Shopping with Papa

Preston was over visiting at Papa's house and Papa needed to get a few things from the grocery store....
So, off they went to Kroger.
I'm surprised Papa let Preston drive!!!
He never let's ME drive!!!!
Playing favorites AGAIN!!

'A Baby Changes Everything'

Preston is a little confused that we are making a tree
.....IN THE HOUSE...

Mommy and Papa are showing Preston where to place the branches.
Preston has to take a break from tree decorating to
take one of his many 'social calls'....
Preston got a little tangled up with the lights...
Preston all lit up.....................
Preston LOVES to share his apple with Papa.
Papa having another bite.
It was soooo hard to not touch everything pretty.
In the kitchen, we had homemade doughnuts started.
Mommy and grandma got a little messy with their treats.
Four generations...Shirley Lott, Del Lott, Kylie Lott Crump and Preston Crump.
While mommy placed the tree skirt around the bottom, Preston
decided it was the perfect place to get a better view and reach
the pretty tree ornaments.
Deciding what it feels like to walk in Papa's shoes.
Preston watches while Papa ties his shoes.
Then Papa puts on Preston's shoes...with his pajama's.


Last year was a different kind of Christmas for me...and it has it's place in my heart and in my memory.
But this year is going to be different...and it's already started with last night.
Mike and Kylie invited us over to help them put up their Christmas tree. Preston was asleep when we got there, but I wasn't going to have any of that, so after about 30 minutes waiting for him to wake up, I snuck into his room and decided to have him wake up to his Papa being there. After his initial 'who's waking me out of my really nice dreams' look, he smiled and his first words out of his mouth were 'Papa????' I took him out to his grandpa and the rest of the night??? You can see it all in the pictures above.
We played Christmas music, put up and decorated the tree, made homemade doughnuts and watched in awe as Preston absorbed the whole experience. He was so adorable...kept saying 'tree' as we put it together...and then 'light' and 'ball' as the ornaments were placed. He watched 'Papa's' every move and tried to copy everything he saw done. It was obvious he could tell it was a night to be remembered.
So this year, Christmas will be experienced through the eyes of our grandson.
'A Baby Changes Everything' is the title of a Christmas song sung by Faith Hill.
This year, when I hear this beautiful song on the radio, I will remember this first night of Christmas when I was witness to my sweet grandson Preston enjoying the first memories of Christmas 2011.

Mrs. Santa Get's a New Ride

So this is my new ride - a 2009 Nissan Altima....
only 23,700 miles on it....one owner as a lease. And...it's loaded.
Leather seats, sun roof - BOSE stereo system with 6 CD changer,
power everything, no key ignition starter, seat warmer and...
it's pretty....

Only the TOTALLY Insane

I have never participated in this crazy tradition of the 'Day After Thanksgiving'...otherwise known as...BLACK FRIDAY!!!!
But apparently Del did this year. I wouldn't have known because I went to bed after the last football game last night, but my only clue was that Del didn't crawl into bed until...4:30 a.m.!!!
So when I went home for lunch today, I snuck my head in his office at which time he looked up from his recent purchase...a new computer. I was happy for him. He's needed one for years. But I wasn't anxious to hear the horrid story of his waiting in line for hours or any possible violence that may have gone on during his Black Friday experience. And there WAS plenty of violence. I read stories over the internet and heard a few more on the news of people getting violent over toys, electronics and other coveted gifts...shootings, stabbings and even pepper sprayings by both consumers and police alike.
Sounds like something I might want to try next year????
NEVER!!! I'll pay full price...OR..do without!!!

A Great Day to be Thankful

Nothing better than starting a holiday off from work with a great football game and a wonderful turkey dinner with family and loved ones.
Thanksgiving dinner was at Mark and Elaine's home this year. And we had a great turn out. I made a turkey with stuffing - took 2 pies and a jello salad on the side. Elaine also made a turkey so we had plenty to feed the 13 of us. The basic potatoes and gravy, rolls, olives, green bean casserole and corn added to the full table. I did my best to not over eat and was successful until the dessert came out and then I did have a small piece of Oreo pie....eeekkkk!!! I caved.
The game was the first of three games played. Packers vs the Lions...and Packers blew them away coming out with an 11-0 record now. They are loooooking gooooood!!!!! It was a great game. Dallas Cowboys also came away with a win to the great pleasure of my son in law and the other men in the room. And the last game of the night was the 49's against the Ravens - with the coaches of each team being brothers...first time in NFL history. The Raven's won, with the only touchdown being made by none other than BYU alumni Dennis Pitta!!! So, the football results were a 100% pleasant for me...
A nice day...a lot to be grateful for.

