~NEVER TOO EARLY TO START..

She is so cute I almost can't stand it!  

Little great granddaughter, Emily, is learning to bake cookies!

She has her own handy little cooking baking set.

 I think she did a great job...

 Her Mommy, Cristina, can show you how enter the "giveaway" for this adorable set..

All of these things are included in the set.  If you are interested in entering, please go to
http://www.unacolombianaencalifornia.com/2013/12/cocinando-con-los-ninos/

I'm still trying to get my decorating finished.  Company coming SOON and I in a decorating frenzy trying to get it done.  Gotta get the guest room all ready and fresh...  I don't have to worry too much about food.  It's wonderful having children that cook..and I see another member of the family is on the way.
(I just want to SQUEEZE her little self!!)
Have a safe and warm weekend wherever  you are out there!  It's even getting COLD in Southern California!  (well...at least by our standards!)
Love'n hugs,
Mona
P.S.  I ..um..lifted these pictures from Granddaughter in law's blog!  I am a blog picture thief!!  I hope she doesn't call the Blog Police on me!  

~FIRST TURKEY...~

I got such a kick out of this picture of my youngest daughter,  Dawn.  She called several times on Thanksgiving to ask me questions about her turkey.  She had her fiance' with her and he had his version of how it should be done and between the three of us..I guess it got done.  :)

Her very first TURKEY!

My  baby girl has grown up!

I have not a clue what they put all over the turkey..but it looks a bit like some sort of cranberry sauce.  No matter, as you can plainly see, she was grateful when it was over.  :)  She had to carry it, in THAT pan to a friends house.  For Christmas I am getting that girl a nice roasting pan!  

She wasn't home for Thanksgiving...and I missed her.  We all did.  We had a lot of missing members of our family ...and our prayer was that next year..it will be different and those living far away will be home.  

My children's Dad and big sister, Sandy, were missed beyond belief....

All told, we are a bunch of cut ups and there was never a dull moment in spite of our loss this year!  

I am so blessed to have a large and wonderful family...

and I am thankful!

Today is December 1st and I spent today decorating! 

Isn't it fun to decorate for Christmas with the fireplace blazing and a bit of Christmas music?

Yeah!  

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Love,

Mona

~THE BACK PATIO IS IN NEED OF A REVAMP....

One of my wonderful blogger friends, Lynne at Irish Garden House asked an interesting question on her post today...she asked who "planned posts ahead..or just flew by the seat of their pants."  

Well...I will give you just ...

...three guesses...and the first two don't count!!

If you have not met Lynne...you should!  I love her to pieces!

I never plan my posts.  I seldom ever really PLAN anything.  For instance these pictures..stuff on the table..things sitting out there that are going into the Halloween/Fall container..just not packed yet.

Stuff here...stuff there..

Mele is checking to see if there is ANYTHING at all she might nibble on.  I suspect there is a little buggy down there trying to crawl away.. 

Yep..I put a stop to it!!    Those beautiful flowers are REAL.  My daughter gave them to me back in October...they are still just blooming away.  I wonder what they planted them in at the nursery.  I could use some of that stuff!!

My little parakeet died last week..I've had him for ten years.  He seemed healthy one day..and just keeled over the next.  It hurt to see him go.  He was such a joyful little thing.  Sliding up and down those wires..chattering away!  I will keep his cage and I've put an ivy in it for now.  I miss him!

It's about time for all the FALL goodies, afghans etc. to be packed away for another year.  I'll get right on that tomorrow! :)  

Well...maybe ...

Wheelbarrow Fairy Garden is so overgrown... :(  Lots of work to do on that too.

The entire patio needs a revamp.  I could probably do with a little less "stuff" out there.  The pretty summer grass is quick disappearing and browning out.  

Yep, California winter is on it's way!  Over seed?  Maybe.

I wish I knew why I seem to have so much "stuff"...

MY GOSH! Do you suppose it's those garage sales??  LOL

Did I tell you I bought a pair of Bushnell's for just $3.00 last week?  Been wanting some for awhile..

Bird watching ..of course! :)

Love'n hugs!

