around. An elementary school in the winter is just a germ fest.

I did finish the second book in the Twilight series and am looking forward to the next book. I ordered the fourth yesterday so it will be in by the time I'm ready for it!! :) I am so addicted to this series of books.

take care,
Dawn

Saturday doings

Last weekend Rich took my car to get inspected for me. (In my book that's a husband's job LOL!) and he came home and said it didn't pass inspection. WHAT!!!! My car is only 2 years old and has 16,800 miles on it. What do you mean it didn't pass inspection!!! He said my emissions test failed. The inspection station told him that I probably just needed my computer reset. So, I called Saturn and they could fit me in this morning at 8:30. Yes, 8:30 on a Saturday morning when I don't have to get up for school. UHG!! I hope that is all my car needs done because it had better pass the inspection when I have Rich bring it back!!

After that I plan to go to Lens Crafters and get my prescription filled. I am hoping to use the frames I have now. While I'm waiting for that to be done I think I'll do a little shopping. I have a book store gift card. I think I'll browse the book store a while. I'll bring my old glasses so I can see what I'm doing LOL!

We are expecting yet another snow storm this afternoon. They are predicting 5-8 inches. I did my grocery shopping last night so I wouldn't be stuck in the crowded stores. I know many people will be out tomorrow. That always happens before a storm. I am looking forward to coming home and relaxing for the rest of the weekend since all of my big chores will be done and out of the way.

I noticed on caller ID on my cell phone that Britt had called me today. I called her back to see what she wanted. She was so upset. It seems that she stopped at a store after school and recognized a retired middle school teacher that she had. She said hello and asked him if he remember her. He replied, "Yes, you're Dawn B*****". She told him no, that Dawn was her mother! She was mortified that he thought she was me. I, on the other hand, couldn't stop laughing. :) :)

I hope whatever your weekend plans are that you are enjoying your time!

take care,
Dawn

Sweet Mackenzie

Deborah of Pictures Pots and Pens is hosting Friday's Favorite Family Fotos. Please stop by her blog to see who else is posting and be sure to visit them as well.

Today I am posting a picture of my granddaughter, Mackenzie. I took this picture from Brittainy!!! I bought Britt and Jay a Keurig coffee maker for thier housewarming gift. Since Jay doesn't drink coffee I got some hot chocolate for him. It looks like Mackenzie liked it too!!!!

Those marshmallows are almost as big as she is!

For more favorte family photos be sure to visit Debora's blog.

take care,
Dawn

Seven random things about me

Brittainy took me to my eye doctor's appointment on Tuesday and I came home with a prescription for bifocals. It's all down hill from here! (just kidding!). I have worn glasses for the last 35 years so I guess it's about time! I asked the doctor how hard it was to adjust to seeing with them and she told me since I only have one eye that needs to adjust to them it should take half the time! There's a positive spin on it. I'll let you know.

We had a one hour delay for school yesterday because of the icy roads so I tried to get myself to fall back to sleep for one more hour and it didn't work! I am a real early bird when it comes to going to school. I get there at 6:30 even though I don't need to be there until 8:15, but by the time the buses roll out I am ready to go home!!! On Monday the roads were very icy. I got up to head out to school and my deck was a sheet of ice! I needed to get some salt to melt my way to my car. Our driveway was a sheet of ice as well! I drove so slowly to school and about a half a mile before I got there I was driving down a windy street and my car spun around in a complete circle. Boy was that SCARY! Thank goodness there were no other cars on the road. About a minute after I turned myself around a big sander was coming towards me in the opposite direction. All I can think about is the angel watching over me on Monday morning. You can bet I was in no hurry to get to school early this morning.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Diane at A Picutre is Worth a 1,000 words tagged anyone who would like to join her in posting seven random things about themselves to play along. Here I go!

Seven Random Things about me:

1. I had a mad crush on David Cassidy when I was a child! I used to kiss his pictures from Tiger Beat magazine good night!! I would pretend he was singing "I think I love you" to me...and only me!

2. I bit my fingernails until I was in my late 20's.

3. I organize my DVD's alphabetically.

4. I used to pretend I had a brother, named David who lived across the street from us...why he lived across the street I don't know LOL!

