Time for another word cloud.....

Decoration day...

It's what Memorial Day used to be called.

I'm shocked by how many people celebrate this day off from work, but don't know why they are celebrating.

What bothers me even more is the kids that don't know why we celebrate this day.
I know my boy didn't know why and I had to explain it to him.  I'll have to talk to my daughter and get her viewpoint on this too.

I just want to thank all the service men and women for serving our great country, and the men and women that continue to serve our nation to maintain our freedom.

But most of all, I want to thank the men and women that served our nation and sacrificed their very lives for all of us. And the families that they left behind. Because that is what this day is all about after all!

Hummingbirds

They are here!! They are three days late this year and we are shocked. We all thought with the warm weather we had that they would be early. We are glad they are here!!

Blankets.....

These are two baby sized blankets I made recently for a raffle for Battens disease. Look it up.

They are made with Red Heart yarn. One variegated and one solid color.

I also have made two other baby blankets and about 20 tiny preemie blankets. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of those, but I might be able to get one from the person I sent them too. If I get a picture of them, I will post it.  They are my annual contribution to the NICU babies.

I finished a shawl that I started some time ago. I'll post that later.

There hasn't been much time to crochet, but in the last four months I managed to make the preemie blankets.  And I made some cotton 4x4 squares for the troops. A local church had this project and I contributed to that. This summer I will continue with more preemie blankets and I am making a shawl for my mom.  She is having hip replacement surgery at the end of the month. I may need to fore go my trip to Maryland this year.

Update...........

This semester is finally over! I am so glad to be done. It was a tough four months and I still don't "get" algebra.  BUT, I passed! In fact I received a B in my Algebra class and an A- in the writing class. I am shocked with the B. I never ever could have done it without the help of my  tutor-my husband! He was so patient with me most of the time.

I will be taking Statistics in the fall. Only one class. And I decided not to take any summer courses for various reasons.

The boy is doing well in school this year and he is playing soccer right now with baseball following. Six weeks of each.  Then he will be taking his normal three sessions of swimming this summer. We also purchased a season pass again to a local water park. He will have a moderately busy summer. I also foresee some fishing going on as well.

The girl is doing well. So glad to be seeing more of her.

My mom is doing well, sort of. She is moving to a new place in about two weeks. She is also having hip replacement surgery! Just found out about that this week. So glad I am not taking a summer class, especially now. Mom is moving into a lower level unit so that she doesn't have stairs. With her knees, and now her hips, it will be much easier on her.

My husband has been busy with work, that business will end shortly.  He won't be having the crazy schedule soon, and I will be happy and so will the boy.

A note on the seven things project. I continue to rid my home of "stuff."  Most of it is clothing that the boy has out grown. Just recently I gave two pair of winter boots to a friend. Glad to be rid of them too!!

There's so much around here that I haven't had the time to do in the last four months so now I am kind of catching up.  I baked banana bread yesterday,  and burned it!  But I have been hungry for home made baked goods.  I need to make chocolate chip cookies too. YUM.  I have stuff to put away and organize, and I hope to get to the stuff eventually. It's kind of nice not having to run off to school or spend most of my free time studying and writing papers!

That's it for now.  Hopefully I'll be able to update more.

Spring!!!!

It's Spring today!! Though we have had some unseasonably warm weather all month.  Like in the 70's type of warm weather. Which is very unusual for us.  But, our ground is still frozen.

I haven't posted much lately because I have been busy with my college classes. The Algebra and Writing have taken over my life. I had a spring break but it wasn't even at the same time as my boy had his break.  And, I still had homework to do the week I was off school!!

I can't believe I haven't posted in two months!! That's a long time for me to not post.

My boy had another birthday in early March. He had his usual Dinosaur cake, and he brought dinosaur cupcakes to school. This year we also made a goodie bag for the kids in his class. Fun stuff, no candy. The kids seemed to like them.

The picture in this post is of a Barred Owl that visited us earlier this month in our yard. The boy spotted it and we all ran to the window to watch. It stuck around for about 45 minutes and moved from tree to tree a couple of times. It was fascinating! And Owls are really weird animals. It turned it's head. It was really weird.

My daughter is doing well, along with her cats!  Sometimes I miss cats, but with our one Jack Russell, it would never work.

I know I have more to add, but can't think of anything at the moment.  I'll try to keep up better with the blog.

School this semester....

If you think of it, you could pray for me for this semesters class.

I am taking a basic college math course and it is giving me fits. Even with my husband helping me.

