Thanksgiving

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving.

There was cheese. { I heart cheese.}

There was football

There was Monopoly playing

I'm not sure what was going on here.  I think she was gloating after beating her Aunt Michelle and Uncle Joe at said Monopoly game.

There was lounging around

There was fun at the playground

There was monkeying around

There was delicious food.

There were stunning views on the trip home(and no more flat tires-yay).

There was much to be thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Getting here was a pain.  Flat tire on our brand new tire, causing us to get a late start, tons of traffic through L.A., stopping every hour to fill up said tire.  A can of fix-a-flat solved the problem for now but we will have to take it to a tire shop and try and have it patched before our trip home on Sunday. Then Joe will have to go back to the tire shop we purchased it at on Monday and get a new one.

Took us nine long hours to get here but we made it safely and that's all that matters.

Can't wait to eat myself into a food coma.

I hope everyone has a happy thanksgiving!

A Perfect Day

Yesterday was such a beautiful day.  It was supposed to rain all day, but of course it didn't. It was cold and cloudy but no rain.  Joe and I hung around the house all morning and I made chocolate chip cookies.  Later in the afternoon we went on a bike ride to our favorite trail.

You know how they say that you never forget how to ride a bike?  Well apparently that doesn't apply to me.  I have a hard time on my bike.  My balance isn't very good.  I wobble a lot.  I can't ride in a straight line very well and if I am trying to maneuver around something(like a tree, or a bench, or a person) sometimes I panic and just take my feet off of the pedals completely.  Not the best plan.  I don't know what happened to me because I used to be quite a good rider.  You know, 30 years ago, when I used to ride a bike.  I have been practicing quite a bit but I still do better in large open spaces.  Being around people makes me nervous.  I think it's partly because my bike doesn't have hand brakes.  Joe's brother fixes bikes for a living so we are going to ask him if he will put them on my bike for my Christmas present this year.  We'll see if I improve after that.

We are so lucky to have this trail near our house.  It's one mile away so we can ride there and back.  The trail itself is 1 and a half miles each way and we rode the whole thing so it was a total of 5 miles. My legs were tired!

Here are some pictures of our ride.

I really wanted to make a video while I was riding, like a helmet cam.  Problem is, as I said before, I'm not that great of a rider.  Joe warned me not to do it but I didn't listen.  Things started out O.K., but only went downhill(literally) after that.  Here's where it started out O.K.

Here's where it starts to go wrong:

I love Sundays

 A few weeks ago I had an order for a couple of custom name banners.  Rhonda asked me to create banners for her daughter and her niece for Christmas.

For the first banner she asked for pinks and purples(but not pastel), with Fairies and butterflies as the theme.

I love the way it turned out.

Here are some close ups of the letters. I was lucky enough to find these

 Fairy stickers that suited the colors perfectly.

Butterflies

I also made one for Rhonda's daughter, Lizzie but darn it if I forgot to take pictures of it! It turned out quite different than this one, with black, hot pink and lime green as the colors(Fairies and butterflies as the theme again).  I'm hoping Rhonda will share a picture with me after she hangs it up in Lizzie's room.

I love making these.  It is calming for me to sit and cut, glue, and tie ribbons on these while I am watching t.v. at night.

If you know of anyone who would like one of these, please drop me a line at chinaadopter@gmail.com. I can do any theme imaginable, even Boys, which I have not been asked to do yet.

It's supposed to rain all day today.  Heavy rains and wind. At least that's what the forecast is calling for.  However, as I sit looking out my patio door, I actually see the sun peeking through the clouds so it's possible the weather forecasters were wrong, which is strange because usually they are spot on.  Heh.  We are going out for a walk later today, no matter what the weather.  You know how much I love walking in the rain.

The later today I am baking 6 dozen cookies.  As soon as Joe is done with the kitchen.  He is making us breakfast right now.  Lucky me.  Yum.

I need to drop them off at various locations tomorrow,  as a thank you for some people.  

I'd better get up off the couch.

I hope you enjoy your Sunday!

Firsts

 I'm trying to come with some content to write about here but I keep coming up blank.


This is going around on FB so I though I would play along here instead.

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?

 I didn't go to Prom.  And no, I don't regret it.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? 

              Every day

3. What was your FIRST job? Preschool Aide

4. What was your FIRST car?   Honda Civic

5. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? 

             Twitter

6. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?  Joe

7. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? 

