Video that should be life changing

Check out the video listed on the column to the left of this post, under  LINKS

It's  awesome.   

Winners!

I sent my mom & dad the following e-mail:

You are winners!!

Just because you are such fun and exciting people you've been chosen to host an overnighter.

A special guest will be yours to entertain late monday night and all day tuesday!

Arrival time will be determined later.

But aren't you excited!

No special treatment is expected, you don't have to roll out the red carpet, or blow up balloons, just have a warm fire and hot chocolate ready.

You can request not to have the guest but expect tears and screams of disappointment.

If you choose to deny this guest please do so by e-mail so the disappointment won't be as devastating.

Read the fine print:

please supply food, bedding, tv, phone service, computer and hugs.

guest may cancel at anytime due to travel arrangements.

She responded by e-mail saying they would accept the guest.

Then I had to e-mail again saying that they were extra lucky because they were actually getting two guests. 

Jenn & I were going to go over after working out at the gym to spend the night.

When we pulled into the driveway, we looked and there was a note on the door saying:  

Closed due to illness.

It was too funny!

We went in anyways, obviously.  Then my mom was telling me how she told my dad by reading him the e-mail.  She hadn't told him who it was from so when she was reading the e-mail saying they were winners, he said just throw it away because they get contest winner e-mails all the time.  TOO FUNNY! She then told him it was us.

We stayed up way too late as we usually do when we are there, but it's always worth it.

But I did learn that next time I'm leaving Jenn at home.  I get more attention when she's not there. haha. We wanted two different things for breakfast, my mom ended making Jenn's and I had to make my own.  (totally not fair! haha)  

Jenn said I was the booby prize and she was the grand prize. NOT!

It was still fun, being lazy in my pj's, helping mom organize her scrapbooking room, hanging with the parents who would have thunk it.

oh, did I mention she made us watch the inauguration all day because after all it was "history in the making." (Well, we did watch some of it but not all, I think dad slept thru most of it)

thanks mom & dad for letting us come over and just hang out.

Love ya both!

Susan

Brother's Birthday

My baby brothers birthday party is tonight.  His actual birthday was Wednesday the 7th, but we were unable to celebrate then because my dad was in the hospital. (yuk)

Anyways, this blog is about my brother.

As I get older I don't remember as much about when he was born but I do know that I was totally excited!  I wanted a brother.  My sister wanted a girl, but not me.  I wanted a brother.

I can't really express the love I have for him.  He will just always, always be extra special to me.  I can't explain it but I think he's the greatest thing.  Sometimes he frustrates me, things he does boggles my mind but it really makes no difference because I love him anyways.  

He may be 35 but he'll always be my baby brother.  I can't imagine life without him.  I'll always pray for, protect and love him.

Well, I've got to go now and get to the party.

I love you Sam!!!

Susan

a sleepover at mom & dad's

I spent the night at mom & dad's last night.  I love doing that.  It's just a fun and relaxing time.  Not sure why I really say relaxing because it's not like I get alot of sleep. haha.  Mom & I always seem to get busy doing something and end up staying up late.  Then you have the midnight walker. Ha ha.  That's my dad, he's up and down all night long.  (I sleep in the living room ... need I say more?) Morning comes early even tho we didn't get to bed till late.  There's no sleeping in believe me.   But that's okay.  I didn't come to sleep in, but to spend time with them.  And of course have breakfast made for me. Ha.

  Today, while mom was baking banana bread, I ran the vacuum around the house, cleaned the bathroom - and decided NO MORE POWDER for dad.  I've banned powder - even left a sticky note on the bathroom mirror for dad saying "no powder in the bathroom!"  It's unbelievable how it gets everywhere.  I told him it wasn't good for him.  It probably clogs his hearing aids, his lungs, even his nose hairs.  He didn't seem to believe me.  Oh well.

  Mom and I ran to the bank, the post office, and Kohl's while some of the bread was baking.  It was a quick trip.  We thought so, but Sam (my brother) was sure to let us know that he got the bread out of the oven while we were gone otherwise it would've burnt.  Really, we weren't gone that long. hmmmm. (two women alone in a store...well, maybe we took longer then we thought, ha ha)  Anyways when we got home, we printed off some pictures on mom's personal photo printer, a christmas present from my dad, (she opened it early, we had to make sure it was a good one!) ( and boy, do I want one now!).  Scott arrived to pick me earlier than anticipated so I didn't get to do mom's checkbook on the computer.  I'll have to do that next time I go over.   Probably Friday.

Mom & dad, thanks for letting me spend the night.  Love ya both.

Update on the It's a joy post

The girls are now in business!  They sat down one evening and began making headbands for themselves, which I posted about below.

They named their business "Sweet Pea Designs".  They've got a blog which you can follow and order. 

 Check out the link I've listed here on my blog or

 type in 

www.sweet-peadesigns.blogspot.com

How exciting for them!!

