Getting Old--

How do you feel about getting OLD!!??  Happy or just a tad bit SAD or unhappy?  Seems to me like I never though much about getting old like I have this year!! 65 has seemed to be like an age of changes and of seeing myself looking and definitely feeling OLD!!  With each new year I usually feel some difference especially since turning 50, but this year I notice that there has been a BIG change!!

I thought that one could get pretty discouraged if you let yourself...OR...You could look at it on the BRIGHT SIDE!!  What are the advantages?  There has to be some or is there?

I definitely can tell you the disadvantages easier than I can the good side of getting OLD!!  Think and see if you can come up with a good list for getting a bit older....

Hm..Let's see hopefully I can think of a couple...Getting older gets you a Senior Discount at restaurants, clothing stores and some other places.  Remember when you wanted to so badly be a Senior in high school..then you thought you would have arrived?  Once you got there you realized that you really had not arrived...just got older and quickly thrown out into this crazy world with all the responsiblities that you were not really ready for....Well now we are Seniors again.  This time it is really different!!!

I always thought as you aged that people would give you more RESPECT Somedays I think that respect has gone out the window.  Then somedays I feel like it is back!! 

I believe that you do gain a lot of WISDOM as you age!!  Knowing what to do with it can be the next problem.  I have gained quite a lot I believe. The wisdom that I believe I have gained as definitely came from learning and studying the Bible.  God has placed so many wonderful words of faith, hope, and Joy into his pages.  Studying them will help you to gain and understand life.  God wants us to live in His world in peace and happiness.    I do not worry like I used too.  I finally figured it out that worry never hurts anyone except yourself.  THEN why do it?  God is there to handle our problems anyway..RIGHT?  Wisdom comes from God!!

Guess getting SOCIAL SECURITY is a plus!!  Not that it is a fortune but it is better than NOT getting anything at all!!  MEDICARE  I am not sure about still but I guess it is good to have also.  I know the younger people are saying that there will be no Social Security left for them when they reach the good old retiring age.  I don't know about that.  Just thankful that we get some now when we really need it.

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Old Age Insults:
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You are so old, the candles on your birthday cake raised earths temperature by 3 degrees.
You are so old, when you were a kid rainbows were black and white.
You are so old, you fart dust.
You are so old, you sat next to Jesus in school.
You are so old, you walked into an antique shop and they sold you.
You are so old, your birth-certificate expired.
You are so old, if you to acted your age, you'd die.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am sure that there are other advantages...leave me a comment with some new ones!!  Waiting to hear!!

Hope you are well in your part of the world.....

Blessings!!!

A reporter was interviewing a 104 year-old woman: "And what do you think is
the best thing about being 104?" the reporter asked.

She simply replied, "No peer pressure."

It is November 8th and today the temp got to around 70 degrees!!  This has been a most beautiful Fall!!  It is like God is saying well since you just returned from the beautiful South we will let you have some GREAT weather before the COLD and NASTY stuff comes blowing in!!  Thank you God if that is what you are thinking!!  I know, I know, I am not at all that special!!  It is nice to think so if just for a couple of minutes!!

Yes this is ME...the middle age goddess!!

We had a fun Halloween here.  I think it is one of the first times in years that I HAVE HAD fun!!  I had seen a very ugly mask in Tuscola.  It was kind of expensive so I decided to wait.  By the next week, it was 50% and it was mine!!  Everyone else here was putting on makeup and trying so hard but I just had 3 things for my outfit!!  I put the mask on; took my black shawl and tired it around my neck then put a blanket on my knees.  I sat in a rocking chair with the candy.  I sat there rocking back and forth.  When a child would come up, I would cackle as best as I could and tell them that I loooovvvve to eat  children.  Then I would shake so badly that I sometimes missed their candy baskets!!  It was such fun!!  I, unfortunately made one little girl cry!!  Made me feel horrible!!  WE did have our pictures taken a lot!!  We had one family that came around that I thought was very ingenious and cool!!  They were all dressed like the characters in Wizard of Oz!! 

We just had the best of Halloween's....I want to have fun like this again next year!!  The house was all decorated on the outside.  Just a fun time!!

The guys have been working on our apartment downstairs!!  It takes a lot of the inside work before the good stuff starts showing up.  We do now finally have the dining/room kitchen all dry walled and the kitchen cabinets.  We bought this cute little white 5 ft fridge (If a refrig can be "cute).  It is just little but it will have enough room in it for just us!! I am so ready to get moved down there but it is still going to be a bit!!

Isn't this going to be a cute kitchenett!!???  Mike got the Korian counterpot and molded twin sinks that would have cost $1500.00...very inexpensively.  The customer did not like them because there was no backsplash...so they returned them. They had them marked down to $300 and some dollars.  Mike saw them at Lowes and asked if they were just going to get rid of them.  The lady said that he could have them and what price did he want to pay.  He told her $50.00!!  She said great!!  We now have a great countertop and double sinks.Our little frig is not in this picture but it goes to the left of these cabinets!!  I can hardly wait to get all moved down there.  Mike is hoping by Christmas!!  YES!!!