Mrs. Stewart.  I loved her. 

8. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane? I think to Hawaii as a kid.

  

9. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk? Hmmmmm.....I don't remember much about my friends before 4th grade or so, but Kelly E. and Debbie L. were my good friends then. I am friends with both on FB and we "talk" occasionally through that, so yes.

10. Where was your FIRST sleep over? 

Well it was either at Kelly or Debbie's house.

11. Who was the first person you talked to today? 

My dog.  I know she isn't a person.  But we have conversations.  O.K.?

12. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? 

               My cousin Joyce.

13. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?  

              Go to the bathroom.

14. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? 
              Oingo Boingo Halloween concert

15. FIRST tattoo? No Tattoos

16. FIRST piercing? Ears 

17. FIRST foreign country you went to? China.  

18. FIRST movie you remember seeing? Annie. My mom used to drop us off at the bargain theater and we saw it over and over.  It's still one of my favorite plays. Also,  E.T.

19. When was your FIRST detention? In high school.  I forgot to put a book cover on my history book and the teacher gave me a detention.  How lame is that?? 
 She was not my favorite teacher.  :)

20. Who was your FIRST roommate? My sister

21. If you had one wish, what would it be?  For my husband to find a good paying job so we wouldn't have to drop out of the China program.  I guess that was 2 wishes.

 22. What is something you would learn if you had the chance? 
             To play an instrument 

23. Did you marry the FIRST person to ask for your hand in marriage? Yes

24. What was the first sport that you were involved in?  
          Showing  Horses.  I  Ranked #1 in the State of CA!

 25. What were the first lessons you ever took?  Accordian

 26. What is the first thing you do when you get home? 
                      Change my clothes

  

27. Who do you think will be the first person to post this? No idea 

28. When was your first kiss that you would count? 
           Senior in high school, to my now husband 

29. In what grade did you feel really confident?  
    College when I switched to the Early Childhood program 

30. When did you receive your first "F" in school? 

In college I forgot to drop my history class after I stopped attending.  I Re-took the class and got an A. 

31. First important event / activity from which you were cut? 
         I'm not sure I was ever cut from anything.

 32. When did you first realize that you no longer believed in what you once believed in? 

              Recently.  It saddens me.

 33. What is your most memorable family vacation? 
               Camping trips to Lake Shasta

 34. What would you do over if you could? 

I would get my Bachelor's degree instead of wasting 2 years getting an A.A. only to spend another 2 years getting another after I changed majors.  Two A.A.'s equals a B.A., right?

35. Besides raising your children and marrying your spouse, what accomplishment are you most proud of?  
How sad that I can't think of anything off the top of my head.  Maybe it hasn't happened yet.

 36. What's at the top of your "bucket list"?  To be a Mom. 

Thankful Thursday

 I am supposed to be participating in this thing where you post something every day on FB that you are thankful for.  Well I am lame and I forget every single day, so I'm going to play catch up here and try to remember to do it from now on.

1.  I am thankful for new tires.  Not exactly how I wanted to spend my paycheck, but they were MUCH needed and we couldn't go up North for Thanksgiving without them.

2.  I am thankful to work at a job that takes off Thanksgiving and the day after.  I can't believe how many stores are open on Thanksgiving now.  Big Lots is open on Thanksgiving.  Big Lots!  Because nothing says Thanksgiving like a lovely meal and a trip to Big Lots afterward.  Sheesh.

3.  I am thankful to once again be spending Thanksgiving with my sister and family, and Dad in San Francisco.  My brother in law makes the most delicious thanksgiving meal. We look forward to it every year.

4.  I am thankful for rice packs.  I bought one from Perrin last year and I love it.  It has been really helping with the severe sinus pain I have been having, and it's pretty too! (Pink toile.  love it.)

5.  I am also thankful for antibotics. I turns out the sinus pain I was having(it was seriously like no pain I have ever experienced before) was actually a sinus infection.  I hope to be feeling better as soon as the antibiotics kick in.

6.  I am thankful for Green Tea.

7.  I am thankful for friends.  I am very lucky to have great friends that support me, no matter what. Whether  I am having a good day or a bad day, or feeling sad and need to vent.  Most of them live far away.  I wish they lived closer.  I am so thankful to have them.

