19 degrees and windy....

I got a present in the mail the other day. Paul's parents bought a new camera, and sent me their old one. Yay!!! I went to Walmart to get a card reader so I could put pictures on my computer....we went to Sears, then Walmart, then BJ's, then Price Chopper...Evelyn had the camera in Walmart...here I am, waiting for the paint to mix. It was sad, the man who mixed the paint was old and pale and week, and he had huge bruises on his arms and hands, and a bloody seeping bandage where he has obviously had an i.v. I am thinking leukemia, he reminds me of my father in his last days. I was teary-eyed....it is just too sad to spend one's final days mixing paint at Walmart.... Miss Margaret Cheryl lin her new spectacles.

Random picture of Jonathan

Benjamin's official basic training photo.

Suzanne just turned ten years old. Here are my children ten years ago....Emily was sixteen, Abigail 14, Benjamin 12 (he is holding newborn Suze in the pic), Mirielle was 11, Joseph 9, Aaron 8, Mali almost 7, Samuel 5, Margaret 4, Kathryn almost 3, and Evelyn (being held by Abigail) was 18 months. An even dozen. (little did we know that Sonja K. would join us 14 months later..)



Samuel James in his new specs....

That dashing woman from Walmart again....
Kathryn made Sonja's lunch for her the other night, and left a nice note:

Charlotte Claire with an orange.

Miss Sulky Sue

Oh, I like to open muffins, Mommy....Camille Anaya

pumpkin muffins = yum

these two little princesses helped mix....

Phew, what a night.....after we got their glasses in Sears, we shopped around a little, clearance racks of course. I got some jeggings for Kathryn for $3.49, and a few other reasonable things. Then a quick run into BJ's for Sonja's class snack. I got the huge box of Goldfish crackers. (and three bags of M&M's, shh!)(I DID have a coupon!) Then into Walmart for paint for kids' room, finally, and a few other things.....then, oh the groaning from Evelyn and Margaret when they found out we were going to Price Chopper...but I had coupons for things that were on sale! I got a huge overflowing cart full of groceries for $106.

Today Camille looked at me and said, "You do not know everything!"

Today Jonathan said he made me a heart, but he lost it, but he THINKS it said, "I love you."

Today I taught Rosie-The-Bad-Dog how to catch, and surprise surprise, she can actually catch a toy.

Today I accomplished approximately 24 percent of what I set out to do. Things just distract me. Like teaching Rosie to catch when I was sweeping the floor. And cutting out pillows and blankets for Barbies while cleaning off the desk. Then cutting Barbie sized towels out of an old towel. Then helping them make a bed out of the empty tissue box. Then making mustaches and glasses on the pictures of people in the coupon section while cutting coupons.....I cut pictures out for the girls, who got their own markers and started making the people all look funny.

Today I tried to consciously eat smarter....can't say I lost ten pounds, but I was more careful. Then Mali came in and asked if we had any chocolate....oh, peanut M&M's.....rats.

Today I WAS REALLY GOING to go on the treadmill. But alas, the day slipped by me again. This might be a good thing though, after all the walking I did shopping, plus taking Rosie-The-Bad Dog outside three times had my knees aching like toothaches by the time I was ready to sit in my comfy chair.

Tomorrow I shall stay home. When I said goodnight to Miss Camille tonight, I told her so. I told her we would have tea again. She said, "for breakfast?" She knows how to play her cards.

Today I bought another item for Charlotte Claire's kindergarten clothes collection. A $3 shirt and leggings set from Walmart. Cute and pink. (She shall wear it with a skirt.) I also bought her and Camille these precious fleece jackets, which I shall photograph them in.

My fingers are cold and the house is quiet....even Rosie is sleeping....hmm, I could fall asleep right in this chair.....