All MY CHRISTMAS TREES

Can you believe I forgot one?!! Or two?!!
Two are not trees, but I love them just the same!

I thought I'd share pictures of all my trees (before the 12 days of Christmas is over)!

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

Whew!

It didn't almost happen this year, but we managed to squeeze it in! For 20 + years, we (my close friend G and I) have baked dozens and dozens of cookies, for family, friends, and our children's classes, as there were 4 kids between us! Of course, we always made enough to keep some cookies for ourselves as well!!

This year we got our cookies made rather quickly (thank goodness for double ovens!), and our families had dinner together- Pizza and Salad! You guessed it--Cookies for dessert!!

I am blessed to have G in my life! Thanks for {aways} being there for me!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from ME to YOU!

Annual Holiday Open House

Tis the Season you know--for friends, family and 'Good Will' to man! This past Sunday was our 2nd 'Holiday Open House' we host for Friends, and Family. The weather played havoc on our travelers and a couple of the northern ones, didn't make it down. However, friends in our neighborhood did make it and a few adventurous 4-wheel drives did, too!

The main attraction (as always) was our train display! It's a hobby our family has shared for years (my FIL and his BF started it about 40 years ago, and we inherited {all} the trains about 5 years ago!). This year we added the upper level for the N Gauge(s) and the Trolley for the HO Gauge train, which goes around the Christmas Decorated Village, so unique! Everyone enjoyed it and feasted on snacks as well!

There was an Ornament Table, for the kids to make ornaments to take home, with some of the adults enjoying the craft as well!

Sharing and Celebrating the Season of our Chanukah and Christmas Traditions with our Friends and Family is a JOY for us! I love decorating (all) my Christmas Trees and placing a 'special' ornament (each year) for 'you know who', maybe some day, she will know, she was thought about.

Merry Christmas to everyone and enjoy some of our pictures!

One of those days

Ever have one of those days where you can't find something? I have had 2 weeks of one day! I finally found something I have been looking for for the last 2 weeks!! Hurray for me!! I even had a friend of mine look all over her house, thinking I had maybe left it in her craft room ( we had been working on our hand made Christmas Cards), but it wasn't there! Just the same, thanks for looking, E! Especially since it was in the place I had looked 3 different times!

I have always done crafts and was always a home-room mother for both of my children's classes-all the way thru grade school, I always wondered what I would do with all the left-over craft supplies--well, I finally figured it out! My close friend G is a Kindergarten Assistant and this year I made the cutest snowman ornaments for her class! I hope the students enjoy them as much as I enjoyed creating them!

SPARKY ANDERSON

Rest in peace Sparky Anderson--You made the 'BIG RED MACHINE'!!

October brings Halloween

KITTY BY DAY----

GHOUL BY NIGHT----

MY PERSONAL OPINION

Since this is a personal Blog, I normally do not endorse products, or businesses.

This is an exception to my rule.

Yesterday afternoon, while driving through my old hometown, we noticed the re-opening of our FAVORITE restaurant!!!! Only, to discover that the drive-thru was the only open part of the place! We waited in line over an hour, just to get to place our order!!

While, waiting in line,we noticed an employee outside the building, so we asked for a menu. She returned with our menu, plus a stack she was going to pass out to the other cars. We offered to pass them out for her,(so she could get back inside to help with putting orders together!). We passed out many menus to other anxious patrons waiting in the long line!

While we were waiting, we received a call from our good friends, S&G, they wanted to get together for dinner,we laughed and told them about being in line for over an hour at the restraunt!

Long story short, we added another meal to our order and S&G met us at our house in Wilmington for dinner!!

Conrgatulations to Aaron and Mary!!!!
THANK YOU for bringing back----

"XENIA CHINA INN"!!!!

REDS

THE WHOLE TOWN'S BATTY
ABOUT CINCINNATI!
WHAT A TEAM! WHAT A TEAM!! WHAT A TEAM!!!

CONGRATUALTIONS CINCINNATI RED LEGS!!!!

Life Does Go On

Living, Dying are just a part of life. To go on one's own terms is a blessing. That is what transpired today in our family, as we lost another dear one.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to our loved ones,as now there is one less in the Patriarch side of the family. May our Lord be with them as they lay their parent to rest. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

We will never FORGET 9/11

Last fall on our "Fall Foliage" trip we traveled to Chambersberg, Gettysberg, Hagerstown,PA and Emmitsberg MD. We toured Civil War Battle Sites and the National Fire Academy, seeing for the first time the National Memorial to the New York Fallen Firefighters of 9/11. It was all around a very humbling experience, and one we (as a nation) will never forget.

It's Official!

We have a 'WRIGHT STATE RAIDER' living at our house! Our son started at the college today, working towards his Bachelor's Degree! We are so proud of him and all of his accomplishments! Good luck to you, Gregory! Love, Mom and Dad

KATRINA

All the news media have been talking of the devastation of 'KATRINA', so I thought I would share our story of how the hurricane affected the lives of our immediate family.

We, here in Wilmington, witnessed winds of 75-100 mile an hour. We lost electricty for little less than 2 days total, we were very lucky. During this time, a young mother cat brought her three young kittens to our covered back porch. They stayed for three days and then they just disappeared. A few days later, my husband and I walked to the end of our private road and heard a faint 'mew' as we turned to leave the area, we saw him-a tiny starved little black kitten. I told my husband "that if the little kitten can make it back to our house on it's own, I would go to the store and buy Kitten Food and Molly will have a little brother or sister!"

