Thanksgiving Is A Word of Action

Thank God for dirty dishes; They have a tale to tell.

While others may go hungry, We're eating very well.

With home, health, and happiness, I shouldn't want to fuss;

By the stack of evidence, God's been very good to us.

~author unknown

I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. Whether you are in the States and celebrate Thanksgiving or not, it is a wonderful time to take a moment and give thanks to God for the many blessings that he has provided.  Sometimes our lives get hard.  It's tough to see the good things.  But, there is ALWAYS something that you can be thankful for.

Today I am thankful for so many things.  Some of these things I often take for granted, such as my health.  I'm thankful for my wonderful family, immediate and extended.  I'm thankful for the precious healthy granddaughter that He brought into my life.  I'm thankful for my job, my home, my transportation, my husband of 22 years, my boys (who will be out of the house much too soon...one already is), and so much more. I'm thankful to our soldiers who have fought, who have died, and who are spending their Thanksgiving away from their families today to protect this country that I love.

And last, but CERTAINLY not least, I'm thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for dying on the cross and rising to go prepare a place for me so that I may be with him in Heaven one glorious day.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to everyone!

May your dressing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
~Author Unknown

Let The Spoiling Begin

Hi. My name is Sandra. It's been 6 days since my last blog post. : )  It really seems like it has been forever.  My life has gotten soooo busy!  I thought that once football was over, things would be a little more laid back.  But then, along came Millie.  (A good thing, of course.)   And, I missed 2 whole days of work, which put me MAJORLY behind on things!  I still have not gotten caught up!  Work has been so hectic.  I have had teacher receipt books out the wahoo.  When I FINALLY got them processed, it was time for the teachers to turn them in again!  Next week, the kids and the teachers are out all week for Thanksgiving.  I am scheduled to work Monday through Wednesday.  I will probably take 2 of those days as vacation days, but I am going to use one of them just to get caught up at work.  It's amazing how much I can get done when no one else is there.  It's a whole different world at school when all is quiet.  That's not to say that I don't love all my teachers there.  I admire them for the job that they do.  I couldn't do it!  Just give me some numbers to work out, and I'm good.  They can handle all those little kiddos, the good and the bad.

I have been so frustrated with my cluttered, dirty home.  I come home from work.  I cook, although I've been trying to get out of THAT as much as possible, lately!  (I HATE to cook!)  Then, I try to get some laundry done, along with a little of all the other stuff that needs to be done.  Mix all that in with trying to stay caught up with "Dancing With The Stars" and "The Young and The Restless", and you can see why my house looks like it does.  I mean, I have to watch DWTS on my DVR before I hear a spoiler about who went home on the show.  And, as for Y&R, what would Jack, Victor, Katherine, Lilly, Daniel, Cane, (add more characters here) think if I couldn't catch up with their lives, at least weekly?!  I guess my priorities are a little out of whack...or maybe not.  I feel like I work hard.  I deserve some down time to enjoy some guilty pleasures, right?  Well, I did something today that I have never done before.  I splurged and hired my niece to come clean my house.  I cannot tell you how wonderful it felt to come home to a clean, great-smelling home.  It was HEAVEN!!!  Now, I am paranoid that I am going to turn around and it is going to be messed right back up...like it always is.  But, hopefully, it will stay this way for awhile.

So, tomorrow is Friday. TGIF!!!  Guess what?!  My baby, Millie (along w/her parents) is coming to stay for at least one night, hopefully two!!  I told Chelsea that I was gonna hold Millie the WHOLE time!  Chelsea said that she was going to sleep.  I said for her to just go ahead and sleep all she wants, I'll take care of that baby.

Let the spoiling begin!!  : )

Busy Week and a Grandma Name

It's been such a busy week! This grandma business is very tiring! I've been to Scottsboro and back a total of 5 times this week. I'm going back tomorrow.

Chelsea had a time with her blood pressure. It seems that her liver tried to shut down on her after the birth, but she is better now. She just has to stay on medication for the blood pressure now. Millie developed jaundice yesterday, and when I went to see them in the hospital last night, they had her in an incubator with a light and a blanket over it. I was afraid that I wouldn't get to see her, but they brought her in to Chelsea just before I left. She was mad! I suspect she was hungry and wanted her mommy!

They were able to go home today. I've talked to Justin a few times. Things seem to be going well. I figured that we would let them get settled in, and we'll head over that way tomorrow. I wish they lived closer, but I realize that it could be like some grandparents I know whose grandkids live across many states. So, I can't complain too much about an hour.

