Here you go, my Sweet Violets! Another new home for our daily musings....

"Thus nature has no love for solitude, and always leans, as it were, on some support; and the sweetest support is found in the most intimate friendship."

- Cicero

Yeah what are you looking for Susanne?

See, I thought the Griffin book got slow, I was about 40 pages in when I stalled out on it.

Good night, sleep tight and pleasant dreams to you.........

I used to watch Lawrence Welk when I was little........

Could keep going................

Good morning, sweet Violets...

Ethan has arrived and after "reading" the newspaper with Grampa, he's now working on his Leap's Pond book. I'm always happy when the tv isn't on, but I know he'll be asking for cartoons soon. I usually put it on Sesame Street for as long as possible before he wants SpongeBob or any of those other crazy things.

I have nothing planned for today except a hair appointment this afternoon. I know I'll be talking church stuff with my hairdresser as she is a member of the church who has left because of the pastor.

After that, the only thing I have is singing rehearsal. We have a concert with the symphony on the 6th of December so we're rehearsing all Christmas music right now. Time is flying by, isn't it??? I have my Secret Santa stuff all ready to go and Ethan is taken care of. The four older grandkids are getting gift cards and I have to buy for Amelia yet. The Bobster and I are just going to exchange one gift as our big gift to each other is the cruise in January.

Off to make some breakfast and get dressed.

Everyone make it a good one!!

Hey Girls~

I got my secret santa gifts!!! I got really cool earrings and the most amazing journal, the cover is made from leaves and all natural components...really beautiful all from....LAURA AND THE MAN CHILD!!! Thanks both of you so much! It was sooo cool to open my FIRST XMAS PRESENT!!!

I have 50% of mine done...need a bit more...but am working on it! I love this time of year!

Sus and I had a fight last night (actually...a tiff, but it was right at bedtime) so I slept on the couch. Why did I think that was a good idea??? I slept on the tan couch not the black one, and the black one is much better. UUGGG! Already kissed and made up this morning!

OK...just heard about an H1N1 vacine RECALL...that causes "life threatening allergies"...

Did I tell ya'll it is going to be 81 on Thursday. That is actually very seasonal, it has been 76-79 all week...I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR, AND YES, THIS IS WHY I LIVE HERE. Some people say, I want it to be "cold" in Nov and Dec for the holidays...not me, while snow is fun to look at, I'd rather have this!

OK...fun day at work...we have the annual Turkey Bowl! 7th gr. vs. 8th gr. flag football game!!!

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

xooxoxox

Good Morn, Vi's~~

Another day of cleaning AND for even more added fun I'm going to go do the big Turkey Day grocery shopping! I know, I know... such the glamorous life!

Make it a great day, every one!

Hello everyone,

I have a fill today which I desperately need . . . thank goodness. Not to mention how timely it is considering Thanksgiving is only 2 short days away.

Good morning!!

Wow all this talk of secret santa!!!

My track record on secret santa is not so good, I had Kat the first year, and I shipped it out the 11th of December and she got it after Christmas!! Then last year I ended up in the hospital, I had Tracys gift already bought, but didn't get out until Christmas eve, so hers was late!! This all should be telling me, hurry, hurry, hurry!!!! Instead I am just rambling about the last two years gifts...............

I am thinking of all violets this week and how thankful I am that you are a part of my life.

Okay off to work!!!

Hey girls~

Getting ready to log off from work. I won't be back here until Dec. 7th!!! Nice break...but actually, I am quite fond of this year's kids (no Manuels here).

Catch you later!

xo

Phew!

Just got back from a 3-hr start-to-finish grocery shopping expidition!! :redface: I *saved* more than $120, if that gives you a hint of what it cost me to end up w/2 carts rolling out to my car at the end of it!! Then I got to pile it into the car, lug it into the house, & put it all away (not to mention COOK it all over the next few days!)!!

Then ds came home from school, saw all the yummies in the pantry & 'frig, and said, "But what is there that I can eat NOW?" :ohmy: The answer, of course, was "Nothing!" :confused:

PAMela, yer not suppose to open it yet, SHEESH!!! LOL

I was just getting it out of my office..

About the recall, didn't hear about it, BUT.... when my ped asked if we wanted it, I told him..we've been exposed to it already (both strands went around work before he was old enough for it), and we all made it. So, since you never know long-term about these things and they rushed them out, I felt I'd rather risk getting the flu. He's a big strong boy, if any of us got it, I do believe we'd be fine, it would just suck... but it's better than a vaccine that they have no long-term info on. Now I'm really glad!!

