15 Years - The years just keep flying by

Tomorrow is mine & Alan's 15 year anniversary. I fell in love with this guy the minute I saw him. Really I did. I know some people don't beleive in "love at first sight", but it sure did happen for us. It has been a crazy, scary, fun ride (kinda like the most horrific thrill ride at Six Flags), but boy has it been a blast.

My husband has stood by me through childbirth (5 times), loss of many friends and loved ones, loss of my momma, this journey to Colorado, starting and slaving away at our business, home remodels (twice), grey hair (mine), losing hair (his), you name it we've seen most of it. But through it all his love for me has held me up. I will be forever thankful for the guy God sent my way. I know I probably don't say it enough, but I Love You Baby. You are everything to me.

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

I am so happy with my new dishwasher, (can you tell). It washes perfectly and is very very quiet. Now my kitchen and the rest of the house are CLEAN. I am not the worlds best housekeeper, but I love having a clean house. The prospect of me acquiring a maid are slim and none, so my houseskeeping skills are improving. With the new dishwasher things are so much easier.

Saturday, Em & I went grocery shopping and bought a bunch of stuff to do our holiday baking. We are making cookies for the cookie exchange in Dec. We are also making cookies for the widow baskets. There are 23 widow/other baskets to do this year. I would like to get those done and put in the freezer before we leave for Oklahoma. We are visiting my sister Cindy & her family for Thanksgiving. I am so exicted. I miss them terribly. Kind of strange to miss them all so much, seeing that I was out there so much this year, but Cindy & I are close and I love spending time with her. Also I get to see Bethie (YAAAY!!). Life would be miserable without my daily calls with my little sis. Hopefully get to see Colin & Tereasa too.

Saturday night I got all my Sunday dinner stuff done so we could have company over after church. Randy & Cheri and Danny & Raya came. I made steak fajitas in the crockpot. They turned out really good. Cheri made Spanish rice to go with it and it was fabulous. Raya brought some delicious choc. brownies. My husband and kids all pitched in before church to get the house company ready so I wasn't so stressed out. So all in all it was a very good day.
I love you all please leave me a message. This includes you Aunt Deanna.

Dishwasher gone Kah Put

Old trusty finally bit the dust. It was really time for it to go. After all it had lived a good 6 1/2 years in this house, which is known for distroying appliances at lightening speed. We have been talking about replacing it for a couple of months now, but we were trying to get past the winter slump. Maybe next year, we said. Old trusty had different ideas. Noope she said. Time for me to take early retirement and head on down to south Florida to lie in the sun. (or wherever old appliances go to retire.) So it just up and decided on Monday to stop pumping the water out of the tub. Now there it sets, tub full of water, because someone (ME) hasn't had the time or desire to scoop out the water one cup at a time. It is presently being used as a dish drainer.

Seven people without a dishwasher is just one big mess waiting to happen. I've been washing by hand. It brings back horrible childhood memories. The house never really gets totally all at once clean. The family tends to dirty it faster than I can clean it. Thank goodness the washing machine is still working.

I am a type A personality. I reserch and plan everything before making a move. I read reviews. I read sale ads. I read specs. You name it I read it! After all this reading we went shopping. Sears was having a good sale so we checked them out. I found a Kenmore elite dishwasher with a stainless interior and a food grinder on sale!!! I begged the man, please...Please!! Let me take it home today. You don't understand. I have FIVE childern, none of which are inclined to wash dishes. Please let me take it home today! No, I'm sorry Ma'am. We can not send any of our floor models home. You must wait until Friday when it will be delivered to the store.

So here I set. Anxiously awaiting Friday.

They shot 'em a deer TWO actually

Mason shot his deer on Sunday. He was walking a little taller when he got home. Tyler shot his on Tuesday. He was also very happy with himself. So it looks like Alan & I will need to make good on the agreement to buy a good meat drier so the boys can make a bunch of jerky. It's all very exciting you know.

Working at our local polling place on Tueday was very exciting. There were about 30 people in line about 10 minutes before we opened. They all stepped inside and said the "Pledge of Alligience" with us right before 7:00, then the polls opened and WOW!! We were busy most of the day. The polls closed at 7 p.m. and after the county checked our records to make sure we hadn't messed anything up we were allowed to leave a little after 8 pm. That was nice cause after getting up at 5 am I was pretty tired!! I don't know if I will volunteer again to do it, but it was very enjoyable and I have a new respect for the people who make go so smoothly.