Traditions

I was thinking about the many traditions we have as a family.

Here are some:

Nov. - 

1. Birthday parties: Mine, Liz's - a friend one & a family one, Jenn's - a friend one & a family one, when the girls were young I'd have a theme friend party.  It was really fun to plan!

2. Thanksgiving at mom's - sometimes it's with all the extended family, sometimes not.

3. At thanksgiving we would always make containers of left overs for Uncle Rick to take home.  We really missed doing that this year.  It was hard to not have him with us.

4. At thanksgiving taking a traditional picture of Uncle Rick, sometimes he's asleep in a chair otherwise he's watching the football game.  Those pictures will be treasured now.

Uncle Rick & Uncle John before the game starts.

 Nov. 2004

5. Setting up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.  Jenn wasn't too thrilled this year because we didn't decorate with the "traditional" ornaments.  I themed the tree this year!

This is Jenn putting on her traditional "one" ornament for pictures.

Dec. -

1. setting up for the Adult Christmas Party at church.  It takes longer to set up then to take it down.  But boy do we have fun.  The girls help too.  We've been doing this for years.  Some years we've been at church til 3am just setting up and decorating. Fun. 

This picture shows the gym after it is decorated.

2. going to mom's to make cookies the first week of Dec.

3. family christmas party at mom and dad's.  Alot of the extended family come.  We exchange $5 gifts.  We like to see who gets the neatest gift for $5.  We have cookies and other finger foods. (I'll miss Uncle Rick being there.  This is really going to be a hard season)

4.  "Santa" comes to our house on the 24th in the morning.  We started this years and years ago when the girls were little so they could play with their toys before going to mom and dad's.

5.  Spend the night Christmas Eve at mom and dad's.  We play games, snack, watch movies, etc.

6.  Open presents and just hang out at mom and dad's.

7.  The one tradition I really miss is walking across the street to Grandma's on Christmas morning.  We would walk over in our pj's to take Grandma and Grandpa Combs' to give them their gifts.  O good memories!!! I miss you Grandma & Grandpa!!!!!!!!

8. Sarah spends a week with us sometime during christmas break.

9.  New Years Eve - we go to mom and dad's to play games. And then it's tradition to take pots & pans and bang them outside at midnight. oh boy.

March or April-

1. Easter : hide the Easter Baskets.  We still do this even tho the girls are extremely too old for this.  I've included Luke, by having a basket hidden for him.  

2.  Easter dinner at mom & dad's after attending Church

May-

1. Mother's Day - We go out to eat!  Mothers shouldn't have to cook on that day!

2. Memorial day picnic at mom & dad's usually.  Sometimes extended family too.

July-

1. for the Fourth of July we have picnic at mom & dad's.  We used to have it our house before we moved. (we had a pool then)

2. watching the fireworks from the Caterpillar parking lot.  We always go early so to get a specific parking spot. ha ha.  

3. Sarah (she's our "other" daughter)  comes for the 4th.

4. We buy matching 4th of July shirts for Scott, me, Jenn, Liz, Sarah, and Luke.  Last year we also included Heather.  We always take a pix in the shirts.

July 4, 2007

Sept.-

1.  for our anniversary we go away for the weekend.  Usually to somewhere amish.

2. Pumpkin Festival - we design the float, the church booth, work the booth, walk the parade, work the food tent.  It's alot of fun!

I'm sure there's more but that's the ones I can think of right now.

wow, as I look back the Lord has truly blessed me with many memories and with my family. 

Christmas Cookies, It's a tradition

Liz and I spent the night at mom and dad's sunday night.  (Jenn had to go to work in the morning so she didn't spend the night).  It started out as just me spending the night, so Mom and I spent the afternoon doing a little online christmas shopping.  Eventually our necks were stiff, and we decided to go to the store to shop.  We found some great deals!  By the time we got back Liz & Jenn were there.  Liz had decided to spend the night and Jenn just came for awhile.  We made up some cookie dough to be put in the frig.  And then mom & I did a little more online shopping.  Then we watched the christmas movie "Elf" until midnight.  Mom actually stayed awake and I fell asleep.  That's probably a first!

Then Monday morning it was cookie time!!  Sandy & Dalton came, Jenn came from work, and Liz rolled out of bed.  We made sugar cookies -(also known as cut-out cookies), snickerdoodles, and chocolate crinkles. YUM!  Then we divide them up between three of us.  Easier than making cookies by yourself - not to mention alot more fun!

Dad & Sam would sneak in and take a cookie every once in a while.  They both thought they were being sneaking but they weren't.

Then after all the baking, Jenn, Liz, Mom & I went shopping. Oh, I love Christmas time and finding the best bargains!

I love our special cookie baking day!  It's a tradition we started years ago and I hope that we can continue it for many years to come.