Addy, everyone is going to come around noon and eat, do our white elephant gift exchange, and then we are going to mommys church for the 7:00 service. You can come dressed or bring your cloths and change here and we can all leave from here. Dont forget we are having finger foods and if you have a favorite drink you can bring it also.

We really enjoyed Emily coming over and doing our family photos, we had alot of fun.

Teresa,

What time do you want everybody there tomorrow?

Happy New Year YuAll

YESTERDAY

The God of Israel will be your rereward.

Isaiah 52:12

Security from Yesterday. "God requireth that which is past." At the

end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the

future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise from remembering the

yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God's grace is apt to be checked

by the memory of yesterday's sins and blunders. But God is the God of

our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them in order to turn the

past into a ministry of spiritual culture for the future. God reminds

us of the past lest we get into a shallow security in the present.

Security for To-morrow. "For the Lord will go before you." This is a

gracious revelation, that God will garrison where we have failed to.

He will watch lest things trip us up again into like failure, as they

assuredly would do if He were not our rereward. God's hand reaches

back to the past and makes a clearing-house for conscience.

Security for To-day. "For ye shall not go out with haste." As we go

forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous,

unremembering delight, nor with the flight of impulsive

thoughtlessness, but with the patient power of knowing that the God

of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays present irreparable

things to us; it is true that we have lost opportunities which will

never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a

constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past sleep, but

let it sleep on the bosom of Christ.

Leave the Irreparable Past in His hands, and step out into the

Irresistible Future with Him.

Mornin' folks,
I failed to mention in the wii photo that is Vonda not me. Vonda and vesta made it. Vonda do you play the games? I love it, I got Jacob the big game hunt for Jacob for Christmas it even comes with a gun! Maybe you could get David interested in it, he may even get up and dance! Lol
Ok Michelle what day does Joe come again? I am going to put a countdown on the blog:)
Does Tarin blog? You should turn her loose on the keyboard=)~
it would be nice to hear her view on Germany and her whole experience with the move from the states to over seas. As I recall she likes to talk? :)

Julie, I do wear a mask. I carry one in my purse. I ended up with another urinary tract infection the day I got my treatment and I am on augmentin and boy is it hard on my stomach.

If I make it through the day on Saturday I may not make it to church that night. The sun is coming up and it is promising to be a beautiful day, a much better start than yesterday's freezing rain!
Everyone enjoy the day!

Just to clarify things.....I did not DROP Hershey, she just got to close to the edge of that really tall Table that they put her on and she fell off....right in front of me. I broke her fall or she might have needed surgery! Michelle, she is a toy poodle. She is the best little bed buddie...as long as Blain don't roll over on her. She sleeps right against us. If she ain't really careful, she will end up a hershey kiss.

Hey, Everyone! Teresa, that was great about your family get together. Monica, I am so anxious about Joe arriving, I have been awake since 4 this morning. LOL I can't keep this up, or he will get here and I'll crash the whole time he's here! And marjoram is like oregano, only sweeter. It is a green leafy herb. Oh, and that was definately inches, or I may have packed my bags to return to the states!! Amy, I love the pics of the babies. Joe used to call those pony tails on top whirlybirds. I guess that is the military coming out in him, to refer to their hair as helicoptors :) Has Brooks eaten carrots or beets? They stain their faces really bad sometimes, especially when they wear as much as they eat. A little lemon juice helped get the stains off if soap wasn't good enough. Trisha, I hope you just keep getting better and better. Rita, you didn't tell me if Hershey was a poodle or mix or Yorkie or.....I hope your better, too.
I hear the girls stirring around upstairs, better go get breakfast.
Love to all of you, and I promise pics of when Joe is home in less than 10 days now!
Michelle and gang

It's wonderful to hear everything going so well with everyone :)

Michelle, I think I'm getting anxious for you and the girls waiting on Joe lol!! Since I'm not that knowledgeable on " and ' when it comes to measurements, did you get 38 feet of snow or 38 inches? I'm going with feet but just want to make sure :p The dogs are precious.

