Super Super Bowl Bear Party

Well it has been my 1st Super Bowl and party. Don't know how I would have made it without all of my guests. We are snowed in and hubby is at work. So what is a crazy woman to do? Well for starters I have never seen a Super Bowl. I'm not a football fan so why not have fun with it? While cleaning the grand baby room I noticed in the pile of Build a Bear's that there was a Green Bay football uniform and a sweat shirt. Well that birthed the idea. Have my unusual Super Bowl party.

So play by play and commercials the bears have a party. I document it. Of course I only know the teams that are playing and nothing more. Due to the fact that we have a Packers uniform we became Packers fans. We had our own 1/2 time show with Pepsi Max and our Can of Black Eyed peas. All pics are on my facebook page. Good thing Green Bay one.

If nothing else it was a blast doing it.

Take time to say thank you.

Due to the blizzard of 2011 I have been finishing cleaning jobs that became the piles of "get to it later". To my shock later finally came. So after we moved to Bville for my teaching position in Nowata our house sat empty. We had a mail slot so for the first couple of years we still got mail delivered. Upon moving back I was digging thru the pile of mail that was heaping over the mail basket. There were ancient sale ads and tons of junk mail. Nestled in the mess was a long lost Christmas card. It was from one of the parents of a 1st grade student from my first year of teaching. The post mark was from 2004. It was so sweet she had said she had remembered how I had wanted to keep up with my students. It included a few pics and the sweetest note. I planned on writing back and put the card and all it's contents in a safe place. Things were busy with the last years of raising children and the birth of grand kids. I think I may have sent a Christmas card one year back to her but I'm not really sure. Every time I cleaned I shuffled that card and it's contents and wanted to take the time to write back. I had really wanted to thank her for everything she did that first year.

Yesterday upon finding the card again I decided that I could take the time. Thinking I might have sent a Christmas card and never heard back and it being so many years since I has gotten the card I thought the address might be wrong. So being the Face book guru I decided to look them up. I had tried to do this several times before but had misspelled the last name. So card in hand I set out on my quest. Knowing how many young people have a face book I decided to try her son first. Right away I found his page and sent a friend request explaining that I was his 1st grade teacher. I saw his moms name on there and some numbers. Quickly I set off on my quest to find Mary Lou and thank her for everything she had done for me that 1st year. I typed in her name carefully (because I don't type) and got no results. At first it didn't bother me. It is common for adults not to have a face book. But I noticed at the bottom of the page some google results and it had her name in the obituaries. Looked at the age and it was about right and town was right. NO! It couldn't be I hadn't told her thank you properly. It must be a mistake. Her son now 20 had quickly accepted my friend request so I gently sent him a message telling him how I wanted to thank his mom and asking if he remembered the highlights of that year. He responded that his mom had passed in July suddenly and my heart sank. I had missed it, my chance to tell someone what a wonderful gift they had given me. I just sat and cried. I didn't know what to do. I had to tell someone. Well this is where this blog comes in I'm going to tell you what a gift she gave me.

Holding the card in my hand more priceless now, it contains pics of her 2 sons in Oct of 02, Christmas morning 01, and one of Christmas 99. The card reads "Cathy, Thought ~you often over the years. Never forgot you wanted more pictures of your 1st grade class. I still need to unbury those among other thing! I hope you are still teaching. I talk ~ that year often. Tyler and I enjoyed you. How are all your children? Write or call when you can. Best to you and your family."

