I am ready

OK I only have 124 more days until vacation. I'm not antsy or anything am I? I am ready now. For some reason this new year has just kicked my butt. I am ready for a nice sunny beach, it doesn't have to be too hot but warm. The water is too cold anyways to get in we just like to hang at the beach and play in the sand. I am ready to go and walk the boardwalk at night and look at all the casinos lite up. I am ready to go play at the arcade with my daughter and see what toy we might be able to get (I know cheap but it's still fun). I am ready for some of the best pizza and seafood around. I am ready to spend $35 just to putt putt with my daughter. I am ready to get up at 4:00 am and watch the sun rise on the beach and go back around 7:30-8:00 to watch it start setting. I am ready to go pick up shells on the beach and look for little creatures that we eventually end up running from. I am ready for the 14 + hour trip with all the stops along the way until we get there. I am ready for a needed vacation. I guess if I don't think about it, it might be before I know it.

SO REAL

OK this post might be a little to much, but it is how we are feeling as a family. Monday my little cousin (ok not so little 19) is being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He will be there for 7 months. It is so hard to believe that we are living in a time where people are going to war.

I remember right where I was that day September 11. I was working the front desk for break and someone came and said what had happened. We went to the break room and watched the news. I was numb by what happened. I never never thought I would see this or watch this. It didn't hit me until we sent troops overseas. I never thought I would be living in a era when there was war. Or be raising a child at the same time. Never thought she would have to watch the news and see people being killed or bombs going off. It's not a time that I would ever imagined in my life.

But now it really hits home. My two cousins joined the Marines and now one is being deployed. Never thought it would hit so close to home. I mean yes, I do know of someone who died overseas and yes I know the local National Guard was sent, but this is family. I held him when he was baby. I watched him grow and mature this last year. He is no longer a teenager. He is a man. He is a Marine. He is going so we can have our freedom. I pray every night for people to be safe, be healthy and for people to make the right decisions in life. Tonight will be different. Tonight I will have a special request for a special person.....

Just one request for everyone out there.... Pray for safety of service men overseas.....

Back to the grind....

Ok, I took a little break. But I am back. I had a few issues that need to be taken care of with my daughter. But all is well or is going to be well.

A little recap. Christmas was great we went to Shipshewana after Christmas for a couple of days and hung out. It was great. They had a ice sculpture contest and it was amazing. Well it was nice on December 26 because it was cold but then on the 27th it decided to be 50 degrees and melt everything. I mean everything to the point there was flash floods warning. Wow, crazy Indiana weather. I guess that saying is true, stick around and the weather will change is 5 minutes.

Well lets see January has been pretty uneventful. She started selling GS cookies on the 16th. I have some delivers to make for that. Went to the circus on the 22nd. She loved that. We are planning on going to Michigan here in the next week or two to deliver cookies up there.

I don't know if I mentioned that I have been helping(volunteering) my time to help a lady here in town get a downtown store open. I have done everything from painting to carpeting to cooking and cleaning. These last few weeks I have been going in and baking cookies. Well she offered to count me in a partner in the business. I have mixed emotions about this right now. I love to cook, bake, eat, but mostly bake. I don't want to get to that point that I hate to bake. You know what I mean. But it is a once in a lifetime offer too. I mean it would be fun. It will be a side job, because I love my day job. It would calm me to be in the kitchen cooking knowing that people like what they are eating. Does that make sense?

Well I will be thinking and praying about what I will be doing. But in the mean time, I will be enjoy making the sweets that I am making for people.

Andi & Theresa

Took a little break

OK, well I have survived another Thanksgiving and a Black Friday on top of that. Did the usual shopping on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Didn't really have anything in mind to but just wanted to watch all the people. Yes, I am a people watcher. I watched a lady get mad and leave all her stuff a jewelry counter at one store. They (sales associates) had come around 2 or 3 times explaining you have to have some sort of jewelry purchase along with other stuff to check out there. She heard them say that a few times. It must of been to early in the morning for her to figure it out. Then a few minutes later another one came around and said the same thing and she(the lady) got all huffy and sat her stuff down and told them they should tell people that who are in line. I was like are you serious? Did you not hear them the other 3 times. Of course if you know me I made a comment to the fact of "o goody I can move up now, anyone else that don't understand please step out of the line!" I got a few chuckles. I mean if she would of made it to the front and then they tell her that, yeah she would have a right to be nasty. But she heard it a few times.