Mona

P.S.  I want to add that the news has been terrible about the storms in the East..At first I thought it was just a bad storm late in the season..but..it's tornado's!  They don't usually come this time of year.  What a terrible loss of property.  I am so sorry for all of them.  There but for the grace of God..go all of us!
I am so sorry!!

~SOME OF THE GREATS..~

Great Granddaughter, Emily.  This is Disney's idea of her in "cartoon"..
(makes me smile!)
Pat is my eldest son and this is he and his wife Cheryl's  Granddaughter.

These are Sandra's two oldest grandchildren, Jaden and Katie.
She adored these little guys..they are getting so big!

...and Emily again.  Taken just a few days ago at South Coast Plaza in Orange County.

Three of the seven Great Grandchildren.

You know..I think I have the "Holiday Blues" and it doesn't seem to be an easy thing to shake.
:)
I'll pull through. :)   How can I not with all the sweet support one finds here...
Thank you so much for being there for me.  I wish I could find the words to say how I feel but there just aren't any.
Love,
Mona

~SIX OF MY SEVEN CRAZY CHILDREN...AND ME..~

I wrote that heading to this picture before I thought.  

 All but Sandy.  She was healthy and living in Georgia when this picture was taken here in California.
We always missed her when she wasn't with us on a Holiday

I haven't seen my children look this happy in a while now.  There is pain, an empty feeling.

What curves life can throw at us sometimes.  

Me in the center. This picture was taken Thanksgiving 2006. We were at my daughter Mary's home.

I've written and erased..written and erased.  Now here I am up at back at the computer in the middle of the night.  I will find the group photo with all seven children..I just happened to run across this one...
Can you tell it's a bad night?
I'm sorry.  I should not blog when I am like this, I know.
Sandy should have been in there between Danny (to the right of me)  and Mike.  Pat, my eldest and his brother Mike are just 13 months apart.  Danny and Sandy were 14 months apart.  Erin is to the left of me.  She and her sister, Maryalice are 15 months apart.  Then the baby of the family, Dawn.  There is five years between her and Maryalice.  There will always be that ...space reserved for her.  I will always, always have seven children!  I have trouble accepting that Sandy is gone.
It will be nine months the 22 of November.

There are a lot of things I would probably do differently if I had them to do over...but having my seven  babies is something I would do again!
They are my life.
Love,
Mona

~WOULD I REALLY WANT TO KNOW??...

As far as I know, this will be my home until I die.  One never knows what the future holds.  Considering all that has happened..I wouldn't want to know what is in the future.  

The little thatch roofed cottages I look at and dream about will have to be in another lifetime. 

I am happy here.  We are fortunate.  Not a mansion but I love it!!

Content.

Standing in the shade of the Pear tree...

Our poor lawn is about to be overseeded with Winter Rye..it's looking a bit sad.

I want to have a circular flower bed around our Crape Myrtle tree.  Waiting until my son in law has the time to do this.

To the far right near the stone wall are the Redwoods.  And yes, they are pushing their limited space. 

They were the first tree's we planted 4 years ago.

And down around the corner of the house behind the Redwoods..are two White Birch tree's.  This year I noticed that I DO have some Fall color..I was so pleased!  They were about five feet tall then.
So were the White Birches.

To those of you who have changing of the leaves every Fall..this would be nothing..but to me..it's fantastic!  PH (Patient Husband) smiles patiently at me as I hop around in joy at all those golden leaves.  I mean he IS from Maine.  No big thing to him.  Ah well...

..so...back to hopping around .. :)

One day there will be a stone pathway that leads from the rose arbor all the way around to the driveway by the front porch. 

I turn around the other way and there's the rose arbor...

The poor rose arbor needs some attention.  Dare I climb on a ladder and tie them where they are supposed to be...maybe not.  I'll ask the gardener.  Or...I bet I can do that!  Heck!! 

Behind that fence are the stacks of flagstone waiting to be placed!  :)

We've planted 12 tree's since I moved here five years ago.  PH has lived here for 51 years!!  He has lived here since his early 20's.  Every tree on the property was planted by him.  All those Cypress tree's, the pear tree and that huge pine with those gorgeous pine cones that I use to decorate at Christmas.  

