I did get some crafting time yesterday! Alli and I went shopping (hence the Walmart pictures) and then I cleaned house, and then.....I took a break! I made up some more glove sets for the bazaar. All of the black gloves I took in are sold, so I made up a few more pairs. I may try to make some more today as well. I also finished up a scarf that was ordered, so there is another set (scarf and gloves) sold! Since this is the time of year for crafting, I don't feel so guilty sitting around crocheting - they are for presents!

I still need to sew some of my presents, but I may wait and do that when I am on vacation (in a week!) I hate to do that, though, because my vacation week always seems to disappear on me! I have one day shot already - Alli has a dentist appointment at 8:00 am, and AJ has one at 4:00 pm and I have a nail appointment in between. That day is shot for any serious work! I also have the annual Christmas Breakfast at work one day, which means I have to be at the bank by 6:30! So much for a day off! It is a fun morning, so I don't mind going in, but I may try to skip it this year, we'll see!

When Alli and I went to Walmart this morning, our Christmas pictures were in! The girls at the photo center flagged us down as we walked by to tell us. Here are scans of the pictures! Those of you that read the blog and want pictures, let me know which one(s) you want!

Ahhh, Saturday! A day to sleep in, laze around, NOT! I do love my 'morning time' to read e-mails, etc., and it is nice (sort of) that Alli gets me up early so I have time, but then it is off and running! I stayed up late last night, and know better, because Alli was up at 5:15 this morning. Maybe I can sneak in a nap this afternoon?

Dad is back in the hospital again - going in Thursday around 1:00. As if yesterday, he is still in Susanville. He is not able to keep his oxygen level up at home on a nasal cannula, but they were able to get it up with an oxygen mask at the hospital. I talked to Mom yesterday at lunch, and she hadn't heard anything new yet. Ronna was coming in yesterday afternoon, so I'll check in later today to see what is going on.

AJ has a campout with the scouts this weekend. They are doing a Junior Leadership Training (JLT) session this weekend. Hopefully, they can get someone to take over the Senior Patrol position from AJ. This is his second year! The campout is down in Cottonwood at the Scout Master's property, so we don't have to haul him very far to take him and then to fetch him back. He missed the last two days of school though, because he was sick (and shared his cold with his dad - lovely!) but he seems to have recovered enough to go camping. (If he really enjoyed the campouts, I might be more suspicious, but I think he really was sick!)

AJ also finally finished his Driver's Ed training course - the paperwork side of it at least! We started this last year during his Christmas break, and last weekend I grounded him from all 'fun' activities until it was done. A year is too long for a simple on-line training program! He finished it in less than a week, no problems! I should have done that earlier! Now he just needs his certificate (being mailed) and then he can take the driving side of the course.

We're back from our Sacramento trip. The traffic was busy all the way down I5! Between road construction and the traffic, it took almost 3 hours to get to the hospital instead of the estimated 2 1/2. Alli was a good girl most of the trip, and was a good girl during the hospital part of it, so I can't complain! On the way down, there was the largest flock of birds I have seen down by the wildlife refuge. I have seen a lot of birds there before, but not like this!


The visit to the Shriner's Hospital didn't yield anything particularly new about Alli's foot. It isn't a bone problem, so they won't be doing surgery or anything. They think it is related to her Autism and brain/nerve functions. The term 'dystonia' was used, I think, and doing research on that word matches up to some of her symptoms. The course of treatment for her is to splint the ankle and monitor to make sure it doesn't get worse. If it does get worse? No telling! It doesn't look like there are a lot of options at this time, especially if it is related to her brain functions!

Alli and I are off today to Sacramento! She has an evaluation appointment at Shriner
s Hospital for her ankle/foot at 12:45 today - and they want us there a half hour early, so....we will be leaving somewhere around 9:00 to allow time for pit stops and a lunch stop on the way. It will definitely be an all day trip! Of course, she was up early today (5:15!) so I have all morning to myself. It will really feel like a day off of work!