We had my moms family get together the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That is always a great time. Food, Family, Fun, did I mention Food. We always have so much food. They are great cooks in that family let me tell you. We played some cards, watched some TV, played some more cards.

Got the Christmas tree up and all the presents wrapped except for 2, one was just delivered and the other should be here tomorrow. Made reservations for the water park in Shipshewana for Friday and Saturday after Christmas. That will be a great get away for the family. The place is super nice and clean. I have been to a few water parks(indoor) and some are not that clean people. This one was great and they have so much for kids. A magic show, story time, ice cream parlor, arcade and the list goes on.

I just can't believe how fast this year has gone. Time just slips right by.

Have my cake and eat it too...

Tonight we are having a little thing for my dad and his birthday. Surprise, yes it is. He knows nothing about this. He hates surprises. Last time I threw him a surprise 40th party I believe a few choice words were used. But we got him.. So If I figure out how to post picture I will do some this weekend. Can't wait to eat some cake and have a great time with family.

Andi & Theresa

Oh my

Time around the holidays is just so crazy for me. It's go here do this, go there do that, make sure you here at this time etc etc. I can't think straight some days. Usually by now I am done with Christmas shopping. Not even close or haven't even started which sounds better. I will go with not even close. It gets so hard to buy for people when you know and they know they really don't need anything or really want anything. Only one that needs everything and wants everything is Theresa. Guess a nine year old has to have to latest and greatest. We we have narrowed down the list. She wants a few WII games, the game Life and of course what could we do without the American Girl Doll. To all you my age....think Cabbage Patch but 4 times more $$. I am thinking I can talk her into a few WII games that we both would like so I can enjoy them also, since I will be sitting there watching her play. The doll on the other hand, not so sure. She has the Bitty Twins from 2 Christmas's ago and yeah she does play with them, but all the other dolls she just had to have not so much. I just keep seeing the $$$ when I see that doll. Not sold on that one yet.

Today is my dad's birthday...So happy birthday pops. And can't forget tomorrow is Mom & Dad's anniversary. Wow how did you do it 32years and counting.

Andi & Theresa

P.S. Congrats to Sarah and Kevin.....can't wait to see HC in person......

Where did the days go?

I can't believe that it is Sunday and the last time I wrote was Tuesday. Maybe because I was so happy to get out of here or just happy to see family. I will give you the run down on the weekend.

Friday 12:00 pm...Heading home to finish packing and low and behold my check engine light is on in my car. So I freak thinking only the worst would happen. Call the dealer and they get me in and all is fine. Well not really I wanted to leave at 12:30 didn't get on the road till 1:45.
Rain the whole way...yucky yucky. Got to Eaton Rapids went to the store. Went out to eat with our cousin, uncle, aunt and me and Theresa. Hung out for a couple of hours and then went back to grandmas. I was out pretty early that night... I hate driving in the rain.

Saturday.... got around and headed to the local coffee house to meet up with a old friend. So odd to call her that, she is family. I meet her when I was my daughters age and we have stayed in touch for all these years. I loved just sitting and talking, crying, hugging , sharing and most of all just being there in the moment. It's moments like this that you never forget and you play over and over in your head. Then we went out to the home and showed Theresa were my parents grew up and meet and then to the cemetery. That was sad. My grandpa died a few days before my dads birthday. He has been gone for over thirty. We shared so many memories all weekend with family and friends. It was great to get away from here.

Sunday morning... 6:30am.. looking out the windows (my grandma lives on a river, with windows from floor to ceiling in the living room) and what the world it is snowing. Not just a little..enough to have to get the scrapper out. It continued to snow.. and snow and snow(just got call and it still snowing.) Stopped by the outlet mall, didn't really see anything I had to have. Picked up some new clothes for Theresa and came home.

Had a great time. Had fun with the family. But always glad to be home...

Andi & Theresa