November's Read

This was made into a movie that came out a little over a month ago. But I wanted to read the book before going to see the movie.
It was good. Upsetting for me, because the whole issue of racism and that time in history has always been disturbing to me. I feel so strongly about Equal Rights - fairness and kindness - and the book brings out so many emotions and issues that were going on during the time of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights of the African Americans.
Good book.
I will now try and go see the movie.

The Numbers Tell it All

So I got the blood work results from my doctors visit last week.
Last year, my cholesterol level was 260...supposed to be under 200.
This year......202.
Last year, my triglycerides were at 690...supposed to be under 150. I was a stroke waiting to happen...
This year....176.
AND...I am no where NEAR menopause...so doctor asked if I might want to go on birth control so as not to get pregnant.
I've been laughing now for days!!!
My reward for my new and improved numbers???
The new blue and orange pills were added to my daily vitamins and medications...
yep......M&M's.
Don't want to hear it from anyone.
I DESERVE IT!!!!

Birthday Leftovers

There had been so much food served at dinner the night of Del's birthday that we had to bring over half of it home for later.
Well, last night was 'later'. Leftovers from Maggiano's is almost as good as the first time, so while we heated everything up, we enjoyed Preston and his many comings and goings. The kid is adorable....

10-0 Baby!!!!

There are some pretty happy Green Bay Packer fans out there...
....including me.
I can feel another Super Bowl coming!!!!
Next game???
Thanksgiving Day.....see you then!!!

Celebrating Some Birthdays

Del shares a birthday with his mother Shirley so this is the first time in years they have actually been together to celebrate their special day.
Shirley arrived two days ago and will be with us for three weeks. Del took her out all day today...breakfast at McDonald's this morning, then grocery shopping and some other errands...and then tonight, Mike and Kylie took the three of us out to dinner at Maggiano's where we had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed Preston entertaining all of us adults.
It made for a very fun and relaxing day.
Del turned 55 - his mother, Shirley, turned 79.
Happy Birthday my sweetheart.

A Timely Reminder

From my sweet niece Kayla....

'You know life is worth the struggle when you look back on what you lost, and realize what you have now is way better than before...'

It's the Most Wonderful Time...Of My Year!!

But I'm not talking about Christmas....I'm talking about my yearly visit to my OBGYN. Why do we have to do this year after year after year??? Because, the year I DIDN'T go, would of course be, the year I got breast cancer!!! So, I go...year after year after year. But don't be deceived by these faces you see. They appear to be friendly....but looks can be????? Just as they are! They ARE friendly. This is Cathy...the friendly receptionist there EVER was... after filling out the appropriate paper work and getting copies of insurance cards and drivers licenses, she informs me it will be just a few minutes before the mid evil torture will start.

The worst room of all...I'm taken here first - told to pee and then WEIGH myself. For heaven's sake, REALLY????
OH NO!!! Don't let this innocent smile fool you...she's tricky!!
She takes you into this other room and takes the below xray!!
After much smashing, shifting, smooshing and squishing,
I am left to look at this xray ..the dreaded mammogram!!
She looks nice enough....but she uses needles!!! Sneaky!!
I should have known by her white lab coat !!!
Oh NO! NO! NO! Don't even think this is a sweet older man!
This sweet older man told me I needed to lose another good
15-20 pounds and I got no 'pat on the back' for the 35 I had
already lost!!! He only hopes it makes a difference in my
triglyceride and cholesterol levels before he dishes out ANY
praise my way. HUMPH!!! I'll show him!!!!!


The annual pap smear and blood work has got to be the worst. You ask any woman and she'll answer you the same 'IT'S THE PITS' response I give you!! And yet? We're told 'it's a must'.
Men wouldn't last 5 minutes in these appointments!!! They can't even stand to be TOLD the procedures, let alone visualize anything we have to go through.
I would LOVE to be clever and witty in the telling of my visit today...a little more Erma Bombeck-ish...and I WOULD have been had I done this post 6 hours ago when I had enough humor and energy left in me to write the details of it all. But since my appointment, I have vacuumed, dusted, done laundry, cleaned 2 bathrooms, made beds, cleaned the kitchen top to bottom, made dinner and had my mother in law Shirley arrive for a three week stay.
Enough said....
Maybe I'll add a 'post script' later...a funny one...when I FIND the humor again of my yearly visit. IF I find the humor...
I will.