More Aunt and Uncle Time!

We stopped in St. Louis to see Xsenija and Michael. They both look so good. We saw their apartment that is very cute. It is small but it feels so homey. The Christmas tree was decorated so pretty.

We took them out to lunch at a little restaurant called Wild Flower. Such a good choice. It was quiet and the food was delicious. We didn't have to wait at all.

It was so nice to get a chance to catch up with them. They have some time off together for the holidays. It was a good time to visit them with no pressure on them to work.

This has been the best trip ever.

Aunt ME and Uncle Pat Time

Such a great visit with the Nobles. I have often said how much I love being an aunt. This time spent in Tulsa filled my heart to the brim with the chance to be an aunt.

Mary - when we went for all the Noble Baptisms Uncle Pat, Joanna, Caroline and I would come in the door and totally ignore the new baby. We would each take a child and wait until that child said there was a new baby and invite us to we go see the baby. Mary being the baby of the family never got a chance to do that. So, I stayed with Mary until she told me about her. (Although I think her Mom had to tell Mary to tell me about her!) Mary gave the best directions on our adventures. When we went to Goodwill every time she picked something out for herself her Mom would covet it and Mary would happily give it to her. She has a generous soul.

Sarah - is such a gentle mother. My favorite moment was watching her go through a cookbook trying to find the perfect cake recipe. (WHICH SHE DID!!) She had Ella next to her on the floor. Sarah had a difficult time paying attention to the book. Ella was kicking her feet and gurgling happily. Sarah just couldn't resist touching her tummy and lovingly murmuring sweet things to her daughter instead of reading.

Liz - went to the store with Uncle Pat. On the way back to the hotel he said he had so much fun with Liz on that trip. He said they were laughing and talking so much they almost missed two turns. Now you all know Pat - only Liz makes him that happy. I most enjoyed watching her rock Ella the last night we were there. It is fun watching my niece be an aunt!

David - the Godfather. As usual he made fabulous food for us to eat! He is a great chef and knows how important it is to have the food look like art and taste like heaven! Pizza with little red potatoes, ricotta cheese and rosemary! Oh goodness it was great. He also is so witty. You have to listen closely, he cracks me up.

Theresa - the Godmother that Skyped in from Boston. She alternated between smiling from ear to ear to wiping the tears away. I love reading her fabulous blog, she teaches this old aunt to think and pray more. The blessing she is to this family is immeasurable. She was present the whole time we were there.

Ella - I have never seen such a content and happy baby. I had lots of cuddling time. She laughs and smiles all the time. I had her sticking her tongue out at me before we left -  is there anything more fun than that?

The trip was so much fun. We went to Goodwill, Whole Foods, the Flea Market, Old School Bagel and Antoinette Baking Co.

Jane and Chris were the perfect hosts. We felt right at home in their lovely home. Chris loves to interact with his kids and you can tell they love it, too. We didn't get a gorilla story though, we will have to go back.

And I got to sit next to Jane and put my head on her shoulder - that was as close to feeling like I was with Mom ever. You know I loved that.

One time my cousin, Elise, told me "There is nothing like sharing memories with someone from your childhood." She was so right, the time spent with my sister was wonderful.

Oil Country

Yes, 2.86 a gallon!

Eleanor's Baptism

Oh what a great day! She looked like an angel. Godmother Sister Theresa Skyped in and Liz stood in for her. It was so nice. These pictures aren't the greatest, I will post more later.

Dress Rehearsal

It fits! The family Baptismal gown worn by the Shea's looks beautiful on Eleanor. I Can't wait for tomorrow.

December Flowers

Look at these gorgeous Oklahoma flowers outside our hotel!! They are almost as cute as Eleanor!

We had such a wonderful evening with the Nobles. I made Mary ask me about the baby before I got to cuddle with Ella! Mary being the youngest Noble never had a visit from us for a younger sibling's Baptism.

Jane made Mary Lynn's chicken, salad, wild rice, homemade foccocia and BUTTERBALLS for dessert!

We are going to Goodwill in a few minutes!

Heron

I like this Heron!

It is at the Den of Metal Arts in Conway, Missouri. My sister, Jane, just asked me if I was going the right way!

Ft. Wayne Layover

We ran I to bad weather right away! So we stopped around 11:00 am yesterday. We have a long haul today - 12 hours.