8.  I'm thankful for t.v.  I know that seems like a strange thing to be thankful for.  Joe and I don't go out much.  We spend a lot of time at home.  We have a whole slew of shows that we like to sit down and watch together every week and it helps pass the time.  Plus, how lucky am I that he will watch almost any show I want with me, and not complain?

9.  I am thankful for my bike.  Oh how I love my bike.  We have been having such a great time on our bike rides.  We have been taking 4 and 5 mile rides around our neighborhood to local parks.  It's such a good workout too, and it doesn't hurt my back(like almost every other kind of exercise I have tried lately).  We hope to be able to afford a bike rack for my car so we can try out some trails farther away.

10.  I'm thankful to have a job.  I  know I say this all the time, but if you have a job, be thankful.  Imagine how your life would change if you lost your job tomorrow.  Be thankful that you have one today.

11.  I'm thankful for pumpkin spice candles.

12.  I am thankful that the holidays are close.  Last year I did not enjoy Christmas.  I worried and stressed and wallowed in self pity because we couldn't buy any presents or exchange gifts with each other.  This year I have changed my attitude.  Christmas only comes once a year and usually I love it and I am not wasting another whole year feeling bitter.  I am going to make the most of what we have.  Lots of handmade gifts and Joe and I will exchange one small gift.  Bring it on Christmas!  But still no Christmas music until two weeks before.  I just can't do it.  We have to change our radio station at work for a few weeks because they start playing it 24 hours a day a few days before Thanksgiving.  It's too much!

13.  I'm thankful for a good cup of coffee.

14.  I am thankful for the beautiful weather we have been having. So gorgeous!

15.  I am thankful to have Wednesdays off.  I was feeling so poorly yesterday due to the sinus infection and it was so nice to be able to rest instead of having to drag myself to work.

16.  I am thankful for my dog.  She is always so happy to see me when I come home after being away. Every single time.

17. I am thankful for Joe.  (This list is in no particular order. It means nothing that Joe was next to last.  LOL)

18.  I am thankful for Featherbeds.  We got one a couple months ago and it is like sleeping on  a cloud.

There.  I'm caught up.

What are you thankful for?

Black and White Wednesday

                                                                           Sisters

I wish I didn't live so far away from mine.  I would move closer to her in a heartbeat, if Joe could get a job where she lives.  He has been trying.  I have been hoping.

Don't forget to stop by Lisa's blog for more Black and White Wednesday  shots.

Christmas Banners for Sale

I have a few Christmas projects I have been working on so I thought I would put them up for sale.  I sold quite a few of the Thanksgiving banners.

If there isn't any interest, no big deal.  They will go out as gifts.


Merry Christmas banner
I went for a vintage feel on this one.  It is two banners that are made to hang one above the other.  It kind of looks like fabric but it is card stock and patterned paper.

Joy Banner

Noel Banner

E-mail me for info on pricing.  chinaadopter(at)gmail(.com)

Happy Veterans Day

 My Dad is a veteran(thanks Dad!)


(My husband had a short stint in the military too but he doesn't like to talk about).  


           


          Thank you to all who served and are serving our country.

Black and White Wednesday

                          For more Black and White Wednesday shots, head on over to Lisa's blog.

Random

I have so many thoughts swirling around in my head that I can't sleep.

I miss my sister.  And my friends.  I wish we could move closer to them.  I really do.  I don't have a lot of friends here that I can hang out with or even call when I am feeling down.

I wish my husband had a job.  Sometimes I wonder if he ever will.  I guess I need to accept the fact that if we stay in CA it could be a long while before he does.  I'm trying to get used to this new "normal" but it's hard when we are barely getting by.

I have so many things that I need to do but I can't bring myself to do them.  I need to take down that 36 months video.  I can't watch it without crying and I find myself watching it often lately.  I guess it's part of the grieving process.

I need to change my e-mail address.  I can't very well have it saying "chinaadopter".  

I need to think about what to do about this blog.  Should I close it down and start a new one?  Keep it the same and just change the name?

I want to open an Esty store but I am afraid.  I went and looked at some of the other stores that sell papercrafts and banners like I have  and they are all so professional looking.  I don't feel like my stuff is as nice as theirs.  (Low self esteem much?)

Tomorrow is my day off and I have a bazillion things I need to get done.