5. I collect (hoard) lots of things! You just never know when you'll run out!

6. I like 8-10 hours of sleep each night and I usually only get about 7 if I'm lucky!

7. I have no desire to travel. I am very content right here at home.

Like Diane, I'm passing this on to anyone who read all the way to the end and is looking for blogging material! LOL

take care,

Dawn

January 7, 1914

Ninety five years ago today my grandmother, Dorothy was born. She was known to her friends as Dot. I called her Nana. Since I also called my great grandmother Nana, when differentiating between the two we called her Nana Small (her last name). I remember when Brittainy was young she asked me if Nana Small's last name was Small because she was so short. My grandmother was 4'10". Though she was small in stature she was a feisty woman and I loved her to pieces!!!!!

My grandmother could do every thing. She was a wonderful cook, a great seamstress and she knit and crocheted many things! I have some of her afghans still. :)

This is one of my favorite pictures of myself and my grandmother. Yes, it was back in the day when film was black and white. I have that afghan behind the two of us still. What I love about this picture is if you look at the bottom you can see her hand with her rings on it. She gave me her diamond ring a couple of years before Rich and I were engaged and I asked him not to buy me one. I wanted to use Nana's. I see that picture of her wearing the ring, and look down at my hand now and know that was a part of her.
My grandmother was also a wonderful gardener. I made this scrapbook page years ago and it simply says, "a grandmother's love blooms in your heart".

My father died while my grandmother was still alive. He was her only child and it was so hard having to go to the nursing home she was living in to tell her. My sister Sam came with me so we could let her know. I get all teary eyed remembering how hurt she was to hear that!!

I went every week to visit my grandmother in the nursing home. I even moved her to one closer to me so I could get to her easier. I missed only a few weeks in the two or so years that she was there.

I remember one time I went to visit her and she told me all about going to visit friends to play bridge. She hadn't. She just thought she did. One visit she told me that she hoped her grandmother wasn't worried about her because she didn't come home. I reminded her that she was in her 80's and her grandmother was gone. She started crying. It broke my heart. After that whenever she mentioned having to let her grandmother know she wouldn't be there I offered to stop on my way home to tell her. My grandmother was raised by her grandmother since her mother died when she was two.

My son Tim was born in September of 1998 and I brought him to visit with her a couple of times. I have a picture of them together and my grandmother looks very old compared to my memories of her. In November of that year she died. I miss her every day. Today I want all of my friends to know what a wonderful lady she was and how blessed I have been to have known and loved her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANA!

take care,
Dawn

I feel so old!

After reading Jeanne's post yesterday I feel doomed. I've already reached my life expectancy!! To make matters worse, after school today I have an eye doctor's appointment. It is getting harder and harder for this nearsighted girl to read anything up close with my glasses on. I have to hold things like a pill bottle in front of me and move my hand back in forth to get the print so I can see it! I just KNOW that today is the day I'll be getting a prescription for bifocals!!!! Oh, woe is me. Yes, I know that many younger people get them and they don't think anything of it. I am going to feel like an old schoolmarm with them. Secretly though, I'll be happy if I can see better though.

My other signs of getting older (besides the gray hair that I color LOL!) are the wrinkled hands and the sunken eyes!

My question for you is what is the sign to you that you are getting older?

take care,
Dawn

Blue Monday

Sally of Smiling Sally is hosting a Blue Monday event. She has invited anyone who would like to join in to do so! Stop by her blog and see what she has to share today and visit all of the other participants. It's been a while since I've done a Blue Monday so I thought I would post today. I am feeling a bit blue now that my vacation is over. It's back to school today. I know I am going to be tired. I've gotten used to sleeping in!

Ok, to my blue post. When I was a younger (about 10) my uncle died in a car accident. He and his wife (my Aunt Martha, in the red) lived with my great grandmother. After his death we moved in with her so she wouldn't be alone. My great grandmother (the lady in blue!) was a very well loved woman. Most people knew her as Miss Lizzy but to me she was Nana. (I'm the taller of the angels LOL!) I think she most always wore a blue dress. I have soooooooo many memories of living with her and her house. My mother sold that house about 6 years ago and I miss it and the memories dearly!!! I can almost smell it as I write this. I could write volumes about my memories of that house. See that mirror behind my aunt. My great grandmother threaten to cover it with a towel because she said I looked in it too much LOL!