I can't wait to see my sister and her family!

Ooohhh did you get gift cards for Christmas?

It's the perfect time to buy a book! Get all comfy under a blanket on the couch, go to Amazon and buy the Saginaw Series!

Each book is .99¢ - a great deal!

Spend the day with Jen and Katy in Saginaw, Michigan.

In Webber house they are chased from the scary mansion and then one of the girls is missing. Should secrets be kept?

In Bertie's Bakery Heaven Scent watch as Aunt Sarah moves to Saginaw to follow her dreams. Colleen joins Jen and Katy to form a trio of best friends.

The friends from St. Mary's high school get jobs at Anderson Pool for the summer before junior year. Aunt Sarah falls in love as she starts her business.

In Daniels Den follow Katy and her band the Lifeguards.  Will the friendship of the girls survive the summer of changes?

Click here to go to Amazon to start the adventures!

Great Present!

Look how happy this made Paco!

Christmas 2012

I am thankful for so many blessings this Christmas morning.

Family
For a family that loves to get together and gets along when they do! Joanna, Robin, Sheala and Robbie; Caroline and Jesse, Javie, Ayva and Romeo.  Eleven of us in the living room last night laughing, tickling, drinking hot chocolate and eating snacks.  The best gift of all was present in the room, love.

For the best Christmas card ever from the Hinz Family!

SS. Peter and Paul
We had such a beautiful service last night. Fr. Jack healing from his hip surgery was at his best. He mentioned the 5:00 people sat in their seats just looking at him when he asked "How do you describe love!" Well, not the 9:00 people!  The last answer from the back of the church was, "Even if you are mad as hell, you still take care of the one you love."  Our friend Bill cantored which is always a treat. Something made me smile, I looked at Jack who was watching for my reaction and we both smiled at each other. I truly feel at home in this parish.

Keep on Truckin' Team Jayden
Following the goodwill brought about by the death of a small boy.  Jayden Lamb may have lost his fight with cancer, but the young boy and his family have changed us forever.  Keep on Truckin' Team Jayden is a facebook page that follows the world as it pays it forward Jayden style. From a diamond ring dropped in a Salvation Army bucket to a Starbuck's coffee paid for by a previous customer, everyone is finding different ways to connect with strangers with acts of kindness. I love reading so many heart warming stories. We have been inspired to do something to pay it forward, too.

Friends
The people you choose to have in your lives because they are so special. They make us laugh, they make us think, they bring us joy.

My Books
It is amazing to me that 419 of the Saginaw Series books have been downloaded! I love writing. As I work on the Holiday Series I am more than thankful that God continues to send inspiration my way.

So many blessings!.

On Our Way to Kay and Jerry's

So we met Andrew and James and sat for a little bit to talk with everyone. Julie and Sarah look so happy. I love those kids! Thank goodness they were teasing Kay about her blueberry pottery, it made me remember the two votive candle holders I found at an estate sale in her pattern! I've had them in the car for months - it is a miracle I didn't break them! Jerry made his yummy cinnamon bread - yeah! Now we are on our way back to Saginaw.

- - - - - - -


We are stopping by with quiche for their Christmas breakfast!  Julie and Andrew and Sarah and James are home for the holidays. 
We decided to bring their wedding gifts. One late and one early!  We know gift cards are the best so that is what we got them.
We are going to tell Pat's girl she can buy a silky nightgown!

Oh Goodness, Windows Open as Usual

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, smoke circling the Christmas tree!

As usual, everything is smoking up the duplex, the windows are open and I'm shivering by the stove!

Tradition calls for Italian Sausage sandwiches on Christmas Eve. Lots of dips and appetizers. However, Caroline used to get sick to her stomach every year at Midnight Mass.  Finally one year I watched what she ate at Grandma Shea's. Cookies, candy, chips, pop! She didn't like any of the food!

So, meatballs are in the oven, too! It was a relief to know it wasn't the devil coming out of her!

Woohoo! The Best Present Ever!

Just received a message from Sue White that she wants to do a story about the books!  It will be after the holidays.

She is my favorite Saginaw News columnist. Last year she featured my dishes and knives for an article about the Andersen Enrichment Hollydays sale.  She was so easy to talk with over the phone. In just a short time she captured exactly how much I love creating the hostess gifts.