Teresa, I'm so happy for you that all of your family could make it together at one time for Christmas. I know you have been waiting on this and it will be wonderful memories. You'll have to post some of Emily's pics of yal so we can enjoy them!!

Amy, your little ones are growing up beautifully. We'll miss all of you this weekend but I understand your being traveled out :( I'm sure you don't want to go back to work yet but I hope it goes well for you, Greg and the babies :)

Little Vonda, you are a doing a great job at taking pictures. I was looking at them from the top of the blog down and thought they were ones that Lorie took until she said otherwise.

Rita, shame on you for dropping Hershey!! But since she only weighs 2 1/2 lbs she probably floated down like a feather haha.

Addy, I am going to try the lasagna recipe as well. Sounds yummy. I do have one question. In my cooking experiences I have not come across marjoram, what is it? A spice? I hope Paul gets to feeling better. I think we've finally got everyone cleared from germs here at home. Marleigh is finally off of all her meds for her ear infection, yeaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!! We'll have to get her and Ladybird together with their antlers for a pic. I have a friend that came in from Hawaii last month and we happened to be having a conversation about a Great Dane's poo. She said they could poo a house and therefore she wouldn't have one lol.

Trish, glad chemo went well for you yesterday. Did you get the freezing rain today? It's supposed to be 54 here tomorrow so I'm sure most of the snow will melt :(

Well, I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. See you Saturday morning sometime XOXOXO

Winner of the rib eating contest...

No not really...just Brooks's first meal of prunes

Clara with her ponytail reading a book

Clara smiling "cheese" for the camera

Clara eating garlic chicken pizza...everytime she wanted more she said "bawk, bawk" like a chicken

New Message

Here you go post this on the blog! The kids made a Wii person for mom

Thank you for using Picture and Video Messaging by U.S. Cellular. See www.uscellular.com for info.

Vonda, I am not hiding, just working frantically. I do check the blog, but I just do not have much time to blog.

Hey Everybody!

Been a while since I've blogged, though I've been keeping up with everybody! Happy New Year, and for those who won't be able to make it to Steve and Teresa's, we'll miss you!

Hershey's doctor visit went well yesterday. We take our dogs to the same vet and I love it there. They just really make over your animals! The vet carried Hershey around for a while and probably spent just 15 minutes holding her before she even started her exam. Of course, it probably wouldn't have taken as long if Mom hadn't dropped Hershey off the exam table! but she was ok. As Mom said, she weighs 2 1/2 pounds! Ladybird is 7 months old and I weighed her last night when I got home, she's 70 pounds. I told Mom that everytime Ladybird poops it's about the equivalent, if not more, of Hershey! We had to go in Walmart to get a carrier and Mom just couldn't stand to leave her in the truck alone, so this is our solution...in cognito!

Now Julie, here's the recipe for the sauce for Paul's lasagna. He uses the same recipe for spaghetti.

• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 pound hamburger
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic (i just use some garlic powder)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp. rosemary
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

Brown hamburger, then add onion and pepper. Let cook down. Measure all seasonings and add at the same time. Paul says not to drain the "juicy goodness" off before you add the water, I think that's your call! Just let it cook down to the consistency you want before you layer it in the pan. I usually double the recipe and make the little tin pans to freeze, it's just enough for me and Paul! If you do freeze them, it usually takes 2 hours to bake at 350. Otherwise, just an hour! Let me know how it turns out!

Monica, what happened to your bread was hilarious. Paul probably would have eaten it if you had dropped it on the pavement. He loves that stuff. And those pictures of Marleigh were PRECIOUS! She and Ladybird have matching antlers! haha

Paul says thanks for all the birthday wishes. Right now he's got whatever Olivia, Kaiden, Mom and Dad have though. In other words, he's being a big baby!