I feel very defeated and I don't want to feel this way at all.

My brain needs to understand this stuff because I need this class. I need to take this class and pass it.

I'm also taking a writing class which I foresee being a cake walk compared to the math class.

Thank you!!

A round ripple

This isn't a great picture, but it's a picture of a round ripple I made.

It's made for a woman having her third baby boy and I wanted to make something different for her. So, I made this out of cotton, and it's a round ripple. I liked it a lot when I was done with it.

I also made some cotton wash cloths for her baby.   She like it all!  I'm happy she like the blanket and wash cloths.

December 31, 2011

Another year has come to an end.  We had lots of new stuff in our lives.

The little guy tried snowboarding this winter, and of course he loves it!! No surprise there, he also loves skateboarding and they are similar. Second grade has been good for him too! Had the fall conference and learned some good new things about my boy!!  He continues to thrive in school.

I also started school. It was huge for me to step out of my comfort zone and actually go to school. It was even harder for me to stand up in front of 30 people and give an oral report, but I did it and I am glad I did!! I am taking two classes starting January 9.

My husband continues to do well at work. He is active with the boy scouts, and I volunteered to be popcorn mom next year! I'm sure he'll help me. Hubby and the boy are still trying to go up north ice fishing at his brothers house, but, surprisingly, it's not been a cold even winter yet to get any safe ice.  Maybe in January or February.

My daughter is doing well, though I wish she were closer. She comes to visit when she can though.

My mom continues to do well too.  She is getting older and stairs are a bit hard for her with her knees, but she's doing well. I continue to go at least twice a month to clean her house. Sometimes we run errands too. We always go out to eat lunch on cleaning days.

As I reflect back on 2011, it's really been a good year for us.  We are all healthy and well.  Trying new things and just going on with life.  I think of friends from my past, as I always do, and wonder how they are doing.  Hoping all is well with them and their families.

I hope 2012 is good for all of us!! Enjoy the new year!!

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! 

We went to the candlelight service last night and it was beautiful.

Yesterday we had my family over to celebrate and today my mother in law was over.

The little guy had fun!!

Winter Solstice

It's that time of year again. Today is the shortest day of daylight of the year.

From now on til June, the days get longer.

We have no snow here in Minnesota and none in the forecast through the new year.  The last time we had a brown Christmas was 2006.  I'm ok with that since I know we will not go through the whole winter without snow.

School update

I finally received my grade for my History class. I got a 93 on the final and an A for the class. I am very happy with that grade.  It was a great first class to take to get back into the swing of school.

I registered for the Math and Writing classes and bought the books. Unfortunately they were not rentable. What a scam college book prices are!! 

So, I start school in January two days a week.

Six years and counting!!

Today marks SIX years that I have been a non smoker!!!

I got a new toy this week......

Oops, I mean a new phone!! In my life, I think the greatest invention has been the iPod. And now, the iPhone!

When I was a teenager, there was no such thing as a cell phone. I listened to a transistor radio, later an 8-track and tapes, and finally  stereo instead of mono records!

To have this thing called a cell phone, that isn't just a cell phone is wonderful. It has all my music on it, games, GPS, and it has texting! Oh, and it's a phone too. I can finally text people now and I am thrilled with it.  It may seem silly to some, but to me, it's just great.

And I do love my iPhone as much, if not more than my iPod!!

Thanksgiving

I'm here with a belated Thanksgiving update.  We had a quiet Thanksgiving this year, just our moms were here with us. Hubby smoked the turkey and I made all the fixings.  It was yummy.  Made a homemade pumpkin pie again this year and it was so easy and tasty.  We will be hosting about 20 for Christmas dinner and gift opening.

School is almost over for me. I received my final test last night and I will turn it in next Wednesday. I am glad I have a week to complete it.  I also signed up for Spring semester classes, two of them this time. I signed up for a basic Math class and a basic Writing class. I need to take more than one class at a time if I am ever going to finish.  But I am glad I started with History. It was a fun, easy class and I actually learned a lot.

Our new windows are all in and they all have new coverings!! We especially love the bay window, it really opens up our house!

For the second time in about a year, my mom was thinking of moving. Mostly because the stairs up to her condo are becoming an issue. So, we looked at another place that she really liked. Until she figured out her finances and decided she didn't really want to move. I don't care what she decides, I just want her to be happy!!  So we have been looking at Stair Aids. It is a chair thingy that attaches to her stairs and it brings her up the stairs. Her building management allows these in the buildings and it isn't that expensive. I think it will be the perfect solution for her.