I finally decided on a grandma name. After much contemplation, it just came to me one day at work. It was nothing that I had even thought of until that moment. Since my name is Sandra, I decided to play off of that name and call myself "Granda". I've got mixed reviews about it, but I feel comfortable with it, and it finally clicked with me. Of course, it will probably come out of little Millie's voice differently, so there's no telling what I'll actually end up being. But, Granda is fine, for now.

Meet My New Granddaughter!!

Amelia Jayne Rowell "Millie" was born around 3 a.m. on November 10, 2009. She weighed 5 lbs. 11 oz. and was 19.5 inches.

Last Bike Ride of the Year?

It's been awhile since I last took a motorcycle road trip.  We have had lots of wet weather, and it has been cold.  This past week has been really nice.  I wasn't sure that I was up for a road trip today.  Even though it was fairly warm, when you get on a bike and start riding, that wind will cut right through most of the stuff that you can put on.  I don't have any chaps yet, so I wore my jeans and put on wind pants over them.  I wore a t-shirt under my sweatshirt, and I put on my gloves.  I did okay for the most part.  I could tell that, by the end of the day, it was starting to get colder, especially when we would ride through the shady spots.  This will probaby be my last ride this year.  I am NOT into freezing!  I can hardly stand cold weather!  We were gonna ride up to Chattanooga, but decided that it would be too late and too cold by the time we made it back home.  So, we decided to ride toward Weiss Lake and then we circled around and stopped at Noccalula Falls.  It was very pretty there, and there were a lot of people out and about!  I got some good pictures.  Kevin's brother and his wife went, too.  Pics to follow below. 

The next time that I will be posting you will get to see pictures of my new grand daughter that should be here sometime tomorrow!  OH BOY!!  I can't wait!

Kevin

Me

Cool shot

Noccalula Falls

Charlene & Bruce

Great News!!! It's Time!!!

On the way to the first round of the football playoffs last night (we lost), Justin called and gave us some news.  They are inducing Chelsea Monday morning!!!  Wow.  Monday I will be a grandma! 

Chelsea went back to the doctor yesterday, and they decided to induce since her blood pressure was high, and she is already dilated to 2 cm.  It just does not seem real to me.  I'm sure it will when I see that beautiful baby girl!!  Little Millie.  :-)  I will meet my new grand daughter on Monday.  So, be praying that everything goes well. 

I'll definitely be posting pictures soon!!

My Superstition of Black Cats

A cat as black

As blackest coal

Is out upon

His midnight stroll,

His steps are soft,

His walk is slow,

His eyes are gold,

They flash and glow.

And so I run

And so I duck,

I do not need

His black-cat luck.

~Author Unknown

Are you superstitious?  I am, just a bit.  It's only for certain things, though.  But, the main one is black cats crossing my path.  Call it coincidence if you want, but I have found that any time that a black cat crosses my path, something bad happens.  While I can't recall the specifics, because it has been awhile since it has happened, it happened enough for me to take note of it. 

What led me to this post?, you say.  I was driving back from the gym tonight (yes, I'm still going), and I got right to where you turn onto the road that I live on.  A black cat darted right across in front of me.  In a split second I thought, "What am I gonna do?  Chance it?  Or, turn around and go the other way?"  I immediately stopped, backed up, and turned around in someone's driveway, and went around the block.  I just didn't feel like taking a chance.  After all, Justin is waiting to see if he got the UPS job, and Chelsea will be having that baby this month.  Better to let all that be than to risk having a black cat cross my path.  Or, does it still count if I am ON that path and the black cat crosses it?  Even if I turn around, did it not cross my path?!  Okay, I think I've lost my mind.  I am thinking about this WAAAAYYY to much!  Is it bad to admit that I have stopped and turned around before when a black cat crossed my path?  Because I have.  This was not the first time.  I know that you probably think that I am off my rocker.  Maybe I am.  I have even looked closely at the cat to see if it had any other colors on it...or if it was just dark grey.  Because, you know, the superstition only applies to totally black cats...at least where I'm concerned. 

I looked for the top 10 list of superstitions, and I found such a list out of Britain.  I would go as far to say that the same would apply to the U.S.  I've also checked the ones that apply to me.

1. Breaking a mirror √

2. Walking under a ladder  √

3. Friday 13th  √

4. Opening an umbrella indoors  √

5. A black cat crossing your path  √ √

6. The sight of a single magpie

7. Spilling salt

8. Placing shoes on the table or on the bed

9. Treading on cracks in the pavement

10. Walking over three drains

What are you superstitious about? 