Although pregnancy has caused ridiculous allergies for me, that apparently are not going to go away or be subdued.

Suzanne,

I am looking forward to your stories...hopefully you will get someone who is a better fit. What if you get an infant or young child and have to leave at 3am? Just wondering. I would love to do it, but what if I got an infant or young child then had to go to work? Tricky, but you are blessed to get to help!

xoxo

I am hoping to have a full-time (8-5) job and then the state pays for daycare. Waiting on a call as I type for a job that would be perfect!!

This placement was to be temporary, but I wouldn't have felt comfortable going to work and right now I am not in a position to quit my part-time job for a 3 -4 day placement. If it had been a 'permanent' placement (12 months) and a girl or pair of sisters closer to my expected age range of 3 - 10, I would have done it. I have been told that I should probably only have girls since I am single and boys in foster care really need a father figure.

I am going nuts waiting on this call about the interview -- you said you would call on Tuesday -- so call already!!!!

UUUGGGHH!!

Jane, did you get my e-mail???

So I was up at 5am to start cooking for thanksgiving..and man child was up! I got orange peels boiling as I type.

I am making 2x squash/zucc casserole, 2x brussel sprouts au gratin, a pumpkin cheesecake, a boston cream pie, and sugared candy orange peels. Whew!!

The orange peels have to boil 3x at 30m each, then an hour. So I've got that going right now. I had an extra pie plate (I planned to make pumpkin cheesecake), and made the mistake of asking Russ what kind of pie he'd like. He said some kind of custardy thing--like Boston Cream. Well of course I have no pudding, and we already went to the store, so I am going to be making that bad boy from SCRATCH. I can't wait :ohmy:

We go to my granny's every year, big to-do. 2 years in a row now due to her mad cow's disease, she has messed up the turkey and we end up with 2 little ones after she messed up the big one. This time she defrosted her turkey 3 weeks ago, and it spoiled. Now she cooked her 2 other turkeys 2 days ago because she thought today was Thanksgiving. Ho hum.

Once the peels boil for the 3rd time, I'm off to work, then we're coming home early.. cleaner comes today, so I think we're leaving around 2.

Good morning!!

Laura, yes I did get your email, I couldn't get on last night, it kept saying something like it wasn't recognized?

One of my wonderful customers is fixing my computer! So maybe sometime soon I will be able to get on facebood!!

I hope all have a great day today and even better Thanksgiving!!

I got a fill yesterday but i can't tell if it is working yet . . . that scares me. I haven't had breakfast yet (well I did have coffee :0) and havent been hungry so maybe that is a little bit of clue.

I gained 10 pounds since my last appointment . . . am I insane, how is that even possible? It would be really difficult to lose 10 pounds in a month. I just hope some of that is from TOM. Perhaps I need to do the 5 day pouch test again since that always zips off a few pounds in a hurry.

One funny thing is . . . when I arrived at my fill appointment, they were waiting for me and took me right back. Apparently I was the last patient and 1/3 of the patients cancelled (fills are done 1 day a month in this location). I was just wondering if all the cancellations occurred because Thanksgiving is tomorrow, lol.

I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving.

Your day sounds like mine, Laura... I woke up & started baking! IToday I need to make: molasses sugar cookies, French apple pie, pumpkin roll, caramel pecan, coconut cream pie, 6 pumpkin breads & 2 dozen pumpkin/cream cheese muffins (for the horse show today, oh yeah, I have time to go to a horse show... :ohmy:).

Tomorrow I'll do the green bean cassarole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed pots, gravy and oh yeah, the turkey!

I've already done the muffins & 3 pump breads... I *thought* the cookies, too, but they're a mess because I put in twice as much butter as I was supposed to & caught the mistake too late (when the cookie sheet came out of the oven w/1 big cookie all oozed together on the pan). But it tastes great -- I crumbled it up & put it all in a zip bag to use as crumbles on top of ice cream! When life hands you molasses sugar cookie goo, make topping!

I'm taking a break now... I need to SLOW down when I re-enter the kitchen!!

My editor sent me 2 "urgent" chapters, as well this morning! WTF?

Hope you're all doing well in your kitchens!!