For more blue posts be sure to visit Sally's blog.

take care,
Dawn

The winner is

Number 40!!! I counted the posts from the 31st of December to yesterday (always starting at the top for that day) and number 40 has won the neck warmer and mittens. I truly wish with all of my heart that I could have made something for all of you. You are all wonderful friends who manage to touch my spirit daily!

It seems only fitting that in honor of my 400th post one of the first bloggers I met won this giveaway. So Debi if you are reading this email me and send me your address and the box will head on out to your house. Hopefully you won't have to dig through the snow to get it!
love these mittens so much that this past week I made a pair for myself and finished them yesterday. I picked one of my favorite colors....green!


take care,
Dawn

It's that time at our house

It is time for me to take down the Christmas decorations. If I don't get it done this weekend it could be weeks before I get a chance to do it. With the start of school again I've got busy days and nights and I know I'll be too tired to get it done.

I feel like Christmas came so fast this year. I worked until the 23rd and then in a blink of an eye it was Christmas day. I always wish I could have just a couple of days to be able to sit home and enjoy the beauty of the holidays without feeling like there are things that I need to do.

This year I put up fewer decorations than usual. Last night I packed up three of the eight totes that I unpacked. Hopefully it will all be finished today. It is always so sad putting it all away.

I guess I need to think of decorating for Valentine's day soon. At least it is not too long a wait!

Remember to post to get your name in the drawing for my giveaway. I will post the winner tomorrow.

take care,
Dawn

My 400th post!!!!! or...How I spent the first day of 2009

Can you hear the trumpets blowing in honor of number 400! Yes, that's right. Today marks my 400th post since I started blogging in February of 2006. In the past year I have done the most of my blogging. Thank you all for coming back to visit. I feel like I've gotten to know so many of you so well!

Don't forget to leave a post to get your name in the drawing for the neck warmer. I will pick the winner tomorrow!!

Now, to my post for the day. On New Year's Eve day it started snowing and the predictions were for about 8 inches of snow. It doesn't look like we got quite that much, but it was lovely outside, nonetheless!

Yesterday was a cold day. I don't think it ever made it out of the teens. At one point yesterday I noticed the temperature was 11º. It was so cold that my kitchen windows were covered in ice most of the day. They do look pretty don't they?

Somehow the snow and rosebushes don't look like they belong together.

I noticed that the boots I was wearing left a lovely print in the snow! Too bad the pine needle got in the way.


Here's one last picture of a tree in our yard covered with some snow. I never made it out of the house yesterday so these pictures are all I have to share.

For Christmas my daughter, Brittainy bought me the first two books of the Twilight series. I spent most of the day yesterday reading this book. I am so hooked! I called Britt last night to tell her how much I liked it and she said she would get the next two books for me. Then, I'll pass them on to her to read! I know that my blogging friend Darlene really enjoyed the book. I'm looking forward to the movie coming out on DVD so I can see it!

How did you spend the first day of the new year?

take care,
Dawn

Happy 2009!!!!!

Happy New Year to all of my blogging friends!!!! I hope this year brings you all the happiness your heart can hold, good health, and wonderful memories in the making!

I look forward to visiting each of you in this coming year. I enjoy getting to know all of you and consider you all my friends!

How did you spend your New Year's Eve? We always stay home. This year it was a good thing because all day yesterday it snowed!!! To celebrate we each pick our favorite "junk food" and enjoy snacking all night. I made a pot of meatballs so we could have meat ball subs. Tim picked Cheetos and nachos. Rich picked pepperoni and cheese and ham and cream cheese roll ups. I picked cool ranch Doritos. Tim and Rich usually watch the Three Stooges marathon. I just don't enjoy that show. It always amazing me listening to the two of them laughing! I like watching the Twilight Zone marathon.

Today I will make our traditional New Year's Day turkey dinner...think Thanksgiving here :)

Remember to post to get your name in the drawing for my giveaway in honor of my 400th post!

take care,
Dawn