Hope all is well in blogging land!!

Blessings,

Fun on the Farm

Fall is here.  What do you think about when you think of Fall?  Well, here in Illinois I know it is falling leaves; pumpkins, corn, pumpkin pie, apples and apple cider!! 

I love to decorate for Fall.  This past weekend our daugher, Becky and two kids, Madison and Garrett decided that we needed to go visit an apple farm.  

We found one not very far from us!!  The kids were so excited to be able to go somewhere to run and have a fun day!!

Once we got there and paid our money to come in, we noticed that it was just a big family farm that had been turned into things for city kids to do.  Funny how the things that I grew up with in the country are now fun things for kids to do..Plus their parents have to pay for it!!  My brother and I did a lot of things that were there yesterday.  We did not know then that what we were doing just to have fun would someday have parents PAYING so that their children would know about what we did every day!!

They had a mock (hay loft) where the kids jumped into hay!!  Big hay bales were decorated and made into this really high castle that you can climb all the way to the top.  They even took a big black farm tile and constructed it into a big slide.  Kids were running all over just loving this 'New adventure.'  Seemed so odd to me to sit there and see all of this stuff. 

There were alpacas, an old donkey, baby goats that were just born about 3 days ago, a big sow that was feeding her babies and chickens (not my favorite animal)!!  I never liked them when I was growing up.  Still don't!! 

There were tons of mums; pumpkins, and gourds.  I remember when my dad would grow grouds over the out house!!  They grew really well there of course!!  Maddie and Garrett were so happy to see all of the shapes.  Madison bought a big one and called him "Gordon, The Gourd". 

We ended up bringing back some gourds, pumpkins and ate some pumpkin donuts and some cider. 

There was also a Corn Maze.  I used to play in the corn and probably almost got lost a lo of times but this was the first time I had ever been in one like this.  I would never have gotten out of there without our fearless leader, Becky.  I am not a directional person at all but she can get almost anywhere...even through a corn field. I just followed..Garrett ran around throwing corn cobs which he called Kernel Corn (??).  I got this cute picture of him..

Where's Waldo..I mean Garrett

The wind was blowing right across the prairie but the day was just gorgeous!!  We have had the prettiest October!!  I think it is God's way of giving us here in the Midwest a great month before the terrible winter sets in. 



                                                      Garrett really was happy..this is just him!!

I really LOVE the Fall!!  I guess I never knew just how much until I have moved back to it!!  I am still not

ready for what is ahead!! 

Have a great October everyone!!

October Fun

Mike and Roger very seldom have time off from work at the same time so today we opted to stay home from church.  I don't like to do that but I know that our apt downstairs is never going to get ready for us without them working!! 

Becky had them come help her for awhile outside!!  She had bought some cute Halloween items at Big Lots (her favorite store).  Roger, Becky and Mike worked getting the cute spiders attached to the garage.  Becky named them Jack and Jill which I think are very cute for these two furry creatures.   They have red eyes too!!  Good spiders!!  (I don't like spiders!!)

It was fun to watch them put all of this up!!  People as they drove by took a second look!!  Fun to watch that!!  Roger had collected a couple of big bags of spanish moss from Savannah last weekend when they were there!!  Now it is all over the house; the trees and the door of the house.  I don't think it will stay there long but it is really spooky looking!!

Jack and Jill on the garage with their spider web home!!

Today is a special day as it is the only 10-10-10 that any of us will ever see!!  The next one is in 400 years so I am not sure that any of us will see that one!!  Today many couples were getting married at 10:10 so that they could say all of the tens in years to come.."Remember when we were married?"

Not much else left here to blog about.  Wanted to share the pictures.  Will share them on facebook too.

Blessings,

Sandy

Thought for the day: 

Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point.



My Husband

Those of you that have been reading my blog all along over this 5-6 years know how much I treasure my husband.  Sometimes I wonder why God looked down on me as a 16 year old girl and blessed me with the nicest, sweetest and very kind boy!! 
I had never really dated.  Some guys asked me out for a school dance, but most of them were not the best looking or the most popular guys in the school.  I always accepted because I hated to hurt anyones feelings.
When I met Mike he was so shy!!  The first time I saw him he had his head bent so low that you would think it was uncomfortable!!  He was just that way!!  Funny, I am just the opposite!!  Guess we were good for each other...opposites attract...at least I have always heard that!! 
Another PLUS for me was that Mike was so handsome!!  I had been so used to those geeky guys with the big ears....I kept wondering how could I be so lucky!!
Since then....now it has been almost 47 years(married that is), I have been so fortunate to have found the best of all husbands, the best of all men and the best that God could have sent to me!!  He is a humble, lover of God, a special man especially to me.
As we age, it seems like we talk more.  He loves me so much!!  I just feel blessed!!  He knows what I am thinking even before I say it!  I have heard that about couples that are close but never thought I would have that great relationship!! 
I just felt like I needed to get this written down. I feel really blessed today!!  God has been looking out for this girl!!