That's it!  All done.  My exciting post for the day.  :)

Love'n hugs,

Mona



~ONLINE SHOPPING and otherwise...

Cushions for chairs are something I struggle with.  I never seem to find anything I want and when I finally do, they are so expensive.  I'm talking $50 each.  To me, that's high!! 
So..I went online.  Then there is the shipping, however now and then IF the price is right, I mean REALLY right, you can handle the shipping.  (sort of!) 



 I hate paying high shipping.  I do!!  I found these wicker chair cushions on Amazon.  "Lemonade."  the name caught my eye and of course I loved the red in them.  AND it was two for much less than the price of one at the stores..such as Pier1!



 I thought these were so sweet.  Yes, they do shout Springtime and Summer..but still..those season will eventually come around and I will be ALL SET! :):)



 You would never know it was Fall on my front porch.  It was hot again today...(a heavy sigh here..)

 The front porch is still all decorated for Fall..but it will very soon give way to Christmas.

This morning I visited Lowe's just to scout out what was new.  AND THE PRICES MADE ME RUN BACK TO THE CAR!  

So..this year I just may have to do with what I have and heaven knows that's enough.

I do always buy fresh flowers though.  NOT the super market ones...one's that can be planted later.

The temp here has been in the 80's!!  It's depressing!  Supposed to be a sudden drop tomorrow.

For heaven's sake, lets HOPE so! :)

However.. 

 I do have these to look at..and it helps.  :)

Before I close this post, I just wanted to thank every single one of you for all of your kind words.  My brother wrote me and was so sweet.  Basically was quick to let me off the hook.  Still...I wish it had all been different.  Just another lesson in life I've learned.  GO that extra mile.  GIVE that extra hug.  Smile at that person in the checkout line.  It's amazing the results you will get and I am totally confident that there is not a single one of you that commented on my last post that doesn't do that.  

See??  I know you  guys pretty well for never having met you! :)

Big hugs,

Mona

~A VERY WORDY POST..

I try not to make my posts long and wordy as I know you have so many to visit and not a lot of time.

..but this time I can't help it. :(  Sorry. 

I love reading and I always have.  I've just finished a book that was sent to me as a gift from a dear blogger friend, Lynne!  When Lynne sent me this book, she had no idea the personal connection I would have with it. 

I usually read historical novels, ones that are taken from much research, or diaries, that sort of thing.  

When I received this book and read the Prolog, I supposed it to be light reading..and even though I had read the reviews (I always do that) I didn't think it would hold my interest but I wanted to give it a try because my friend was so certain I would like it.  She loved it enough to send it to me. 

So I plowed ahead..

This isn't supposed to be a book review.  

This is..something else I guess...

I am the eldest of five children by about 7 years, so I was grown and married while my sibblings were still in grade school.  One of my baby brother's died at two and a half years old but I was too young to realize that death was forever.  (..and yes, I know the religous side of what I've just said and I do have faith..this isn't about that.) 

My mother went on to have three more children, two little brothers and my baby sister.

What I wanted to share with you, is that my youngest brother was in a horrible auto accident and was left a quad. 

His hands are in braces.  There are different levels of quads and his is not the worst, such as Reeves was, but his is not the best either. My brother can speak and with difficulty he can feed himself.  With his hands in braces, he can use a computer. 

I won't go into all he has been through.  I can't..but now I know it was much, much more than I ever knew.  I lived a couple of hours away so wasn't privy to the specifics.  I only knew his entire life had changed...and now I know I KNEW NOTHING! 

My brother was a woodsman..a builder of beautiful furniture.  He carved things, he was a craftsman.

Lumber was his career and he lost it all.  He can no longer build things.  I cannot even imagine his heartbreak.

He was also going through a sad divorce when it happened..so he had his world dashed already and was suffering when the accident happened..

