Birthday Girl

Gracie turns six on Thursday. I can't believe so much time has passed. It seems like just a few weeks ago that we made weekly trips to Salt Lake City to see our tiny preemie. Now she's a sassy, opinionated, smart little lady with a mind of her own. She is thriving in kindergarten, and is already talking about what she'll be doing in first grade.

Dangerously small, not even able to breathe on her own, this is her very first picture.

Her first tee ball game-they all were so darn cute!

Happy birthday, Boo!

Crazy Dog!

I really have been sewing and knitting-a lot! I just haven't taken many photos and/or taken the time to blog about it. I'm getting ready for a baby show in the area-called Babes in Bozeman. I am making my hankie bonnets and knitting bunches of booties.

So here's something to keep you occupied until I get around to taking pictures of my projects:

Merlin can sleep anywhere, any time, and in any position!

What I Did for Earth Day

I hate that electronics and computers outlive their usefulness and end up stashed somewhere in the house gathering dust because they really shouldn't be put in the landfill but nobody wants to buy them, heck, you can't even GIVE them away! Hubs has never understood this and from time to time he would bring something home from work-a fax, a huge computer, etc.

In our area, usually once a year in the fall, they hold an e-waste collection. Every time this has been held with the exception of once, we have either been out of town or just didn't get the word. Now the county landfill has a place for the e-waste that is sent for recycling but they charge per pound. Today in honor of Earth Day they held the collection event at the county fairgrounds. My DIL sent me a message on Facebook just so I wouldn't miss it. According to the ad I found in the paper this outfit completely recycles the stuff. The drop-off was staffed by jail inmates, so that was a good thing too, they have something to do and can get outside on a pretty spring day.

Here is an inventory of what I brought in: 2 computers, complete with monitors and keyboards (the monitors must weigh 20 pounds); 2 printers; a fax machine; and a scanner. I made a lot of room in the basement! To top it off, I took two bags stuffed with grocery bags to Walmart to put in the bag collection bin.

I'm feeling a little smug right now. It'll pass-I'll start feeling guilty about not doing enough for the environment soon enough. But I feel pretty green for the moment.

Moving Day

The kids finally found an apartment, have signed the lease, and Hubs is on his way to the storage unit with his truck and trailer. I've been washing Sydney's clothes and gathering up all the odds and ends that have infiltrated my house. As soon as I get the call Syd and I will meet them at the new place. There will be lots more loads before we're done, but every load I take from here means a less cluttered house for me. They said it's a really nice place, so I'm happy for them.

I'm also happy to get my house back!

Lost Friendship

I got an e-mail today from a friend that I occasionally have coffee with. She told me she wanted to end our friendship. She said it wasn't "healthy." Meeting her once in a while was a nice break from my daily routine, and was just fun. I guess she wasn't getting what she wanted out of the relationship. She hinted that she couldn't get a word in edgewise when I started talking. I am a bit gabby, but I didn't think I monopolized the whole conversation and is gabbiness a terrible character flaw? I also, recognizing my trait, would stop and make sure she could have her say. I have noticed that she has kind of retreating into herself and that does worry me. Maybe she's depressed and I didn't give her a chance to tell me. She told me once of a business idea she had, and I told her it was a neat idea and she owed it to herself to give it a try. She got angry and said I didn't have faith in her-I should have told her she would definitely succeed.

I'm still a bit stunned. I guess I'm not sure what real friends are. I never required undying bosom buddy friendship, but just a lively idea exchange over a latte.' I live in a relatively small town with small town attitudes, and most of the people here don't share my political views, so it was fun to actually be with someone whose ideals were closer to mine.

This is the second friend I've lost. The first one was someone I've known since childhood but when we started working together, she became hostile and cool and eventually I left. She hasn't spoken to me much since, even though I've made several attempts to reconcile she hasn't responded.

Now this one. I am sad, very sad.

I replied to her e-mail and told her to have a good life.

Firstborn

Happy 41st birthday to my oldest baby. Can't believe he has sons almost 15 years old. It seems like he was just learning to walk.
Now he not only has the big boys, but little kids that love their Daddy!
He also is inventive-here is his redneck candle lighter: