So Much To Do, So Little Time!

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed today.  Don't know why, exactly.  I have this constant struggle between doing what I want to do and doing what I need to do.  I try to keep a balance, but it's hard.  Today is my grocery, errand day.  But I feel like sitting at the computer and catching up on my blog, my Etsy shop, and maybe working in my studio.  I'm trying to do a little of everything.  This is where my time limits come in.  If I don't put time limits on myself I would completely blow off groceries and errands and go upstairs to my studio and putz around.  I usually don't allow myself to go upstairs until evening.  Otherwise I would not clean, cook, brush my teeth or wash my hair.  My studio is where I love to be.  I need to take some pictures of it, but that's not in my time schedule for today.   I'll do that later so I can show.  I used to call it my sewing room, but I actually now do a lot more than sew in there.  It's where I knit, craft, quilt, and sit with my dogs and watch TV.  I sometimes just go through quilting and knitting magazines, or look through fabrics and supplies just to get ideas.  It is "my space" and sanctuary and I have it very cozy and a little cluttered. 
I also really enjoy blogging.  I would love to post every day and I get so distracted with our financial business and emails, mailings, bookkeeping, etc.  And Etsy has really taken up a lot of my time, but I love it.  I'm very passionate about it and constantly trying to make the shop look better and want to just work on my creations and my shop all day.  For those of you that may not be familiar with Etsy, you can click on my shop in the sidebar. 
With the recent time change I was getting awake naturally at 7:00 am and getting so much done by 9:00 am.  My body clock has re-adjusted, though, and this morning I got up at 8:00.  Darn!!  I was hoping that wouldn't happen.  I need that extra hour.  I may have to force myself to get up at 7.  Just think what I could get done if I would get up at 6:00 am, but that's not going to happen.
My time limit for blogging is almost up and I really feel much better.  I've rambled and it's actually done me good.  See, this is why I need to post every morning.  It kind of organizes my brain.  So now I'm going to brush my teeth, wash my hair, change out of my Betty Boop fleece pants, and get my groceries and errands done.
Oh, I also want to thank all veterans and current military today.  Which reminds me, Austin probably has the day off since he's an air force recruiter and his boys are probably home from pre-school today.  Uh-Oh! What if they call me and want to come over?  I don't have time!  I love them, but they are not in my schedule for the day.  I better hurry up and get out the door!

We're Expecting Another Baby!

No, no, no!  Not My Bob and me, but our son and DIL, Austin and Melissa.  This will be their third and they tell me, final.  They would like a girl, since they have two boys, and they seem very happy about the prospect.  Bob and I are also excited, even though we always have our concerns.  Austin and Melissa  seem to already have too much going on in their lives and never seem to quite be settled.  Austin told me that he wants a third child and is happy about it, but he also wished that their lives weren't so chaotic.  I told him at this point he better just go with the flow because it's probably not going to get any less chaotic for the next 18 years or so.
They are back to thinking they should now move closer to Austin's recruiting office.  They had given up on that idea and he had decided to just stay in their house here in town close to us, but now he feels he should live closer to his office with Melissa being pregnant and the new baby due in July.
Melissa quit her job about a month ago in order to stay home with the boys.  So this news didn't come as a complete shock to me.  Especially after they laid eyes on their beautiful baby niece, Riley, after she was born in May.  I could see the look in their eyes then that they wanted one, too.  But Melissa just signed up for the Air Force Reserves.  Since she was already in the Air Force about five years ago, she's now in the reserves as a photographer, which is what she started out in.  She signed up for the reserves, though, before she was pregnant and this is her first weekend of training.  She will be gone one weekend a month.  So we'll see what happens.  I have nothing against her being in the reserves at all, but see what I mean about just adding to the chaos?
I'm getting better at telling myself it's their life and that's my constant mantra right now.  I just keep busy with my own life and hobbies and I'll help whenever I can.  I certainly can't take on their hectic lives. 
One thing I know for sure, My Bob and I can't wait to hold another new baby that just amazes us with the love we feel for them.
Speaking of beautiful grandchildren that we love, here is the most recent picture of Riley in her high chair for the first time.