This book took me into my brothers world...his heartache and trials and still doesn't even scratch the surface of what folks that suffer such debilitating accidents, go through. I wanted to scream when I realized the enormity of his pain. How alone he must have felt. 

Then while reading the book I received an alert from facebook (which I seldom ever go on) and he had written a couple of sentences about a religious leader that he admired.  She had died and he was saddened by her death and he said a few things about what she had meant to him and his life change..but what I read that killed me was "I found myself alone.  Completely alone!" 

Here I was reading this book..and then I read my brother's comment on facebook...on Friday.  I went into a bit of a tailspin and my brother was quick to excuse me.  I don't know exactly what I could have done but certainly it was more than I did.  It will take a while to forgive myself even though it was a long time ago.

I have NO idea, had NO idea what he went through, is still going through and always will.   I had a very large family and was up to my neck working full time and getting through my own life and assumed my brother was well taken care of.  In many ways he was..and yet...and yet..I wasn't there.  I simply was not there for him like I wish I had been!

I love my brother.  He is ..my baby brother and this book enlightened me so much.  It's too late now, he made it without me. He is a very determined and strong man.  He was a determined little boy and I am glad he was.  My brother was retrained for computers, was employed by the  Government and was transfered to Texas. 

He eventually married a lovely woman from Canada and is happy.

They talk of moving back to California after he retires..I hope they do.  His children and grandchildren are here.

 He has a specially equiped car and has done all sorts of things such as skiing, basketball, and I believe he even danced. :)  They teach them a lot about survival. 

If you don't have a close relative or a very close friend, then what I am saying won't mean much to you.  However..this book is a riveting book.  I stayed up nearly all night last night to finish it.  Do not think this is a book for those interested in the handicapped.  It is not.  It's about love.

Thank you, Joyce.  This book enlightened me, made me cry, and laugh and added depth to my life.

That's about it for today.  Lots going on and I have a big family dinner to cook.  The kids are coming over and that always makes for a busy day with lots of fun to look forward to. 

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Love,

Mona



~REACHING FOR A POST HERE..EVER DO THAT?~

What is so great about Autumn ...the entire season into Winter/Christmas decorating, you can just remove the Halloween stuff the day after and you are good until Thanksgiving.  

Mele in her Fall coat.. sorry for the blur!

From time to time I consider cutting my hair..but only for a moment.  Then the urge to do it goes away.

How did you come to wear your hair the way you do?  Do you change it often or do you pretty much stay the same?  I am a long haired woman.  I've tried to wearing it short but I am miserable that way..so I have grown it out and keep it long but pulled back..I really like my hair.  (Even if it is getting thinner...and thinner..)

Messy, but you get the idea..

It's such an easy style..just wash it, let it dry and pile it up on the back of my head.

Sooo easy.  When I tried to wear it short..it was always a problem.

MUCH better this way.

I collect pretty hair clips...so never a problem there.  I have many and still collecting.

Which reminds me.  

The Blue Ridge Gal is now selling them..GOTTA get one of those pretties!

Yes, it hangs down sometimes..but it's just my style.

The easier to take care of the better.

My garage sale jacket..old pair of sweats and a silly grin!  (note the double chins and wattle? :) I only wear sweats around the house..I promise.  However..jeans are the order of the day.  I love Lee's straight leg jeans and yes, t shirts, often with an overshirt to hide my butt... and always, always a cute pair of shoes.  

AND handbag of course.  LOVE handbags.  

Not much on a lot of make up.  I seldom wear lipstick..and then barely.  

I guess my style is no style at all.  

Maybe I should look into this ...ya think?  LOL

Yeah...maybe I should!!

Luv'n hugs,

Mona

~OLD LADIES ARE LIKE THAT...yeah, they are.~

I'm going back in time...
Granddaughter "Ireland" dressing up in Grandma's old things..playing out on the patio..

(Now a young woman living far from home on her own.  Graduated from College and making a successful living....I am sooo proud!  *sniff, sniff*  

Mele..watching the birdies in the roses...I laid every single brick in that pathway..

This is the arbor I had in my last home where I lived with my husband, Frank.

Here I am now in my new life trying to recreate the rose arbor I planted back then.