I got my hair cut a few months ago, a little shorter, then I went and got it cut even shorter. I wasn't sure at first, but I really like it shorter. I think I'll keep it this way. And, in May, I quit dying it, so everyone can see my gray now!

I also went for my 5 month dental hygiene appointment and I need another root canal. The dentist fixed the tooth a year ago and was skeptical that it would work. It didn't and I now need a root canal. The silver lining is that the tooth already has a crown! Yay me. So, I now will have NINE crowns and FIVE root canals in my mouth. The dentist told me some of this is genetics (thanks dad).  Because I do brush and floss every day.  Meh...............

My little guy is doing well in school. He likes school a lot and is a quick learner. Thankfully he loves to read too!  He keeps busy with boy scouts and Awana during the week. He's busy, but not too busy, which is perfect.

Husband is doing well too. He has done a lot of Christmas shopping and between the two of us we are done. I just need to wrap, and I will have my little helper helping me!!

The daughter is doing well too. Keeping busy with her job and cats and going to school.

I think that's about it. I've been crocheting, though not as much lately. I have a few things to post and I'll get to that soon.

Have a happy December!!

11-11-11

Today is Veterans day.  I've made posts about this day before, and there isn't much left to say other than "thank you".

There is one new Veteran to add to our family list. My husbands nephew is currently serving in the Air Force.

More Dishcloths

The ones above are just plain white dishcloths I have made over the summer and am just posting about now.  I think plain white is pretty!

The ones below are colored dishcloths. I never think about which color to crochet, I just grab a ball that looks pretty and crochet!! I have cotton yarn in a lot of different colors and sometimes I crochet the same colors.

Well, OK then..............

This about sums me up.

Portrait of an ISTJ - Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging
(Introverted Sensing with Extraverted Thinking)

The Duty Fulfiller

As an ISTJ, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you take things in via your five senses in a literal, concrete fashion. Your secondary mode is external, where you deal with things rationally and logically.
ISTJs are quiet and reserved individuals who are interested in security and peaceful living. They have a strongly-felt internal sense of duty, which lends them a serious air and the motivation to follow through on tasks. Organized and methodical in their approach, they can generally succeed at any task which they undertake.
ISTJs are very loyal, faithful, and dependable. They place great importance on honesty and integrity. They are "good citizens" who can be depended on to do the right thing for their families and communities. While they generally take things very seriously, they also usually have an offbeat sense of humor and can be a lot of fun - especially at family or work-related gatherings.
ISTJs tend to believe in laws and traditions, and expect the same from others. They're not comfortable with breaking laws or going against the rules. If they are able to see a good reason for stepping outside of the established mode of doing things, the ISTJ will support that effort. However, ISTJs more often tend to believe that things should be done according to procedures and plans. If an ISTJ has not developed their Intuitive side sufficiently, they may become overly obsessed with structure, and insist on doing everything "by the book".
The ISTJ is extremely dependable on following through with things which he or she has promised. For this reason, they sometimes get more and more work piled on them. Because the ISTJ has such a strong sense of duty, they may have a difficult time saying "no" when they are given more work than they can reasonably handle. For this reason, the ISTJ often works long hours, and may be unwittingly taken advantage of.
The ISTJ will work for long periods of time and put tremendous amounts of energy into doing any task which they see as important to fulfilling a goal. However, they will resist putting energy into things which don't make sense to them, or for which they can't see a practical application. They prefer to work alone, but work well in teams when the situation demands it. They like to be accountable for their actions, and enjoy being in positions of authority. The ISTJ has little use for theory or abstract thinking, unless the practical application is clear.
ISTJs have tremendous respect for facts. They hold a tremendous store of facts within themselves, which they have gathered through their Sensing preference. They may have difficulty understanding a theory or idea which is different from their own perspective. However, if they are shown the importance or relevance of the idea to someone who they respect or care about, the idea becomes a fact, which the ISTJ will internalize and support. Once the ISTJ supports a cause or idea, he or she will stop at no lengths to ensure that they are doing their duty of giving support where support is needed.
The ISTJ is not naturally in tune with their own feelings and the feelings of others. They may have difficulty picking up on emotional needs immediately, as they are presented. Being perfectionists themselves, they have a tendency to take other people's efforts for granted, like they take their own efforts for granted. They need to remember to pat people on the back once in a while.
ISTJs are likely to be uncomfortable expressing affection and emotion to others. However, their strong sense of duty and the ability to see what needs to be done in any situation usually allows them to overcome their natural reservations, and they are usually quite supporting and caring individuals with the people that they love. Once the ISTJ realizes the emotional needs of those who are close to them, they put forth effort to meet those needs.
The ISTJ is extremely faithful and loyal. Traditional and family-minded, they will put forth great amounts of effort at making their homes and families running smoothly. They are responsible parents, taking their parenting roles seriously. They are usually good and generous providers to their families. They care deeply about those close to them, although they usually are not comfortable with expressing their love. The ISTJ is likely to express their affection through actions, rather than through words.
ISTJs have an excellent ability to take any task and define it, organize it, plan it, and implement it through to completion. They are very hard workers, who do not allow obstacles to get in the way of performing their duties. They do not usually give themselves enough credit for their achievements, seeing their accomplishments simply as the natural fulfillment of their obligations.
ISTJs usually have a great sense of space and function, and artistic appreciation. Their homes are likely to be tastefully furnished and immaculately maintained. They are acutely aware of their senses, and want to be in surroundings which fit their need for structure, order, and beauty.
Under stress, ISTJs may fall into "catastrophe mode", where they see nothing but all of the possibilities of what could go wrong. They will berate themselves for things which they should have done differently, or duties which they failed to perform. They will lose their ability to see things calmly and reasonably, and will depress themselves with their visions of doom.
In general, the ISTJ has a tremendous amount of potential. Capable, logical, reasonable, and effective individuals with a deeply driven desire to promote security and peaceful living, the ISTJ has what it takes to be highly effective at achieving their chosen goals - whatever they may be. 