What's On My Mind?

The Aggies go to Hartselle Friday night for the first round of the state play-offs. Wish us luck!

I'm still going to the gym.  The treadmill is as far as I've gotten.  The weight hasn't fluctuated a lot, but I'm hangin' in there!  It's a little discouraging, though.

Justin called today after he and Chelsea had gone to the doctor. He said that the doc didn't think that she would go for 3 more weeks, and her blood pressure was a little high.

My simplifying has slowed down.  I'm slowing trying to get rid of the clutter in my house.

Work has calmed down a bit.  Payroll is almost due again, and I'm trying to get a jump on it so that it won't be so stressful.

It's not long until Thanksgiving.  I think hubby's side of the family plans to have ours at Cracker Barrel again like we did last year.

Thanksgiving is going to be a busy time.  The Friday after is the big state rivalry of the Auburn/Alabama football game. WAR EAGLE!!  And, the baby is due that Saturday.  I hope she don't decide to come during the big game!!

I'm still trying to get caught up on The Young and The Restless.  I have about a week's worth to go.

I'm LOVING "Dancing With The Stars".  The guys on there are so hot!!

I've got to get back into my couponing.  I am missing some really good deals!

Hubby is doing much better. I'm so glad. 

I have the best blog friends and the best all-around friends that a girl could have. I love ya!

Justin goes for his interview as a UPS driver helper tomorrow. PRAY HARD!!

Give Me Chocolate and No One Gets Hurt!

There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE.
~Linda Grayson, "The Pickwick Papers"

Forget love-- I'd rather fall in chocolate!!!

Isn't it funny how we women sometimes just have to have our chocolate?  Today at work I got a sudden urge for chocolate.  I had a few suckers and such, but they were no match for my chocolate craving.  I immediately had to leave my office in search of the fine delicacy of creamy chocolate.  I tried the front office.  I said, "I need chocolate!"  No luck there.  I went into the office next door.  No chocolate there, only gummy crabby patties, which would've been good on any other day.  Not today, though.  Chocolate was the only thing that was gonna get the job done.  I had the option of walking to the vending machine on the back 40.  I always joke that by walking that far, I have already worked off whatever I am eating/drinking!  But, I didn't really want a regular size candy bar, just a couple of small bites of chocolate, because you know that I've started going to the gym.  Well, I wasn't having any luck, so I went back to my office to work.  It's hard to work when your mind is on chocolate, but the wheels started turning, and I remembered where I could find some chocolate.  Our principal keeps a bowl of those snack size candy bars and such in her office.  She was out today, so I went back to the front office and told them my plan.  Well, by then, I had one of the other girls wanting some chocolate, too.  So, we snuck into our principal's office and raided her candy bowl!  We got some Mr. Goodbars, some malted milk Whoppers, and a few Hershey's kisses.  I took mine back to my office.  It was pure bliss!!  The Mr. Goodbars really hit the spot.  And then I was ready to get back to work.  Craving gone.  I thought it a bit funny a little later when I heard another lady going around asking people if they had chocolate. It's just one of those things that most women can't live without!

This guy found a bottle on the ocean, and he opened it and out popped a genie, and he gave him three wishes. The guy wished for a million dollars, and poof! there was a million dollars. Then he wished for a convertible, and poof! there was a convertible. And then, he wished he could be irresistible to all women... poof! he turned into a box of chocolates.

Put the chocolate in the bag and nobody gets hurt.

Man cannot live on chocolate alone; but woman sure can.

Simply put... everyone has a price, mine is chocolate!

How We Spent Our Halloween Night

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween.  Seeing some of those little boys dressed up made me miss those day when I carried mine trick-or-treating.  We headed out to Scottsboro last night to see Justin's band play.  All the guys dressed up.  The bass player dressed in a toga costume, the lead guitar player dressed as Super Mario, the singer dressed as the "Fight Club" guy, the keyboard player dressed as a caveman, and Justin dressed as an 80's rocker.  The band, Wild Tangent, plays rock songs.  I think the people at the club wanted to hear some country music.  Wild Tangent does not do country.  So, they rocked on, anyway.  There wasn't a big crowd.  It wasn't a great night.  We left a little early, wishing we had just stayed home.  But, Justin wanted us to come see them, so that's what really mattered.  I think next Halloween we'll just stay around home.  So, how was your Halloween night?