Frank died in February 2007 of cancer of the liver.  

Daughter's bedroom in a home we all loved...her husband laid the floor..and also laid our back patio that you see in a lot of my pictures.

...this was a painted ceiling at one time...I suggested beadboard and they did it...HOW I would love it in our home where I live now...this, by the way,  was the famous home that some of you may have seen in "Coming Home" and "If Teacups Could Talk"  by  Emilie Barnes.

Have you ever seen a half wall with windows?..made me wonder what the home may have been like those  many years ago...

On the other side of the windowed wall is this...a dining area with a LARGE fireplace...

The home is in many of Emilie's books.  It used to say "The Barn" on the mailbox.

This childrens "Blue Willow" set of china I owned as a little girl.  They were left behind when we moved from Oregon to California.  They were supposed to be brought later but nothing..neither dishes nor dolls were brought.  Ever as was promised.  I've mentioned this in a previous post in an attempt to explain (my rational) why I decorate with toys.  Trying to recapture my childhood do you suppose?  LOL

...and me, 13 years ago at 64.  I actually looked human..(almost. :)  It was December and I had been crying just before the picture was taken.  I remember that.  I must have been such a pain to my children.  I didn't mean to be...it was a hard time and grief was a constant state for me.  Patrick was my first husband and highschool sweetheart.  He died of cancer of lungs on Dec. 15th 1997.  I went to sleep crying and woke up crying.

Not sure if I like looking back anymore.  Brings back some nice memories but a lot of painful ones as well.

You know?  Soooo anyway..  :)

These are just random pictures I found on Picassa.   Picassa is a new experience for me and I had NO idea my pictures were there...can you imagine?  I have posted some of these back sometime during the time I've been blogging...

HEY, WHERE'D EVERYBODY GO????   LOL

Love,

Mona

~SUNRISE, SUNSET...and it's NOVEMBER~

Emily

 

They are adorable at every age.  I don't have a favorite..from newborn to college and beyond.

I wish I could be here to see her grown with children of her own, but of course that won't happen.

I wonder if she will remember me.

 

The only memory I have of my great grandmother is when she was ill in bed..her very last days.

I cannot even bring her face to my mind and I was her first great grandchild.  And then I think of all the other grandmothers that came before and I wonder if they felt the same, wondered the same things I do.

 

November 1st.  Another Thanksgiving is fast approaching.  Will November pass as quickly as October did.  Is the world spinning faster?  I honestly think it is.  :)

 

 

My daughter Mary with her little niece.  I named Mary "Maryalice Lillian.  Mary was her great great grandmother's name, Alice was her  great grandmother and Lillian was her Grandma's name.

Easy for her to remember them.  At least their names. 

Well, she was, after all, my sixth child.  I was running out of names.

 

Now on to Thanksgiving. 

The words of a song come to mind..

"One season following another...

laden with happiness and tears"

 

It's been a year of tears and of joy. 

 

Love,

Mona

p.s.  I didn't mean to be a downer.  I should never post past midnight.  I really am good.

Honest! :) 



~OCTOBER 31'ST IS HERE...ALREADY.~

~A very safe and Happy Halloween to all of you!~

See you in November...

~A BEAUTIFUL DAY...

We had visitors on Friday and the day was wonderful.  Emily with Grandma and Grandpa.  Emily is getting tall!  And not only that, she is learning to speak Mandarin!!  They are teaching it in her Kindergarten class.
 ...hmmmmm..

We ate our lunch out on the patio. They brought a huge chocolate cake that was delicious and sweet gifts and sang Happy Birthday. 

I am now 77 and PH is 80!  Really, REALLY old now.  Our birthdays are only a couple of weeks apart.  It seems like I get up in the morning and suddenly it's time to go to bed.  A dizzying whirl of days zooming by at breakneck speed. 

Please forgive me if I haven't gotten over to visit you for awhile.  Not up to par lately but then again, I could be JUST PLAIN LAZY!!   Just going through a time when everything seems like an effort.  Ever have that happen to you?  :)  Mainly it's technology.  It should NOT be as confusing to me as it is.
It rained today and I loved every single moment of it.  Cool and crisp outside..I think Autumn is finally here.
About darned time!!