Long story short, that is how Thackery Binks came to live with us. It seems his mother had left him, because he could not keep up with his family. It took us almost a year to teach him his name, where the litter box was and to remind him where his food dish was. He IS my husband's constant shadow 'helping' in the woodshop in our basement! He may not be the brightest Kitty in the litter, but he certaintly is the SWEETEST!

Here is Thackery with his best bud 'Mousie'!

Back Yard Pics!

Bluebirds and Hummingbirds in flight! Flowers in bloom, too!

30 YEARS!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

'25'

HAPPY '25th' BIRTHDAY to my SON!!

CONGRATULATIONS! On going back to school for that "Higher Degree"!! I am so PROUD of you! I can't think of a better INVESTMENT than your future!

I LOVE YOU, your MOTHER

His Last Ride

A fitting TRIBUTE for HIS last ride. My BIL, was such a fantastic person, always the first one to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it. It showed many loved him, for they shared one 'last' ride with him and we, his family were truly touched by their kindness and generosity........there were over 200 Harley Riders in the procession to the Cemetary.

Sadness

Sadly,in our family, when death comes it comes not one at time, but in multiples. I am afraid it is starting again. I just received a call from my SIL that her (beloved) husband had passed away, it wasn't unexpected,but heart-breaking just the same. Tragically,his (dear) Mother has lost two of her children this summer,because of cancer. How much more does she have to go through? We can only try to be there for her and the family. Sadly, this leaves one of our nieces without 2 fathers, and the other without both biological parents, thank goodess for my SIL she is trying to be a rock for them. As I stated earlier, It seems like our family is falling apart. It is in God's hands now.

JULY 25th

Merry Christmas in JULY!!!

When my Children were little, I would bring out the Ceramic Christmas Tree, bake some Christmas cookies, and we would watch Christmas Movies together!! After watching (bribing is more like it!!)the movies, there would be a few presents to open!!

Molly Diane

Today is the anniversary of the birth of our precious late pet Molly Diane. We miss her so much! She was part of our family for 17.5 years,and she loved our new house so much!! She was our 'PRINCESS'!! Molly was a good big sister to Thackery, too!!

Graduation Update/ July Goings On!

Only 1 more party to go!! This one near Akron! A long drive, but worth the CELEBRATION!! Then our life will get back to somewhat normal!!

We begin the month of July (starting) with the neighborhood fireworks show over the 4th, picnics, and enjoying the pool parties we are planning!! Always something to do around here!

The Air Base is now turned over to Wilmington, and we are eagerly awaiting the new businesses (supposedly) lined up to create new jobs here. Although, I have a feeling we will be waiting a while longer than some people think! It is also noted that DHL (Dumb-A**. Half-A**& Lame-- as many here in Wilmington like to refer to them!!) is hiring 350 new workers at the CINCI site this summer, makes me wonder how long DHL will keep that group on! Here, DHL is letting more people go, mostly the security people, trying to phase everything out by the end of their contract with the Air Park.

That is all for now, I have housework and laundry (I use CHEER!! Brightens and Cleans better that Tide ever did!!)

June ALREADY!!!

Good Grief!!! Half of this year is almost over ALREADY!! What happened to May?? It was so busy here, I feel like I blinked and it was gone!! Ham vent is over, GARAGE SALE (it was a HUGE SUCCESS!!! All TOYS---but not a good idea to have too often, as people are really looking for lots of different things! Open houses for New BABIES - DEVON you are so SWEET!!! We will see our new AVA next week!!
Lots of Graduate Open Houses, too! Congratulations to Chris, Emily, Lindsey, Austin, and our Master's Degree Karla!!!!!! Hopefully, we will have another graduate in August, too!!! You know who you are!!!!!

We are ready for June!! The pool is open and has been used everyday since the "Official" opening of Water Activities on May 31st! As long as we have had a pool (about 20 years now) we have always made our first swim of the year on Memorial Day---after our cookout that is!! Sometimes, the weather was rather cold, and we got in and out of the pool rather quickly, but the important thing was, we were in!! This year the weather here was bright and sunny and rather hot---89 degrees!! Plus, we have a large solar heater (the water was warm!) and that helps, too!! So after our impromtu picnic with our closest friends, a couple of us jumped in the pool, it was GREAT!!! We have been in the water every day so far!! I never thought I would use it as much as I do, but it's the best form of exercise there is!! I try to walk for an hour every day.

Thus, welcomes the beginning of June for us!! Have a Happy and safe summer!!

Another Year Over

Another year over and already planning towards the next Dayton Ham Radio Convention! Or rather the Day-Ham-Vent!!
Always a big party around here; everyday something going on, going out to dinner every night- topped off by trips to 'YOUNG'S JERSEY DAIRY' a couple of nights!! Except, Saturday night, my husband and I have a big dinner at our house (Thank you, Glo for everything you do!!) which has been for the past 25+ years! This year was no exception! The weather was beautiful (for a change-NO rain, on Saturday, at least!) and after dinner, we all (10 of us) sat out around the fire pit, just relaxed and talked! This was a first, for us!! Oh, did I mention the 'Smores'? Can't have a fire in the pit without them!! I think everyone enjoyed the quiet out here. The food was great--- appetizer this year was a buffalo chicken spread and chips, Steaks on the grill, green beans (cooked all day), salad with veggies (from my garden), cheesy potato casserole (thanks again Glo!!), dinner rolls and of course, My Fresh Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert!!! As usual, we had a great time!
The guys, did find some things they were looking for, so the trip to the Ham Vent was successful and a good time was had by everyone!!! Can't wait for next year!!