This Vacation Thing...

I could get use to it! I took a few vacation days so that I would be off work from last Wednesday through this Friday. And I love it! I could get used to the not working. It's the paycheck I would miss! I've had lots of time to just sleep late and play. Yesterday, my Mom and I went to Neosho to see my Grandmother and Grandma. We discovered that Joplin still has a Charlie's Chicken, unlike Springfield. I was really excited! I may have licked my plate clean. Maybe. Here we are before the Charlie's Chicken Extravaganza.Today I used my new mixer to make bread and cookies. I used my new chopper to make bread crumbs and chop onions, then I mixed up a meatloaf in the new mixer. Yum! I can't stop! David just got home and we are heading out to a New Year's Eve party. I should probably go back to work soon - can't get too used to this leisure thing!

Have a Happy New Year!

Back to Normal

Notice anything missing? A Christmas tree maybe? Today it was beautiful outside. It felt very spring-like. Tuley and I took a walk, and it just seemed too warm to have Christmas decorations up. I was afraid if I waited for January, it might never happen. So, before I could change my mind, I started gathering up the decorations and hauling boxes out of the closet. How is it possible that it takes just as long or longer to take them down as put them up? And how do I always end up needing a different number of boxes?Jon and Kate and their 8 kept me company all afternoon. David will be impressed when he gets home - I even managed to wrestle the big tree into the box. I didn't get it back in the attic though. I was afraid he might be disappointed if there wasn't anything left for him to do - ha! It's nice to have the house back to it's normal state!

Fun Old-Fashioned Family Photo

My cousin John took this picture on Saturday. Could it be? Everyone smiling? With our eyes open? :)

Gracie Rhymes With Crazy

Gracie has always answered to her name. You can call her from anywhere in the house and you will hear "meow?" and little running feet. She doesn't even mind when you say "I didn't want anything; I just wanted to know where you were." Recently, I discovered she will also answer to Crazy. I guess it sounds enough like Gracie that she doesn't notice the difference.

Yesterday, Gracie proved her craziness in a spectacular way. Most cats are stressed by a house full of extra people. They retreat to a safe place and just wait it out. That's what Henrietta does. Gracie is stressed by any stranger in the house, and she has a very broad definition of stranger. A stranger, to Gracie, is anyone who does not live in our house. My parents - strangers. Close friends who are here often? Strangers. One stranger is just as horrible as ten. Instead of retreating and hiding, Gracie insists on being in the center of the action. And announcing her stress by hissing at anyone who dares look at her. If they have the nerve to reach out a hand to pet, they're rewarded with teeth and claws.

No one who was scratched or bitten yesterday would have recognized the Gracie that appeared as soon as everyone left. I cleaned up the kitchen, then sat down on the couch for a bit of a nap. Gracie isn't a lap layer - she wants to lay vertically on your chest and stomach. And if you'll let her tuck her head under your chin, all the better. So Gracie snuggled up and slept and purred for an hour and a half. Could this be the same cat that cornered my 14 year old cousin just hours ago?

Gracie rhymes with crazy.

A Griswold Fun Old-Fashioned Family Christmas

On Saturday, we celebrated Christmas with part of my family. It was raining and yucky outside, but it was warm and fun inside!

As usual, there was lots more food than we needed, but everything was tasty. Visit my food blog for some of the recipes.

The groom tried to get a jump start on lunch, but I caught him with my spy camera. :)

Next time we host, we made need to arrange for cots for the afternoon nappers.

We even had a visit from Santa's teeny little helper, my cousin's new baby.

Even Kitties Love Christmas!

Christmas morning, I got up early to make easy cinnamon rolls and let Tuley out. There was a rustling sound coming from under the tree, so I went to investigate. It seemed that Henrietta was ready to open her gift from Grammy! :) Weird? Who me?

She managed to get the tissue paper out, which she promptly attacked. She wasn't able to open the bag of treats though, so I gave her a hand - er - paw.

Gracie pounced on Cocktail Wiener Dog, who has since disappeared. Wonder how many cat toys we'll find when we move someday. The Teeny Sardinie toy is still lurking around. His fate has not yet been determined.

Christmas Eve

"No wonder we love those moments and want them to linger. But for now they can't, so we must let them go. They are the flicker of some holy flame, a twinkling of an eye wherein the dead come alive again. Remember them, thank the Lord for them, but move on into the next moment and be present in it. It is God's present to you."

- Rich Mullins