This really was a special gift!

It broke my heart!

We went to dinner tonight. Just before we left Javie came over to me and whispered, "Nana, did you see the news about those kids?"  I answered, "Yes, I did honey, wasn't it sad?" He answered with big eyes, "Yes."

I said to him, "I am so glad you go to such a good safe school, did you feel safe today?" He nodded his head. But the look was more like he wanted more affirmation.

He asked, "Wasn't that other school safe?" I told him that it wasn't as safe as his school. I told him he is very blessed to go to such a safe school.

God bless these little children all over the world.

Too Much Horror

I can't watch the news. I switch to stupid shows to stop thinking about the classmates, teachers, parents and families of those killed at Sandy Hook.

We don't have to feel sad for the dead, for they are in Heaven. I picture them getting hugs from the Holy Family.

But the survivors, I pray they find ways to go on. That they help each other through the horror. That they really understand the ones that died are happy and loved and filled with peace.

A Christmas Gift

My 1st book in the Saginaw Series, Webber House, is Free for a special promotion December 15-19, 2012.

Click on WEBBER HOUSE

Merry Christmas from a most grateful author!

Mmmm Crab in Pastry Shells

I used weight watchers cream cheese for the first time. I loved it. It is soft and mushy and easy to mix.

Pteheat the oven to 350

1 8 oz ww cream cheese
1 can shredded crab drained
3/4 cup light miracle whip
1 bunch scallions chopped fine
2 tsp dill
2 splashes worchester sauce
2 sprinkles hot pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Fill pastry shells and sprinkle with smoked paprika. Bake 5-8 min.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Thank you Robbie! The Jacklins came over last night and Robbie helped me decorate. The tree is up, the manger is beautiful. Thank you so much.

Now I have to start shopping and baking!

Grrrr. . .

Pat put his back out moving the last container into the booth on Saturday. He is walking like a crooked old man. So no Christmas decorations yet. We may not be putting anything up this year.

Done!

Yeah! Shows are done! It was a beautiful day with the first snow, I think it put everyone in a Christmas mood.

I saw so many friends yesterday at Horizons. Just from work, Peggy, Chris and her boys, Richard and his wife, Diane and her daughter, Mary and her Mom, Marla, Gloria, and Jimmy O. It was so nice to see everyone!

But now I can put the tree up and work on some Pinterest crafts I haven't had time for at all.

We had a nice family dinner at Timbers last night. We gave Robbie a birthday gift from Hammacher Schlemmer! For years Sheala and Robbie have been looking at the catalog and putting their initial on each item they wanted. Some items in the catalog cost thousands of dollars! Some are affordable.

I put the box with the Hammacher Schlemmer name on the table and let Robbie think about what was in it! It was "The World's Brightest Pen Light!

We had fun and now I can't wait to decorate!

Last Show

Today at Horizon in Saginaw from 9 am - 3 pm is our last show for the year.

I found some great dishes tucked away in the basement to take today. It was like Christmas morning unwrapping the dishes. I have to admit I kept a couple for myself!

After washing the dishes, I wrapped knives for several hours.  I have lots of great hostess gifts for you to choose for your holiday gifts!

See you at Horizon!

Keep on Truckin' Team Jayden

A little boy died last week in Midland, Michigan. The whole community - all over the world - has been touched by him.

So many people are paying it forward Jayden style. Someone drives up to pick up a takeout order and finds the car in front has paid in Jayden's name. Layaways paid off, neighbors helping neighbors, and many more.

Go to facebook and find Keep on Truckin' Team Jayden. Then pay it forward for a sweet boy.

Andersen Enrichment Center

Wednesday, December 5, 2012
10:00 AM To 04:00 PM
Andersen Enrichment Center
120 Ezra Rust, Saginaw, Michigan

This is the 20th Annual Hollyday Art Fair, a holiday tradition in the heart of Saginaw's Celebration Square!

The day includes an art fair, luncheon, fresh holly sale, cookie sale and silent auction.

Admission to the Hollyday Art Fair is free, there is a charge for the luncheon.

I put a picture of the cover of the third book in the Saginaw Series, Andersen Pool, on my table.  It is fun selling my plates in the old changing house!

