Don't Like the Weather? - Wait a Minute

Did you see my Christmas Day pictures? Did you see that there was no snow on the ground and everyone was outside in jackets? The next day, Dec. 26th the temperature got up to 69°F here, a new high. The following day....
....SNOW! And big fluffy flakes at that.

Since I was needing milk and some other things I headed out to the grocery store.

If you haven't read my blog before, we have a grocery section in our hardware store, but I was needing a little more than what they carry...

...or closest grocery store is just under 16 miles away. I drove to the store...

...with these big pretty flakes pelting my windshield. But when I had finished my shopping and came back out to my car it had stopped and I could see the clouds clearing off. Today as I write, the snow is gone and the weather is warming up again.

Christmas With Family 2008

Another fabulous family gathering. As always there was more than enough food. We did finger foods and sandwiches instead of a big sit down meal. I did something a little different with my veggies. Instead of the divided dish I used a big red bowl and little side dishes. Do you see the yellow relish on the kitchen counter? That's a bell pepper salsa that I made with the yellow and orange bell peppers I bought from Sam's. The red peppers I put with the standard green peppers for a festive look.
Here's before and after pictures of the presents under the Christmas tree. The ones that are left in the after picture are the dog's presents.

And here are just a few of the pictures that were taken between the before and after. The older boys were in charge of passing the gifts out to everyone before they sit down to open their own.

There was time for visiting...

...and video watching. If scroll back up to the unwrapping shots you can see the TV over the fireplace in the middle picture on the bottom row. The movie had been paused and looks like a poster on the wall.

Then there are the other members of the family, the pets. There's a new addition to my son's family, Abby, a rat terrier. Doesn't my Princess granddaughter look like the little celebrity with her tiny pup. Boog waits patiently for his Christmas gift. Aren't those sad eyes, clutching his stuffed duck.

Some families have traditional football games at Thanksgiving... we have nerf gun wars at Christmas. New nerf guns all around. Here in the third picture the sil went off to the bedroom to bring out the big gun. Nerf guns for all, and with the smaller guys, the bigger the gun the better.

A wonderfully fun Christmas Day for all!

Merry Christmas 2008

May Peace and Joy Be Yours Today....

...and Into the New Year!!!

Christmas Eve 2008

Well, it's Christmas Eve and all the presents are wrapped and my food preparation is done. I've got time to rest and reflect on the joy of the season.
I pray all those making long trips to spend special time with family and friends are either already there or have a safe journey.

I ask Christmas Blessings to those that believe and Peace, Joy and Love to those who don't.

The Shopping is Done

Yesterday we spent half the day in town and finished up our Christmas shopping. I had already purchased most of the gifts via online purchases. Sure made it a lot less hectic shopping. The main thing I needed to pick up yesterday was for our Christmas meal. At Sam's I decided that I might want to fix some deviled eggs and they had the dozen and a half egg cartons. But for the price of about one and a half of them I could buy two. The catch was that the 2-pack was plastic wrapped together. My thought was I'd be taking a chance on whether there were any broke eggs or not. So, I decided to take a chance....
Well, no eggs were broken, but they shorted me one egg in one of the cartons! Somebody in quality control must have been thinking more about Christmas jollies than what they were doing. I'm just glad, and surprised, that there were no broken eggs.

I guess I better get eggs to boiling! Hope all your troubles are insignificant as mine!

The Princess Plays Basketball Game 3

Saturday morning, the 20th , my eldest Princess had her 3rd basketball game. I had been up late the night before and also had her brother and K-monster here spending the night. I set my alarm for 7:45am to have plenty of time to get up and around. I heard the alarm, reached over an hit snooze. I don't know how many times I did this but I finally awoke at 8:20! I jumped up and went downstairs to wake the boys. Managed to get them with on the go breakfasts and myself with a couple of cheese stix, out the door and on the way to the school at 8:45. It was bone chillin' cold out, so I was glad I had put on my long coat. It's only about 4 or 5 blocks to the school so I was sure we would get there in time, BUT, when we pulled up to the school there were no cars out front. I was about ready to panic, I was SURE that the game was here. If it was away there was no way we were going to get to it in time. We drove over to my son's and the car was gone so we drove back to the school and there were cars in the back lot. In the parking lot was my son's car. So we parked and followed everyone else in through a back door to the what they call the 'rubber gym' because of the what the floor is made of. This gym is designed just for practice, not spectators. There is only room for one row of folding chairs on either side of the the court and then you're right on the foul lines. I found out they were resurfacing the other gym and this is why we were having the game here. As late as we were, we weren't the latest. My son and dil were already seated and we joined them an set up the camcorder. K-monster ran the camcorder for the first half and then let my dil run it for the rest of the game. So the game began without delay....
The girls are certainly improving...

...and started out with a burst of energy...

...back and forth the ball went from one end of the court to the other.

They all listen closely when the coach talks to them.