Careers for ISTJ Personality Types

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Whether you're a young adult trying to find your place in the world, or a not-so-young adult trying to find out if you're moving along the right path, it's important to understand yourself and the personality traits which will impact your likeliness to succeed or fail at various careers. It's equally important to understand what is really important to you. When armed with an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, and an awareness of what you truly value, you are in an excellent position to pick a career which you will find rewarding.
ISTJs generally have the following traits:

• Value tradition, security, and peaceful living
• Will work long and hard to fulfill duties
• Can be depended on to follow through on tasks
• Loyal and faithful
• Stable, practical and down-to-earth
• Family-minded
• Dislike doing things which don't make sense to them
• Dislike abstract theory, unless they see the practical application
• Natural leaders
• Prefer to work alone, but work well in teams when necessary
• Extremely observant, they take in facts via their senses and store them internally
• Vast, rich inner store of facts which they rely on to understand problems which they encounter in their lives
• Profound respect for facts and concrete information
• Make decisions objectively, applying logic and rational thinking
• Dislike change, unless they are shown it's benefit in a concrete way
• Have strong opinions about the way things should be done
• Appreciate structured, orderly environments
• Have very high standards for their own behavior and the behavior of others
• Not naturally in-tune with other people's feelings
• Able to accomplish almost anything if they put their minds to it
• Community minded "good citizens"

ISTJs have one character trait which puts them at a definite advantage in terms of career success - Perserverance. An ISTJ can do almost anything that they have decided to do. However, there are areas in which they will function more happily and naturally. An ISTJ will do best in a career in which they can use their excellent organizational skills and their powers of concentration to create order and structure. ISTJs seem to fit extremely well into the Management and Executive layer of the corporate business world.
ISTJ

responsible, planner, private, loner tendencies, perfectionist, organized, detail oriented, organized, would rather be friendless than jobless, realistic, observer, clean, focused, does not talk about feelings, finisher, punctual, private, does not appreciate strangeness, not adventurous, not spontaneous, follows the rules, dutiful, avoids mistakes, conventional, likes solitude, insensitive to the hardships of others, prepared, anti-tattoos, things rules are important, cautious, security seeking, prepares for worst case scenarios, logical, analytical, does not accept apologies easily, hard working

favored careers:

data analyst, scientist, researcher, engineer, financial planner, statistician, office worker, government employee, lab technician, nuclear engineer, office manager, biomedical engineer, account manager, ceo, investment banker, analyst, academic, systems analyst, pharmacy technician, network admin, genetics researcher, research assistant, strategist

disfavored careers:
entertainer, artist, filmmaker, musician, actor, fashion desinger, singer, music journalist, comedian, massage therapist, photographer, dj, model, author, bartender, painter, school counselor

Mid-Term exam

I got a "B" on my mid term exam.  

My paper..........

I received an "A" on my report. I'm so relieved.

Had the mid-term exam this past Wednesday and I feel good about that too! I was prepared and knew all the information.