So far, the only things selling at the craft fair at work are my gloves and scarfs, I think - which is actually good for me! Any snowflakes I sell I will have to make replacements for for my gift giving, so I'm not too broken-hearted. I picked up some more black gloves the other night - I am sold out of all the black ones - I need to make more! I have two more scarves on order as well. Not too bad!

Sunday was a busy day around here! I didn't make it to church, but I got the shopping done, the laundry done, and then Ralph and I dusted and AJ vacuumed, and AJ and I decorated the house for Christmas! Ralph helped dust because I was moving some of his 'stuff' and asked what he wanted done with it - I didn't think it needed to be just stored on a shelf (because of the dust). He agreed that it probably shouldn't be there, cleaned the dust off of all of it, and put it away somewhere. After we got the house done, AJ and I started in of the leaves in the front yard!

All of the leaves are not off of the trees yet, but a lot of them are, and I thought it looked a little tacky to just leave them waiting until the last one fell (the usual plan around here). Alli went down for a nap, so we got started - Ralph came out and helped too! It didn't look too bad right after we finished, but I am sure there are more leaves on it now. Ralph said he was going to mow the lawn today - which will make it easier to rake the leaves next time too. The grass was pretty long under all those leaves.


We put the leaves out in the garden for mulch (thank you again David for rototilling the garden for me!) All those leaves were just piled up right by the fence, so AJ and I decided to spread them around a bit. Then, AJ decided that it would be even more fun if the dogs helped us. It was! I went in and got the camera after the first couple of minutes and videoed it. So cute! Koori wanted to stay by me, so when I got out to video it, she didn't play with AJ as much, just stood in the corner looking at him, checking on me - what a funny dog!

Thanksgiving in Susanville went good - good food, good company, good fun! It is amazing how much the 'boys' have grown. Since I only see them once (or twice - if we make the camping trip) a year, I really notice. Jeff's older boys are becoming 'men', and little Jakie isn't so little any more! Time does fly, doesn't it!

We're off to Susanville today, for my family Thanksgiving. I don't know for sure how many of us will be there, but we are bringing an extra. Dallas is coming up with us to keep AJ company. I doubt that I will see them all day, until it is time to eat. They will probably be in the computer room all day! Ronna was going to try to get over, but I don't know that she will be able to. It is a long trip from Ft. Bragg!

What a great Thanksgiving! I wish I had the day off today, though, and that I could have slept in! I wish I could have just slept in, even if I do have to go to work - Alli woke up bright and cheerful at 4:15 this morning. She played nicely in her room, but....we were both awake. I finally gave up and got up at 5:15.

Thanksgiving was great - Auntie Inez is doing good - she is 92 now. Debbie (Pat's daughter) made Parkerhouse rolls (Auntie's specialty) and was asking for pointers from Inez - Debbie didn't think hers came out right. (They were wonderful - I hardly got to eat any because every time I put one on my plate, Alli would take it from me!) I was listening hard to Inez' pointers, just in case I ever try to make them too! Debbie also announced her engagement yesterday. She will be moving to Barbados! What a shock! I'm very happy for her!

What happens when you stuff everyone with turkey and all sorts of side dishes? They take a nap! Angela (Debbie's daughter), Alex and Allison all napped after dinner. (Alli and I napped after we got home too, which may be why she was up so early this morning!) The side dishes I took turned out pretty good. The honey glazed carrots weren't very glazed, but they had a nice flavor to them. Pat said that last time she glazed something, it took a long time for the glaze to thicken, so I may try cooking the glaze longer next time. The Brussels sprouts gratin was good too. Pixie (Larry's daughter) had brought Brussels sprouts too - luckily a different recipe - so we had plenty of Brussels sprouts! Pat made a roasted butternut squash dish that was wonderful as well - along with the wonderful dressing, gravy, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, turkey, etc. Too much good food!