Love,
Mona

p.s.  Gail dear..I DID go look at the bike a few times...  :)  Just didn't get on it.  I will try soon, I promise.



~BACK IN BUSINESS...~

 

Well, finally!  I got desperately brave and called my eldest grandson in LA area, and in no time flat he had me on the right track!! 

I cannot begin to tell you my relief.  I have always used AOL as a browser, and he informed me that it was NOT the best "browser" to use.  He had me go to enternet explorer and I was immediately back in business, AND I learned some things! 

He is coming to visit in the next couple of weeks and show me how to do several things.  I cannot wait!

He is the most patient young man.  Seems like yesterday he was toddling around and today he is in his mid thirties, a husband and a father and the sweetest grandson to me.

 

SO... :)

 

 This is the fireplace mantel..which I've already shown..

 





...but this is an idea I came up with from the suggestion that Joyce @ Octoberfarm came up with.

She suggesting putting the orange Halloween lights in containers..and I loved it.  So I used a basket with a weave the lighting could show through.  Nice!

In the evening it looks like the glow of coals on the fire..

 

..as it is MUCH too warm here yet to light the fireplace.

It gives off a cozy glow!

Love it!

 

My tabletop is ever changing..and

 

 

Would you believe there was some things I didn't have room for? 

Believe me ..this place is crammed.  Every nook and corner..and I love it.

 

So...are y'all proud of me that I didn't cave and do my usual storming off in a huff and at a rash moment delete my entire blog?  Because you KNOW that is exactly what I came close to doing.

 

What did I learn?  I learned what a lousy BROWSER is!!!  :)

 

Many hugs and thank you so much, all of you, for being there for me! 

 

Love,

Mona 



~MY SWAN SONG IS APPROACHING...~

Hi...it's just me. :)   I am still unable to post photo's and I have tried everything, including writing to blogger.  I've asked if I needed to pay for more space..and if so, tell me how to do that.  

They sent me some directions but they are to the things I have already tried.  Dragging and dropping here..and tried through picasa but that didn't work.  I did get one old photo to show up but if you look at my earlier post..the picture has now disappeared.  

So..what next?

I am not sure.  

Not at all interesting without pictures, so I am thinking of cashing it in..trying to get my blog printed and move on.  I will miss all of you something terrible.  I've put off doing that...but it's become so stressful that it's beginning to not worth it.  

Thank you for all the help you attempted to give me.  You sweet people are wonderful.  

My only hope now is that blogger does something to help.  

I will keep visiting.

Love,

Mona

~IS THIS A SIGN?~

:) Is this a sign that I should hang up blogging?  NO!  Is someone trying to tell me something??  Probably.

Good morning...

This is not the photo I wanted to show you..but..I have found that I can put photo's from picaso *smile* I mean picasa, here..and quickly.  Problem now is HOW did my pictures get on picasa since I don't recall sending them there.  I take pictures with my camera and download them to my files that say Pictures.  

I am SO confused...

Anyway..these are daughters pumpkin cookies she makes every year..

This is a test run to see ..hmmm..blogger is doing something.  Not sure what.  I am going back to picasa to see if my photo's from my camera are there.  

This is stressful.  Really stressful.

I SHALL return.. NEED coffee!!

Mona

~HELP..please..

Well, another day without being able to post any photo's.  They just won't load and I cannot figure out why.  
I thought it just glitch that would go away..but no.  Seems it's not going to go away any time soon.
VERY frustrating!
A little round light blinks..red, pink, or some such colors and then sometimes a green flashes and I get hopeful..but no pictures will load.  I've tried all different ones and nothing happens.
The bar pops up but does not have anything in it and no matter how long I wait..no photo's.
Sometimes one will load with an X on it..and I try again..and ..sometimes this ends up with two of the same and one has to be deleted.
So..once again..I give up.

Is there some new trick that I have missed?  Something else we have to do?
Any suggestions?