Is she a princess or what?

Happy Anniversary -- to us

Today is the 30th anniversary of the day back in 1979 that My Bob and I eloped.  And "They" all said it wouldn't last!!  Proved "Them" all wrong, didn't we?  We were very young way back then and we both had jobs, although not great jobs.  We found a cute little apartment that was brand new and way outside of Cincinnati so we could afford it.  We had one car and drove together every day to work in downtown Cincinnati.  And we were very happy.  I shouldn't probably admit to everyone, but we were already living together and that bothered us a little.  So one day Bob came by my office at lunch time and said, "Let's go get a marriage license and blood test", and I was game for the adventure so that's what we did.  I think it was three days later, we went to a Justice of the Peace in Covington, Kentucky, paid him $25.00 and we were married in the living room of this drunk JP, while the Bengal game was playing on his TV.  Took all of about 10 minutes.  Then we went to dinner,  went back to our cute little apartment, and back to work the next day.  (We love to tell this story, it's true)  I don't think we told anyone for two weeks, but we felt really good about our little secret.   But the more time that went by, the guiltier I felt for not letting my mother and dad know.  Then the longer we waited, I started to become afraid to tell them.  We went to my mother first when she was alone and Dad at work as she was less intimidating than Dad and her reaction wasn't too bad.  At least she acted just fine.  I'm sure deep down she was a little upset that her only daughter didn't have a wedding and a wedding dress.  Heck, I didn't even have an engagement or wedding ring!  After hugging us and welcoming Bob to the family, we asked her to please tell Dad for us.  That was a no go.  She wouldn't do it and told us we had to tell him ourselves and we had to do it that night.  We stayed for dinner and when Dad got home we broke the good news.  And guess what?  He was wonderful, too.  (At least on the surface).  He hugged me, shook Bob's hand, and welcomed him to the family.  Mom and Dad then insisted that we have a large reception that they would host and pay for.  For over three months we planned a very nice event with a Valentine theme and on February 9, 1980, our wedding reception took place.
If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.  We saved ourselves and my parents a lot of money.  We figured being married is being married.  We're not big party people.  Mom and Dad still rub it in once in a while on our anniversary.  They tell us they don't remember the date very well because they weren't there.   We feel we got married for all the right reasons.  I wasn't pregnant, we didn't feel we had to wait until we had some money or a big house or another car, and we loved each other.  And here we are, 30 years later, a big house, two cars, two wonderful sons,  three beautiful grandchildren, and we still love each other.  Isn't that what it's all about?
Now a lot has happened in between November 3, 1979, and November 3, 2009, for good and for not so good, for better and for worse, through sickness and health.  But again, isn't that what marriage means.  You stay together for the bad, worse and sickness.  I tell young people that will listen, that each hurdle and obstacle you work through and make it over, you are stronger and more in love on the other side of it.
I have to give some credit to the wonderful role models in my life, my grandparents, married 73 years and still living, and my parents, married 53 years.  Setting a good example sometimes says a lot more than words. 
We're not doing anything special today to celebrate.  Just like out wedding, why spend money on something that's not necessary.  Mom and Dad are taking us to dinner.  We're saving our money for our trip to visit Brandon and family in  Spokane the end of this month and for home improvement projects on our short list.  Home and family is what's important to us now.  I don't need another diamond ring. 
30 years!! I feel pretty safe in saying we're in it for the long haul now.

No Bad Ghosts or Nasty Witches at Our House!

It's a beautiful Monday, I got some much needed sleep last night, and I'm home alone today.  It's a good day.  I know I've mentioned it before, but I get so much more done when My Bob is on the road and out of the house.  I love him dearly and don't mean this in a mean way, but he gets on my nerves when he's working at home.  Love him dearly, though, just want to emphasize!! (in case he reads this)
We had a nice Halloween weekend, but we were both so exhausted yesterday.  For me, it was more of a bone weary tired, not a need to take a nap weary.  There's a difference for me.  I don't like to take naps because I have too many things to do, but sometimes I just need to sit, knit and be alone.  Sit and knit is how I felt last night.
I know you all want to know how the Candy Corn martinis turned out. (see last post)  Well, they were good, but wayyyy tooo strong.  It struck me after the first sip that, "Hey, these are all alcohol!"  If I added more ice and let more candy corn dissolve in it, it was better.  I would play with this recipe next time I do it by adding something non-alcohol to cut it down a little.  The cupcakes turned out very Halloweenish and tasted good, too, as did the sloppy joes.

