Just for the record, the Apple Pies & Embroidery won out! Pie was wonderfully tasty and the scarf turned out just as I'd hoped. We enjoyed the pie, Cherrie enjoyed the scarf set, so that settles the last post.

Our Christmas was really nice. We went to Janka's house on the Eve. Baked, prepped Christmas dinner, played games, wrapped pkgs, and had an abundance of cocktails. I retired at 9:00 p.m. with the grandgirls and was awoken about 5:00 a.m. with "whispers" from the top bunk.

The gals were told they couldn't get up until 7 o'clock when Traci, Eric & Keith were due. So, they did their best to be good.........actually it was fun to lie there & listen to them. "What did you get Papa? What did you get Auntie Jen? What did you get your Mom?"..........I let them know I was awake when I was afraid they'd get to "What did you get Grandma?"

I love Christmas' there. So many memories. The 3 gals are close to the same difference in ages as my girls are. Same house they grew up in, beautiful tree in the same spot, watching them open tons of gifts..........it's all good.

Janka got Illeana & Dellia a Wii. Richie & I had never even seen one before. What a trip! You gotta understand, we go back to the days of the first video game. Anybody remember Pong? And we thought that was fun! The Wii kept everyone occupied all day. Thank goodness Janka had the foresite to get 4 controllers and better yet, have Keith set the whole thing up the day before when the girls were at their Dad's house. So, once she gave them their controllers----as an afterthought, "oh, I forgot, you have one more present to open" thing, no waiting at all. The games began!

We had calendars made for all the girls plus Keith, Richard & Leigh. I went through so many photos to pick just the right one for each month for each person. And it paid off. They were the hit of the day. Everybody got memories special to them. Keith's was all about Janka. From very young to her senior prom. I haven't seen Richard (b.i.l.) so expressive in a long time. I included a pic of his son Matt, on his 1st bday wearing nothing but a gun holster & cowboy boots. And another of Matt at about 7 yrs old, talking to his grandma with his hand down his pajama pants, scratching his butt. Maybe you had to be there. But, we all enjoyed it immensely.

Jen surprised us with a new cordless PINK mouse (gotta love her) and a wonderful flat screen monitor. Tell me we're not loving that!!! It's like a whole new world. Janka got us a 6 month subscription to Netflix. What better for 2 laid off parents with limited cable programming? And Traci got me a box of watercolor cards and nice heavy stock paper. Bless her heart, she remembered me saying that now that I'll have the time, I'd like to get back to watercoloring.

Gennevra came home with us Christmas night. We've been playing games and best yet, she's taken an interest in stained glass. She made me a really pretty heart suncatcher yesterday. Oh, she's had a few cuts and her first solder burn, but she's hanging in. Anybody ever get burned by hot solder? Ouch, worse that a good glue gun burn.

We've been working on Cherrie's door. I've come to the conclusion that I may be seriously mentally ill. Or as Jen says, perhaps an idiot savant. I've never worked with such tiny pieces EVER! The angel itself consists of close to 100 pieces! Not to mention the 3 detailed barns and all the rest. It's ready now for the border to be added and finish soldering to be done. Hopefull, Richie can install in by next week.

I guess I've rambled on enough for right now. I have to get ready to go into town to pick up my last paycheck. But first, shower for as long and hot as I can. Once the new pump is installed, the guy's here now. That's another story........