I think the other team picked up the beat after our girls burst of energy...

...but both teams had their power players that seemed to move easily on the court.

Some of my pictures almost look like theater and not basketball, don't you think?

At half-time K-monster took his cousins on the court and handed them basketballs. I think this little princess will be ready to play when she reaches her sister's age. She's already dribbling pretty well.

Below I caught a picture of one of our girls scoring baskets.

And this one, the ref stepped in front of me right as I took the picture, but I thought the effect turned out rather interesting.

And here was the final score.

Another learning experience. Still, looking good girls!

Fleeting Snow

Trying to get caught up on my picture postings. Tuesday the 16th I took these snow pictures. It had started snowing Monday night and Tuesday morning we had this lovely snow cover. The prints going up the center are mine coming in from getting the paper then the mail. The little prints going horizontal across the middle are bunny tracks. I haven't seen them lately but their obviously still around.
The snow was really pretty and there was a nice covering over everything.

Hardly a breeze to blow the snow off branches...

...or into drifts, just piled up where ever it landed.

I was glad I didn't have to get out into it. Going out for the paper and mail was as far as I wanted to venture.

The snow cover lasted till Thursday night. I had gone into my office Thursday late afternoon and I keep the heavy curtains closed to keep the cold out. There had been complete snow cover at that time. Sometime later in the evening I had gotten up and gone to the kitchen, the security light out back had been triggered, probably by a blowing limb, and was on. I was surprised to see the snow was ALL GONE! None to be seen anywhere. I had heard the wind pick up, felt it the coldness blow through my leaky north wall/window, but didn't realize what it was doing to the beautiful white covering outside. I only have to wait there will be snow covering again. But it IS Winter!

Saying Goodbye

Charles Robert "Bob" Monaghan

MEDICINE LODGE - Monaghan,Charles Robert "Bob", 80, died Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. He was born June 28, 1928 in Raytown, Missouri the son of Charles and Alice (Mallory) Monaghan. A resident of Medicine Lodge for 13 years, he owned/operated Custom Plastics Inc. in Dodge City, until he retired in 1982. He served in the Navy at Guam during World War II having attained the rank of UT3. He was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Medicine Lodge, Knights of Columbus, Veteran of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion, and was an Eagle Scout. On Sept. 6, 1952 he married Margaret L. Brennan at Raytown, Missouri. She survives. Other survivors include five sons Patrick,Thomas, Kevin, Shawn, and Stacey, two daughters, Sharon, and Sheila. Grandchildren, Shonda, Duana, Brenden, Andria, Mackenzie, Ryan, Lillian, Audrey, Joni, Eadie, Cole, and Elizabeth. and a sister Betty Monaghan. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday December 20, 2008 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Medicine Lodge with Reverend John Strasser presiding. Vigil Service will be 7:00 p.m. Friday at the church. Private Family will be at a later date. Memorials may be sent to Boy Scout Troop #162 Camp Fund in care of Larrison Funeral Home, Medicine Lodge. Condolences may be left at www.larrisonmortuary.com


Bob Monaghan and my dad worked together, were in business together in Dodge City, Kansas when I was young. His family and another family were just an extension of my own family as far as I was concerned. When my dad moved our family to Wichita in the early '60s our family grew apart but my folks kept in touch with them and maintained their friendship over the years. I have wonderful memories of Bob and all his family and am sad to hear of his passing. Below is a picture of my brother and me with the Monaghan kids in February of 1963. I'm on the far right.

K-Monster's 3rd Basketball Game

I'm running behind in getting my posts up - K-Monster's game was Monday, Dec. 15 at home. K-Monster is #31.
Here's a collage with K-Monster blocking, dribbling and whatever else the moves are called. Click on the picture to enlarge it and see if you can locate him. It's a "Where's K-Monster!" game.

This young man with the headband made some impressive moves in the game. Here he made both of his free shots.

I posted this picture because I thought it showed how intense they played.

This is a series shot that you'll probably have to click on to see well. This is the young man with the headband stealing the ball, making his way to home court and making the shot.

Here's another steal but he didn't make the basket on this one.

They didn't win, but they did score and played an awesome game.

And as always, sportsmanship is priority in the game.

Good game boys! Well DONE!!!

The Princess Plays Basketball

The oldest granddaughter is playing basketball this year. Her first game was the morning of December 6th and I didn't have my camera back in time for it. It was also an out of town game the morning of her sister's birthday party. This last game was in town on December 13th.
It started like all basketball games with the jump ball.

Here's the granddaughter looking over the plays.

She's number 17 in the red shirt.

Lot's of arms up there. What to do... what to do.

As you can see by the scoreboard they were behind at the beginning of the 4th quarter...

...most of these girls are new to playing basketball...

...and they had improved from the first game...

...they played hard and it was back and forth quite a bit...

...and the last hoop they made didn't count because of a foul.

The girls didn't win, but they played a good game and will get better with practice.