See what you don't know is I had to wait 5 years after getting my teaching degree to get my first teaching job. It was at a private church school for less pay than public and I felt lucky to get it. I had interned in upper grades and was frankly scared to death that I wouldn't be able to teach these children to read. I also had recently had a miscarriage and was torn apart. We had tried to adopt after that but had been lost in the shuffle. Then in October we found out that my husband was permanently laid off from his job of 16 years. I was pretty much a wreck and was doing my first year of teaching. I grew to love the students and they me. Mary Lou had taken off from work to stay home with her youngest son. Her outlet was to come up to the school and volunteer. She was the glue that kept me afloat. She decorated my bulletin boards, made copies, and many countless tasks. She was always there to listen and pray with me and me for her. I remember when it came time for my birthday and the kids asked how old I was going to be. Jokingly I said 19 (that was the age of my oldest son). To my surprise on my birthday in walked Mary Lou with a cake and decorations. She said Tyler said it was turning 19 and they wanted to give me a party. So we had my 19th birthday party with cake ice cream and the works. The cake had the 19 candles on it. She was always doing something. She took pictures of all the class events and was my homeroom mom. With her help I had to make 2 trips to the car with Christmas presents. One was from them and it was an I heart teaching 1st grade pin. (I still have that) At the end of the year she gave me a necklace one of those charm kind that were so popular. It had 2 charms one is a teacher charm the other is a heart. It is gold tone and I usually wear silver but this one still comes out many times a year. I never fail to be asked about it and I remember how awesome Mary Lou was to me. I tell them it was given to me my 1st yr of teaching by a very special student and his mom.

The truth is Mary Lou I have thought of you often too. When I was so broken, lost, thinking God had forgotten all about me he sent you. Like an angel you were there for me showing God's love. I truly don't know how I would have made it without you. You loved your boys like I had never seen before. It made me try to be a better and stronger mother. I just want to say THANK YOU for bring God's servant and for everything you did for me. I wished I has been able to do this in person.

Take the time today to thank those that God has put in your path. Don't be so busy being a Martha that you let your Mary moments slip you by.

Who needs wrapping paper?

Children can sometimes do things that you would never see coming in like a million years. This is one of them. Years back we only had only the 3 boys. I was working out of town and my husband working shift work. My youngest son had a birthday party to go to one day. I was working late and their dad was working that night. I had bought the present for the party and was planning on wrapping it before work but forgot. My son called asking where I had left the present. I explained that it was still in the bag and I had forgot to wrap it. I keep the wrapping paper in a standard place. I proceeded to tell him where it was and tell him how to wrap it. What is the worst thing that can happen? A big tape ball, crinkled paper, maybe a rip that you can see the present threw. Okay I look like a failure of a mom but I figure I can live through this. I was blindsided by what happened. I called later to check and make sure he had wrapped the present. When he said yes I assumed all was well. HOW BADLY COULD HE HAVE WRAPPED THIS PRESENT? Don't ask! The party was down the street. When I came home he was still at the party. Later when he came home he was carrying his pillow case. (this will become a vital star of this story real soon) I asked about the party, what the child got and the dared ask how did the wrapping go? WHY DID I ASK?? He said great! Whew I was saved. So I asked him which paper he had chosen. Bad! Bad! Why did you ask? He said "Oh mom that looked too hard so I just put it in my pillowcase." YES HIS PILLOW CASE. Not a clean one, his used dirty one, the one that could stand alone. No way it was a joke. Lol Okay really what did you use? There it was in all it's glory the nasty pillow case. I could see it. The table loaded with brightly colored presents and then the rank pillow case. What could the mom do? I can see her asking why his pillow was on the table. My mother of the year award nomination would never come now. My chances at becoming the next Martha Stewart gone ended by one stinking (no pun intended) pillow case. Thank goodness this mom wasn't one I knew well. I still can only imagine what she must have thought of me. From that point on I kept gift bags around just in case.

Daddy I have a mackachonie in my nose!

Grand kid stories are my favorite. Gotta make sure all of them make it to my blog. This granddaughter has never stuck anything up here nose that I am aware of. So here's how the story goes. She's eating dinner, her dad has company over and is cooking. She comes to him and says "Daddy I have a mackachonie in my nose". He looks up her nose and sees nothing. FYI macaroni is kinda flesh color in the nose. Thinking she is just wanting attention he sends her back to eat. Few minutes later he notices she is just sitting there looking like she is pouting. So he asks here what's wrong. She firmly replies " I HAVE A MACKACHONIE IN MY NOSE!" So again he proceeds to check up her nose. Finally he sees a faint something, gets a flashlight and sure enough there is a noodle in her nose. Now the fun part how do you get it out? He finally extracts it with long tweezers. Somehow, I think she has learned her lesson which place the mac and cheese fits best.