Since I was making veggie dishes yesterday, I had the morning free, so....I pulled out my sewing machine and whipped up a hat and scarf out of fleece. I'm not real happy with the scarf - the design could use so work. (The design was mine - I had extra material left over from the hat - hmmmm - what can I do with this???) The first picture is a a bit blurry and over exposed, but it shows the hat off a bit better than the other.



I also took pictures of my snowflakes and gloves I have made recently. Our 'Christmas bazaar' starts Monday, so I will take them in to work today and try to get a display set up. I am undecided about whether I want them to sell or not. If they sell, I have to make replacements for my gift list. If they sell, I will have some extra money for Christmas shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving! Today is our 'local' Thanksgiving - spent with Ralph's family. Pat is a wonderful cook, and we are looking forward to it! Saturday, we will travel to Susanville for my family's Thanksgiving. Two Thanksgivings for us - Yippee!

One thing to be thankful for......Dad was released from the hospital yesterday. He was released to go straight home, which I don't think he was ready for, but there weren't a lot of options. There isn't a place at a 'skilled nursing facility' or a rehab place open, and staying in the hospital was making him worse. At least at home he will have to get up and walk to the bathroom, etc. Hopefully, he will do his therapy and exercises, and actually get better!

I love school holidays! No rush to make a lunch for Alli, get her backpack packed, get both kids up, showered and dressed! Alli's daycare doesn't care if she comes in her jammies (she doesn't, really!) and they feed her breakfast! AJ is usually still asleep when Alli and I leave, so my stress level is really low in the morning right now. I have plenty of time to play around on the computer, clean house (not!) and just take my time.

Another early morning around here. Alli was awake at 4:45! She didn't get up until 5:15 or so, but I was awake! For whatever reason, AJ slept on the couch in the computer room last night, so I woke him up this morning when I came in. He asked if it really was 5:30 and decided he was going back to sleep for a while. Lucky kid!

It looks like Dad may be moving back in to Susanville. He has agreed to go to the skilled nursing facility there, now to get his doctors to agree and to get him space there, etc. We are hoping he can be there before Saturday, and we can kidnap him for Thanksgiving dinner. I think that is the only reason he has agreed to move to the nursing facility - the chance to be home for Thanksgiving. They keep trying to convince him that we aren't sending him to the nursing home permanently- it's just a temporary measure to get him strong enough to go home.

We are busy at work - which is a good thing, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing! I was hoping it would be a slow week because of vacations, but since I am short handed because of vacation coverage, we are still busy! I felt like I was pretty much at a dead run all day yesterday, and I don't think today will be much better. Maybe Wednesday? I think Friday will be slow because no one knows or cares that we are open on Friday - they are all either shopping or staying far, far away from the shoppers! (I vote for staying far, far away!)

I now have the proverbial 'sore thumb'. I cut the tip of my thumb Saturday morning, and since then have found out how many things that you do actually use your thumb! To add insult to injury, I then burned the same thumb Saturday night (on broccoli - really! how dumb is that???) Sunday was supposed to be a cleaning day, since Saturday didn't turn out to be one, and I needed to clean, but...I was wounded! (Good enough excuse?)

I am actually wondering if I am coming down with something. I have no energy, a headache, and I just don't feel 'good'. I don't feel bad (except for the headache part), I just don't feel like myself. Hopefully, it is just a slump or something, and I'll bounce out of it quickly! I don't want to get a cold!

I took the kids in Saturday to have Christmas pictures done. Our Walmart is in the midst of a conversion to a Super Walmart, and this weekend was the first weekend it was open as a grocery store as well as a regular Walmart. I usually go to Walmart early in the morning, when it is still sane there. Our pictures were at 1:00, so.....we got to see all those people in the "People of Walmart" photos. They really are out there! Scary! The photo booth at Walmart has been wonderful over the years. The two girls working on Saturday did wonders to get Alli to cooperate and smile. They got some nice pictures of her. They even got some good pictures of AJ - sometimes hard to do too! I don't know how many more years I can get him to do Christmas pictures - each year I think it may be the last - he will be 17 is January!!