The grandsons looked adorable and loved the evening.  Logan was black spiderman and Landen was the Joker and looked like a little midget. 

                      



                               Here's Logan casting his web

And I was complete with my annual cat ears and fur collar and my little Fergie the pumpkin head with my dad, dressed as my dad.

The boys were very hyped as you can imagine and Austin and Melissa asked if the boys could spend the night with us because they were having a few friends over for the evening.  Of course we agreed and love to have the boys, but way too much sugar for them was very tiring for Nina and Bobby (that's what they call us).  They didn't want to go to sleep, but finally after two movies fell asleep around 10:00.  Awww! Rest!  But not for long ---- they were awake at 6:00 am, which was now 5:00 am.  And they would not go back to sleep or even quit talking.  So up we got, no choice.  I don't remember by own two boys being quite this active and loud, although I'm sure they were.  It's funny how 25 years of age makes things seem louder and busier.
Their mom and dad came for them around noon the next day and that was none too soon.  My son walks in the door with a big pumpkin/flower arrangement for me.  It had been a stressful couple of weeks for Austin and Melissa and I had  a long talk with Austin on Friday night and then a long talk with Melissa on Saturday.  Melissa and I don't always see eye to eye and can rub each other the wrong way, but I think we both felt better after our talk.  I walk a tightrope between trying to be helpful and minding my own business.  I know I fall off that tightrope often, but sometimes I can't help myself.  I guess this was a time I must have got it right.  The card attached to the arrangement said, "We don't tell you often enough what a wonderful mother, grandmother and friend you are.  Thanks for everything, Love,  Austin, Melissa and boys."  Made me want to cry!

It's a real pumpkin and real flowers!

Then Austin handed me a couple of his Air Force uniform dress shirts that needed stripes sewn on and some buttons fixed.  But I don't mind at all.

Cheers to Halloween

Happy Halloween tomorrow!  I never was a huge halloween fan, but I enjoy it a little more in my Grandma years.  I love to see the little goblins come to the door in the cute and creative costumes.  I'll make chocolate cupcakes with orange icing and halloween decorations just for my grandchildren and family that stop over.  My little Fergie dog and I wear matching cat ears.  I try to encourage trick or treaters to our house by having purple lights around the door and all the outside lights on and candles in the windows.  I'm always a little disappointed because we don't get that many visitors due to the main road we live on.
I just saw this little drinkie recipe in our newspaper last Sunday and bought the ingredients yesterday.  We are not big drinkers, contrary to my last post, but this sounded so good.  I can just picture myself in my black ruffled skirt and orange cat ears, carrying this orange candy corn martini in my hand as I answer the door to welcome my little goblins.  I don't know why that picture in my head appeals to me.  But I won't analyze that!
Anyway, I wanted to share the recipe in case any of you have that same fantasy picture in your head.

Candy Corn Martini

1/2 cup candy corn, plus extra for garnish

1-1/2 cups vodka

ice

2 oz. orange liqueur

juice of 1/2 lemon

l large egg white

In a jar with an airtight lid, combine the 1/2 cup of candy corn and the vodka.  Cover and set aside for at least 3 hours.  When ready, strain out and discard the solids.  (I did this last night and my candy corn vodka is now in the freezer, ready to go)

To prepare the drinks, in a cocktail shaker filled with ice combine 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of the candy corn vodka, the orange liqueur, lemon juice and egg white  Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds, then strain into 2 chilled martini glasses.  Garnish with candy corn.

I might have to taste test this tonight.  I sure hope my acid reflux  is good with this.  I'll let you know.