Her name shall be Squatlow

Blog is taking a different turn. Had to leave out of blogging the Daniel fast to spent time with God. Blog will now continue as normal. Follow and enjoy my daily humor.
Today's post.......
Here's the background. My 2 year old granddaughter is going to be a big sister in May. This child amazes everyone how smart she it. So I knew her parents had been talking about names so one day while she was staying with us last week I thought I would get the 411 on what they were tossing around. So I slyly asked so... what is your new sisters name going to be? NEVER I REPEAT NEVER ASK A 2 YEAR OLD THIS QUESTION WHILE EATING. (obviously I was) She answered with out any change in normal tone "Spot". So after rolling in laughter and being close to needing someone to perform the Heimlich maneuver on me I repeated my question surely she had misunderstood me. To my surprise she had understood my question and repeated "Spot". I laughed so hard tears began to roll from my eyes. She never did understand the humor. Sooo... my son who always looks for a way to give me a hard time is going to have a daughter named Spot. I am poised to get a good one in on him. Just wait till he comes to pick her up and I get to have a laugh on him.
I can't wait he barely walks in and we talk for a few minutes. Then I aim for my target. "So tonight I found out what you guys are planning to name the new baby. Tell daddy what you told Grams is going to be the new baby's name?" Out of nowhere she says "SQUAT LOW" Where did that come from? Then my son says yep that's what she has been calling her. They have no idea why. I explained that she had told me Spot. Foiled by a 2 year old!!! Like father like daughter. Man am I in trouble.
So I wonder why the new baby is being called Squat low? Ok, my granddaughter does have an Indian card. Does she think the baby needs an Indian name? Has she misunderstood the name her parents are thinking about? Then it hits me, she is going to be a BIG SISTER, THE FIRSTBORN. She is putting her lil sis in her place before she is born. So for now her name shall be Squat low.

Daniel fast Day 8

Sunday one week I can't believe it. Way better than last year. God has so blessed me with the new ideas to try. We went shopping Sat. and found Bible Bread and Boco veggie burgers. Today I prepared a veggie stew. It was great but the noodles got mushy. Barley was great in it. Also made a fruit salad with all kinds of fresh fruit and canned 100% fruit peaches. It was awesome. Starting a mixed bean thing for Monday.
God's spirit was so strong in church today. We are growing so close to God and each other. I didn't realize that we would become closer. We are still praying hard for our children. Seems like their not doing so good. My grandson does need prayer. I really just think I am too old to take him on. We have finally become just us after 30 years together with kids. We only had 9 months of being married without them. I was pregnant and had raging hormones so that doesn't count. Really weighing heavy on my heart. He is only 4 months.

Daniel fast Day 7 smoking or non smoking lol

Ok I'm not Julie or Julia. Did I say that because I tried to burn the house down today? Why yes yes I did. Got to sleep in and was making stir fry for lunch and was trying to hurry. I was watching this house flip show with Steve put my pan on to boil for the rice. Then in my great wisdom I put the oil in the wok and proceeded to go to the living room to see how much progress was made. I meant to come right back. Next thing I know I'm standing there I smell a funny smell and remember that I was supposed to be cooking. Run in the kitchen to find flames in the wok kitchen filling with smoke. NOT GOOD. At least I was smart enough not to put it under running water. I moved it off the stove to the edge of the sink and let it burn out. I had the bright idea to watch it to make sure it went out. I had covered up the exhaust fan during the cold spell so the house filled with smoke. When the house was so smoky that you couldn't see your hand in front of you my smoke alarm finally went off. Don't think it would save my life if I was asleep. Anyhow after a lot of smoke inhalation I was able to clean the pan and resume cooking lunch while watching my food.
Praying still for kids and grandson. Most of my prayers are unspoken and for others so I'm not publishing them. Really have enjoyed spending time with God and hubby.