these are a few of my favorite things...

 

bon!

My Kids

PUCKER UP NONNA, THIS KISS IS FOR YOU!!
THIS IS ME DANCING IN CHURCH!!
JORDAN AND SAMMY WITH HER BIRTHDAY CUPCAKE LADYBUG
SAMMY
JORDAN
MATT, JIN AND MOLLY MOO AT CHRISTMAS, 2009
JIN AND MOO
ME LIL JORDY BUG
SAM THE BONE
JONATHAN AND JESSICA, MOVING DAY

The Kids Have Arrived!!!

Yeah for Samuel and Jordan, they have arrived! Oh, and yeah, their parents too. My son, Jonathan and his wife, Jessica. lol...I am excited for them too, but nothing beats having the granbabies around, n'est pas?

They have moved to our area. They just live a few miles down the road. So I plan on some major nibbling and babysitting in the near future. Today I am fighting a very bad headache. Nope, not the kiddies....lol...the weather is changing yet again. It can't decide if it wants to be cold or warm. So it decided to rain. It is wet, cold and damp, the wind is blowing and it's about 50* out, so that usually brings on the ole migraine attack. Had to go to the dr. and get a couple injections this time. So, off to bed now.

Just wanted to update my bloggy friends....I keep neglecting my space here. I am going to do a major overhaul here soon. Or get my special favorite sister to help, she is so creative...(hint, hint) I love her to pieces! (nope, not buttering her up, she knows I do!) Well, my pillow needs me to lay on it now....ciao for now! God bless!

Happy Birthday Mommy, I love you

Today is my mommy's birthday. She would be 89. Not a big milestone, but she died at such a young age, 67. She died of emphysema, such an ugly disease....takes away your every breath.

I miss her, I wish she could of seen her grandchildren grow up and get married. Then see her great grandchildren. She would of loved them so much. And if she were here, I would throw her a big party....so here's to long life with my kiddies, my grand kids, and hopefully their kids....I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Wow!! It's Been Awhile!

I can't believe it has been like over a month? Where has the time gone? Where have I been? What have I been doing? Did I get kidnapped by an alien and forget where I lived or something? It seems so. Well, since I have last posted.... I have gone to see my best sissy in Nebraska, you all know her as "C", Midwestern Mama With a New York Heart. I spent 2 weeks out there. I drove from North Carolina. Yup, it was snowing and stormy most of the way. And on top of that I was sick. I had my lil dachshund with me for protection. Just in case someone tried to murder me or worse rob me. She would bite there toenails off. Yup, she was my lil knight in brown armour.

Once we got there though, we found out that we picked up a few friends along the way. Well, not meaning to, and not wanting them, they just "jumped" on board. Them dang fleas!! And they hopped onto Bella, their beautiful Boxer! So, not only did I drive straight for 2 full days with no sleep, sick, medicated, with my lil Morgan in the blizzard, with a flea bag....lol, but when we got there, we had to fumigate the house and bathe the dogs and kennels and comb them over and over and go out in the storm to get all the stuff to do it!! Poor Chris and Di...we had sooo much to do those 1st few days. My other sister was there too, and she helped a bit too.

We had a really good visit though. Just hanging out and watching TV, movies, and just visiting. Played some games, EATING....lots of eating...sleeping, just relaxing...I had some major chilling to do. I had the best time with my sisters, all 3, I will never forget the things they did for me. I can't even begin to explain...It doesn't seem like a lot, but when I needed to go somewhere, they were there for me. I needed to leave for a time, and they are always willing to take me in. I love you Toone and Di, your the best, oh and Niece too, for always loving me, even when I am not so lovable!! Your the best!! May God bless you in all you do, love you so much!!
JoJo

Merry Merry New Rears! And a Blessed Christmas!

The New Year Queen! Molly, my middle grandbaby! Visiting from Florida, via Vermont.
Jennifer, my daughter and her Molly, out at the Ooutback for my birthday! Yummy!
Me and my Hunny for my birthday.....two days after Christmas!
Dinner and a show....with Molly!
....and in Tennessee....my oldest girl Jordan and her brother Sam had a good time opening up presents at 3 different places! Way to go punkins!
Sam Sam, my lil man...he's my youngest, for now...
My lil ladybug, Jordan! Nonna loves all her babies!

Hoping everyone had a joyful holiday and fabulous new year! Ours was kind of both, we had a death in the family...and lots of sickness. But....we had visitors....so it was somber, yet a blessing all the same. We really appreciated each other and caught up on some old times. A time of reflection, reacquainting with each other, but mostly, enjoying each other. The time of the season. Wishing we could all be together....well...at this time of year, family is what is important. Love is important. Without that, what have you? After all, that is what it is all about. So...take the time to go the extra steps and see those you have not seen in a long time. You will never regret it, nor will they! God Bless you!

When all should be Joyful....

In times like this, the joyful holiday season, when we should all be rejoicing in the Spirit of the season, there is soooo much gloom going on. Why is that? My sister just had surgery, my son and his family are going through very difficult financial troubles, my daughter just miscarried, and will be separated from her husband for 6 months due to the military. Now I know I have many, many things to be thankful for, and dont get me wrong. I am. I just want to know why it all has to happen all at once. And that isnt even the tip of the iceburg. But you know what? I am not letting that all get me down. The Spirit of Christmas is WAAAAY bigger than any of that. It may put a damper on things, but as long as we have each other, we are all good. I have much to thank for God for and many blessings. But it does give you thoughts to ponder.....I hope and pray that you all have many things to be grateful for this season. If not....take a look around you, and you will see so many with less. Let the Spirit of the Season shine through you no matter what your circumstances. k? have a good one.....