Michelle, HOLY CRAP! I thought we had snow but my gracious! I would have given up on shoveling a long time ago. I'd say your poor little doggies would get lost real quick. They are so precious though!

Lorie, loved all the pictures. Looks like you guys had a wonderful Christmas together.

Trish, glad your chemo didn't take too long yesterday, just hope the pain gets better.

Well I've babbled on long enough.

Love, Addy

Happy New Year to all. Trish, Please wear a mask especially when you go out. I know I sound bossy...but, been there, done that for 8 months. If I were there I would pamper you. Oh, my, I remember the pain in every joint from the treatments! I did not take the pain med. because it was hydrocodone and it made me crazy. I was not asleep...nor was I awake and you are right it makes one feel terrible.
Well, have a blast everyone when you get together at the homeplace. (Isn't that a sweet sound...'the homeplace')?
Addy, honey, tell your honey I soooo want that lasagna recipe. Rita, I am glad you and Blain are feeling better. Are you going to be able to come down from your mountain to go to Teresa's?
What are you all having? I am making barbeque, some ??? (don't know yet), and some cornbreadtoday for David.
Well, Trish, you are on my mind often and if I haven't told you, I like the blog. (Of course, I really know next to nothing about blogs anyway, but the background is pretty).
Emily, if ever you and your husband get to Florida...stay with us and bring your camera. I promise I am not 'photogenic' (spelling could be wrong there, but I think you get the picture...Oh, no 'pun' intended). David and I would like our picture taken and how cool to pay you instead of another photographer.
Well, I will hush now... I have work to do.
I send lots of love and some prayer too....to all of you as always.
Love and Prayers,
Julie

Mornin from Foggy Mtn USA
I feel like I am in a bubble. It is so foggy, I couldn't get online until just now. Couldn't get a signal. Michelle, Your dogs are so cute...and well groomed! Hershey did fine with her shot but she is confined to the basement today because she is being wormed....Not happy...let me TELL you...not happy. I'm going to have to give Sadie a Xanax because I can tell she is getting on her nerves. She weighs a whopping 2 1/2lbs. Full grown she will be about 10lbs. I don't know how you guys afford dog food for the Big dogs, and so many! O My Word!!
Teresa, I am doing what you are doing today, Cleaning! It's days like this that I am glad my house is small.
Sarah Fitzwater called yesterday to see how Mommy was. She hadn't heard and she said she would have been there if she had known. She is Granny Fitzwater's daughter-in-law. She said nobody loved Mommy any more than she did. She said to tell the family she loved us and she is praying for us. See you all New Year's. Don't forget your church clothes...or you can wear "what you have on" as Mommy would say.

Hey, Happy New Year to All, Hope everyone is getting out from under the snow.

Trish I hope you will get to feeling better , now that your treatments are done , and most of all I hope it works.Teresa glad you are going to get to have your Christmas with your baby's , so enjoy , hope all goes well.

Michelle your little dogs are adorable, I also have one that is the Carmel color, and they are so spoiled, but we enjoy them, How does your's like all that snow?

Did Shane make it to his home yet, with all the snow and plane delays, That is something else.

Rita, how did Hershey do on her vet visit?She is so cute.

Ruth , where are you hiding? we haven't heard from you in a while .Hope everyone has a safe trip in , to Steve's Sat. and my thoughts will be there with everyone, so be sure and take lots of pictures, for us that cant make it in.

Hey all hope everyone is doing well. I'm doing especially well today because my babies are coming in this afternoon. We are going to have our Christmas tomorrow(presents and food) and family cant beat it. We finally get to meet Kelseys new boyfriend and Steve said it will probably be like "Meet the Fockers". Lets pray it goes well. Emily is also going to come and take some family photos.

Trish you can borrow any of my beds and I cleaned house good yesterday and I sprayed Lysol everywhere and bleach on everything. I hope you get some rest and feel better.

Cant wait to see everyone on Saturday. Dont forget food(very important) we all love to eat, your favorite drink and white elephant gift. Love you all!!!!