A Christmas without Grandy Farm

Last year was the last year! When Deb asked me to be a part of her open house weekend a few years ago I was so happy.

She opened her farm home to several crafters. It was a tremendous amount of work. I don't know how she did it for 25 years.

This year we received a note saying she really was done.  This weekend was just not the same.  Missed you Grandy farm.

Advent

I love the simplicity of Advent. The preparation for the birth of our Lord. Imagine the pensive waiting that Mary and Joseph had traveling so far away. Not knowing what this baby would bring. Not truly understanding what it all meant.

Squash and Sausage Penne

1 pkg Hot Italian Turkey Sausage
12 oz high fiber penne
14 oz cubed squash (found @ Meijer)
1/2 large onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 cup pasta water
2 TBS shredded Parmesean cheese
1 TBS sage
Mrs. Dash, Salt and pepper to taste

Remove sausage from casing. Cook with onions and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash. Add cheese.

Cook squash in boiling water until fork tender. Remove with slotted spoon.

Add pasta to squash water. Cook until al dente.  Reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain.

Put squash, sage, Mrs. Dash, reserved pasta water in blender. Watch out it is hot! Hold lid on.

Combine all in skillet. Yumola!

Pat's Dad

We just left Stratford Village. Dad is getting stronger every day. He walked around without the walker today. He is also working on balance.  His lips are almost healed. Things are looking up!

Dang!

Didn't win the powerball $550 Million! I already had it spent. I have a list all set to go. They haven't said if there was a winner yet. Maybe it will roll over one more time!

Taking Dad to the Doctor

We are taking Pat's Dad to the surgeon today. Hopefully he will remove the drain from his gallbladder. One thing down on the list!

Right now I'm sitting in the car waiting for Pat to have his hair cut. He has been going to Irish's for as long as I have known him. Although when I met him he didn't get his hair cut very often! Long-haired hippy that he was!

My favorite time waiting for him was when Joanna was a baby. She had to be under one because she was still in the front carseat. He had his beard shaved off and when he got in the car she wouldn't look at him.  I asked, "Where's Papa?" But she wouldn't turn her head towards him!

Watching Quizbusters

I love Quizbusters on PBS. Teams of four high schoolers from around Michigan go to WKAR in Lansing to compete. We are watching our second show tonight. Some of the questions are easy some are quite difficult.

It is nice to just be lazy today. Pat visited his Dad today and I stayed in my nightgown ALL DAY! I did make a salad with leftover turkey, lettuce, blueberries, raspberries, avacado and tomatoes. I also made a recipe from Pinterest for some yummy biscuits.

I hoped the biscuits would bake because I have a call in to Sears service the oven. I tried to make custard for Pat's Mom this morning and it never baked. After the first 35 minutes I reset the oven from convection to regular and baked it again. It still did not bake. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Sort of like me!

A Very Long Day

We are exhausted. We started out at Meijer. We got Dad a pair of sweat pants, a Tiger Cabrerra t-shirt and a light jacket to wear inside if he is chilly. We wanted him to be comfortable.

Then we went to the hospital early because I was worried about Dad taking his meds. Yesterday his blood pressure dropped and he had to stay another day. I knew that today the doctor who was over his case was off for the day. 

So they gave him his meds and about a half hour later I asked his nurse to take his blood pressure.  She declined and said someone would be in at 11:00 to take it. I just gave her my best brother Larry smile and said I would like her to take it now.  She went ahead and put the cuff on and turned the machine on.  Then she said the cuff was too big and put a different one on and turned the machine on.  Then she switched arms and turned the machine on. I asked (again with my brother Larry's smile) "Is it in the 70's?"

It was! So that meant another delay. They wanted to wait two hours to see if it would correct itself. It did. They said they would correct the dosage.

That did give us one more breathing treatment.  Gene came in happy to still have Dad for one more treatment. It was very clear that Dad and Gene had become great friends.  Gene even brought in his phone to show some pictures from Artprize in Grand Rapids this year.

This really was a frustrating day. Out of the nine days spent at the hospital this really was my least favorite day.

Personally, I would have preferred having the nursing home pick him up, but the case manager said once they figured out the oxygen tank we could do it.  After a half hour they decided we could take a tank from the hospital and Stratford would return it!  Finally, they sent us on our way with instructions to make sure we would seatbelt the oxygen tank for safety!