Christmas is coming and as usual I am not ready.  We aren't buying presents this year(again).  This really bums me out.  I love Christmas shopping.  I love choosing gifts for people and wrapping them up and giving them.  I do have a few handmade items that I am planning to make and give.  But I miss Christmas shopping.  Heck I miss shopping in general.  I am going to put up our tree this year though.  In fact, I am going to decorate our tiny one bedroom apartment to the hilt.  I love Christmas and I am going to enjoy it this year. Unlike last year.  I just wanted it to be over and then it was over and I was upset that I didn't let myself enjoy it.  But no Christmas music until after Thanksgiving.  It's just wrong.  In fact I usually wait until two weeks before to start listening.  For some reason most Christmas music makes me feel sad.  Am I the only one who feels this way?

I don't like the time change.  I don't have a particular reason, other than the fact that I just hate change period.  I don't mind it getting dark early so much as it hasn't really changed what I do in the evenings.  Come home from work, make dinner, watch t.v, veg on the couch.  I have started using my Wii Fit again so the time change hasn't really affected my exercise.  I am loving riding my bike though and I'll only be able to do it on my day off and the weekends now.  I do love getting up when it is light out.  It was pitch black when my alarm was  going off before the time change.

I guess I am just feeling a little blue after having such a fabulous weekend and then having to go back to real life.  Re-entry is hard!

And now I should probably get off the computer and try and get some sleep.  Insomnia has been hitting me hard the last 2 nights and I am exhausted.  Yet I can't sleep.  It is maddening.

Girl's Weekend

I had the best weekend.  The.  Best.  Weekend.  It was pure fun from beginning to end.

I flew up Friday morning and Lisa picked me up at the airport.  We picked up lunch and headed to her new house.  It is sooooo pretty.  I can't wait to spend Thanksgiving there in a  couple of weeks.  Lisa had a hair appointment so I went to the kid's school to pick up Grace.  Lisa lives in kind of a small town and I can't tell you how many people said "Hi Lisa" to me while I stood in front of the school waiting for Grace. It's so weird to me.  I know we look alike but sometimes I forget we are twins.  I haven't been confused with her since I was a kid.  (Although I learned at a young age to answer to either Lisa or Michelle.  To this day if someone calls out "Lisa" I will turn my head).

After bringing the kids home from school Lisa and I were on our way to dinner with Kayce, Stacey, and M3.  Everything about that night was perfect.  Delicious food, good conversation, great friends.  We sat there for hours talking.  I thought they were going to kick us out.  :)  I just have so much fun when I am with these girls.  And special thanks to Kayce for making the trip over the mountain in the dark.  You rock Kayce!

MMMMMMMM................Dessert.

After dinner Stacey followed us back to Lisa's house to start our weekend adventure.  We were up bright and early and on our way to Sacramento for the Scrapbook Expo.

First stop:  Starbuck's.  The nice man taking the picture was supposed to get the Starbuck's sign that was directly above us but he didn't so you'll just have to imagine it there.

Here's one I got off the internet in case you aren't good at imagining things.

We drove right by the Capitol on our way to the convention center.  

We stopped  to see if Arnold was moving his stuff out but he wasn't.  At least not while we were there.

Strange statue in the middle of the street

Lunch

Stacey and I with the necklaces we made.  I'm not showing them too closely because these are the Christmas presents I am making this year.

Scrappin'

Inking

I won this!  I'm pretty lucky that way

Our hotel

View from our room

Yeah, you knew I was going in here.

Sour candy!

Stacey with her candy grill

My stash.  What was I thinking?? I only just ate all of the Halloween candy!

If we are what we eat, then I'm easy, fast and cheap.  Haha

We should have asked him a question.  But we didn't.

Cheers!

Daytime view from our room

Stacey made me get on this buffalo.  No really.  I said I was content to just pose next to it and she said "NO.  Get ON it."  So I did.  I'm pretty sure people walking by thought we were crazy.

Old Town Sacramento

I bought this outfit to wear for Joe on Christmas Eve.  Shhhhhh..........don't tell him.  It's a surprise.

It is also a surprise for my sister and family, as that's where we will be spending Christmas eve.

I didn't buy this hat.  I kind of wish I had.  But not to wear with the outfit I bought because that would be over the top.

Signs of Fall

Headed back to Lisa's house.  Sadness.

I had the best time.  What a perfect weekend.  Thank you Lisa for flying me up. Thank you Kayce and M3 for coming out with us. Thank you Stacey for doing the driving into Sacramento.


I am still basking in the fun we had.  It was a really great weekend.