Anticipation.....just like the song!

Well, I am greatly anticipating our feast for Thanksgiblets Day! My husband is frying a turkey injected with wonderful spices and herbs. We have done this several times, and it is definitely a different kind of bird. But it is very tasty and moist, and such a wonderful flavor.

Then I will make my potato and bacon stuffing, though it wont go in the bird, it will still be awesome. I also will have a sweet potato casserole, it is more like a souffle, it has eggs in it and it is very light and fluffy. Topped with a crumble of pecans and brown sugar and cinnamon, it is sure to please even the in-laws. I have a recipe for home made rolls, that will depend on the kind of day we have, if it is too humid out, they dont puff up as good. So, parkerhouse rolls for a back up...just in case.

And what would the holiday be without green bean casserole? My version has mushrooms and onions in the mix, and then of course, the crunchy fried onion topping....my favorite part!

Along with the usual mashed potatoes.....freshly whipped with REAL butter, not the fake kind that some peeps use. That stuff will kill you! Not only that, it tastes like poop!

My hunny is also making his specialty....sweet potato pie for dessert. And I will have some banana nut bread, and what we call the "green stuff" which is watergate salad. Why it has that name, I dont know....but its made with pistachio pudding, pineapple, marshmallows, yummy....I cant wait!

And we must not forget the gravy....I have a wonderful recipe for gravy that we use every year....starting with a roux....then adding stock to it...you really cant mess this one up!

So....ours is going to be a very simple, basic meal....just for us. We dont have any peeps coming to enjoy it with us, but we will sure pig out! So, what is on the menu for you guys? Let me know...and maybe I may have to indulge in one of your delicacies!

What a nice wonderful autumn day....

Today has been such a wonderful Autumn day...I just had to write about it! The sun is shining, the leaves are blowing, just enough chill in the air not to be too cold, it is just perfect. At night you can smell people burning wood in their fireplaces....it is a joy to go out in. This is my favorite time of year...when you start planning your holiday meals and activities. It puts you in the mood to start preparing for decorations for Christmas. I also enjoy cooking more in the fall and winter. For some reason, when it is cold out, and your cooking inside, it gives you a good sense of security and comfort like no other. Yes, we have had a lot of rain, but our area usually does. It has not been so excessive yet.

So what do we have planned for the holidays? My daughter and her family are moving back to the states in a week. They will go to his parents in Vermont. They will be here for Christmas though, and I am thankful for that. I wish my son and his family would be able to come also....that would make it so perfect. They just came in September so I doubt that will happen. We will have time for a reunion of sorts in the near future, I am sure. My daughter also just found out she is pregnant! In July, I will be a 4th time Nonna! I'm so excited for them. There is nothing like being a gramma in this whole crazy world!!

Why dont you share what your plans are for the holidays? I love to hear other's plans, this will also give me ideas! LOL! Have any special recipes you would like to share, or traditions? For my family, we usually have a midnight feast called a "Reveillon" which includes going to midnight services, usually candlelight, and then returning to the house for "tourtiere" which is a meat pie, "tarte au sucre" sounds really rich but is actually a sugar pie, tastes like pecan pie without the pecans! "Cretons" would also be served....that is a pork meat spread that you put on toast or crackers, usually with mustard. There are other little things, but those are the main ones. These Canadian traditions from my mom's family have been part of ours for every Christmas I can remember. After we have feasted, well by then it is actually Christmas, so we would open presents. This we did when our children were young. Now we just wait until we wake up from our late night.

So....now it is your turn...what are you planning as we begin to anticipate the holidays?

My poor lil sissy, broken again!!

OK, a few pics to make u laugh and stop thinking of that throbbing pain in the arm! Now, who put sooo much salt in my beer that I had to resort to this? And who took this perverse picture anyway? And why?
A nice whole week of festivities planned...we had such a good time, the laughs were just beginning, from Niece's strays that keep coming to her house......
To Dennis farting and almost making Niece throw up, by the way, look at his innocent expression!
To me and you having a lazy, breezy day on the water in your pool.....
to Molly getting all dressed up for her auntie gramma toone.....
and again, looking ever so darling, she kind of looks like u here, when u were this age...
And then there is me and moo sitting watching Gilmore girls with Choux. Wishing u were there, it would of been more fun.


Well, most of u know my sister, Christine, as C on her blog, Midwestern Mama with a New York Heart. She had another fall at work and broke her arm, the upper bone, which is the same side she damaged last time. She is in alot of pain, and will definitely need lots of prayers and love from her bloggy buds. She will be out of work for another few months. Please send her lots of bloggy love and support. I cant be there to help, I take care of my husbands parents with him. But luckily she has wonderful friends and family nearby to help.

Toone, I love u and want u to know that if I could be there I would. You are a strong and resilient person and I know that u will bounce, (not too hard now!) right back to ur ole self again. And if I know u, you will make a funny story out of all of this. It will be hard for u to type, but Di is there, I am sure she would do the honors for u, if u dictate. I KNOW u are good at that! lol i love u and pray for quick healing....je t'aime avec tout mon coeur!