Blessings,

Sandy

Maddie is Twelve

October 1st was our youngest granddaughter, Madison 12th birthday!!  These kids are really growing up and making us get older and older by the minute!!  Smile!!  Funny thing this year...Maddie being our youngest granddaughter being 12 at the same time our oldest granddaughter, Brie is 21!!  Guess this will not ever happen again!!  Just a funny something!! 

Maddie wanted to go to Olive Garden for supper!  She and her friend Brittany got all dressed up in nice dresses. Brittany sister, Brooke, is the tom boy of the group and she just flies by the seat of her pants and really does not care!!  They both really fight over Madison!!  Nice to be the one in between!! 
We did have a great time even though that is an expensive place to go to eat for dinner!!  The girls were very happy!! 

We came home and had cake and ice cream and of course opened up her presents!!  She got a lot of money!!  Wish that I was 12 again if I could get that kind of money!! 

The next day mommy and daddy took off for Savannah.  Gpa and I were left with two kids.  Garrett worked with Gpa in the basement working on our apt.  Madison and I went shopping!!  She is really a tight little lady!!  She only bought a pair of shoes and that was all.  We ate lunch and finally around 4:00 made it back to home.  We bought material, pattern and etc to make her a Halloween costume.  We got some of it cut out today and a seam done!!  I have not cut out a pattern I bet in 30 years!!  boy it is hard to get back into once again!!  I hope this turns out okay.  It is just a costume but even at that it cost a lot to buy!! Will post a picture IF it turns out all right!!

Today we have just had a good day with the kids.  Mommy and Daddy should be home Tuesday from down south.  Guess it is 65 there tonight and 45 here!!  Oh well, we are in Illinois now!!  wonderful!! 

Blessings,
Sandy

Fall Festival

Years ago when we lived here every Fall we seemed to always end up in Clinton at the Apple & Pork Festival.  It is just a short drive from our home.  Yesterday morning, Becky and I decided that it was time to go back again!!  Both guys were at work so we took the two chillins' and off we went. 

First of all you must know that this involves a LOT of people, cars and most of all WALKING!!  With my knee I was wondering how I would do but you know it was fine. 

We got there after stopping at McDonalds to pick up something to eat for the kids.  They are always hungry...then off we went...oh and gasoline for the car...then off we went.

The place was just like we remembered.  We parked in a big open yard that someone had turned into an instant parking lot.  We paid to park but knew that was a better option.  We started walking from the farm to the festival.  Along the way the kids were excited that we were walking beside a bean field..some excitement!!  If you had never been that close to one...then I guess it could be exciting!!  Pick a dried bean and see what is really in it!!...a BEAN!!

Garrett was constantly stopping and picking up the rust colored willie worms!!  I know their color means something..whether or not we have a cold or a snowy winter...cannot remember the right colors.  These were all rusty orange!!  He was carrying them and then throwing them at us.  They would stick on our clothes!!  He thought that was great!!  Anything that aggravates he is right there with it!!

Finally after all of the walking we got to the Taffy Apples, Funnel Cakes (yum), the corn on the cob, cornbread and beans, kettle corn and coney dogs!!  That is where most of our money went too..eating!!  We looked at all of the vendors!!  This year there seemed to be more of them.  I finally got me a magnetic bracelet which I really like!!  Maddie got a magnetic necklace.  Garrett ended up with a football (BEARS) of course!! 

Must not forget the marshmallow shooters!!  Someone decided to use pipes and make this weird little device that once you blow it you can shoot tiny marshmallows at people!!  fun for the kids but for mommy and grandma...well guess what..we were the targets!!

 We stayed for about 4 hours and by that time even Becky was ready to go home.  I figured if she was tired I must be about to fall apart!!  Smile!! 
We had that long walk back by the bean field and the ditch.  Oh I forgot Garrett had fun learning how to throw a hachet!!  He actually hit the target and made it stick 4 times and also split a card into!!  I think he really liked that...something new with a point or a blade that is what he loves!!

As we were driving home the sprinkles came.  Guess we had perfect timing for a change.  Stopped at the DQ and got a small blizzard and then happily came home. Great to sit down once again!!

What a fun day!!  Fall is the best of all the seasons followed closely by Spring...for me that is!!  I have not been in the 4 seasons for over 9 years and it was fun for a change.  I am not so very sure about the next Season coming!!  That is the dreaded one for me.

Go and enjoy some Fall!!

Blessings