Pat's Dad is hopefully having a very restful night at Stratford Village.  He is going to be there for a few weeks before going home.

It is a beautiful facility.  The people are nice and very welcoming. Before we left the hospital this afternoon Dad asked, "Do you think I will be able to sit at a table for dinner?"  I thought maybe he might not be able to do that, but said, "Sure, we'll go with a yes answer on that one!"  He laughed and told me he liked my optimism! 

When I went in to tell the employees Dad was in the car waiting for a wheelchair I told Dawn, who welcomed me, that it would mean the world to Dad to sit at a table for dinner. She said well of course he can do that! Later on Pat's Mom and sister, Mary, even were invited to stay to have dinner with him.

So we are going to wait until about 11:00 tomorrow (oh, I guess it is today!) to go to see him. Pray he rests well in a regular bed tonight!

Random Internet Thoughts!

We covered canvas stretch frames at church last night. The beginning of Advent prep. I typed in "how to stretch fabric on frames."

Step by step directions with pictures for every step made the job simple to do. If we tried to do it on our own I am sure we would have had wrinkles.

My Mom was the first of any of us on the Internet. She was working on our family tree and wanted to look things up. Mind you, she still couldn't type in the word processing software without hitting enter at the end of each line! She would call me after she edited her work and ask why the line ended in the middle of the screen.

I kept asking her if she knew what she was doing. The Internet was just a scary black hole to the rest of us.

I even remember the first time I ventured into the unknown. It was an exciting time learning how to move around and find information.

Looking forward I hope there are scary unknown adventures awaiting our grandchildren. Discovering something amazing is such a grand experience!

Two Steps Forward One Back

We thought Pat's Dad would be out of the hospital and on to rehab today. Then his blood pressure dropped. So the newest plan is one more day.  He feels a lot better but has an infection on his lips from the antibiotics.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

How I Love Spending Time with Pat's Dad

Unfortunately the way I spent time with Pat's Dad was that I was at the hospital all day with him. It does seem like they are narrowing in on his gall bladder as the culprit.

I love how he makes friends with all the hospital staff. His nurses always like him. The people who come in to take blood or complete ultra sounds or echos are always asked their names. When they finish he always uses their name and says thank you and tells them to have a nice day. 

This afternoon Jeff was untangling cords and tubes. It took a long time to straighten out the mess. I listened as Pat and his Dad talked with Jeff. There was instant bonding when they found out he was supposed to clean out the garage last weekend but instead found P.O.M. (Dad's way of saying previously owned material).

Dad said, "Luckily the world is filled with idiots!" He said one time he found a washing machine and it had a sock caught in the tube. He cleaned it out and it worked for a month of Sundays.

He is always so grateful for any small thing you do for him. He just hates being in the hospital and wants to go home. I hope he gets better soon.

The Final Book!

We picked up the last cover from Pat's brother today - I absolutely love how Daniel's Den glows off the page! I can't tell you how happy I am to have the whole series on Amazon!

Help!

Dear friends and family, if you purchased Webber House and read it PLEASE go to Amazon and review it. I need three more reviews in order to start my promotion. Thank you.

Thank Goodness

I haven't seen a political ad all morning!

See You This Weekend in Mt. Pleasant

We have been getting ready for the Mt. Pleasant craft show. I have been wrapping knives all week - the storage boxes are full and now I am working on the next show's knives.

Saturday, November 10
WEST INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
440 S. Bradley, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan


Show Time ............................. Saturday 9:00am - 3:30pm

If you are thinking of taking a ride in the sun on Saturday (that is what we would be doing if we weren't in the Mt. Pleasant Show!!!) Stop by - this is a great show to buy Christmas presents. Stretch out your Christmas shopping by starting this weekend!

Gloomy Day Turned Nice

You know what that means. . . . A ride in the sun.  We drove the back rodes to Alma. We saw turkeys, a hawk, an eagle, a red bellied woodpecker, a great blue heron and several deer.

Lots of farmers finishing up their crops today. Many farms had ten or more trucks in the driveways with everyone out in the fields.

What a nice day.

The Sun is Shining!

Can't write much - the sunshine is calling me! I stayed in the house the past couple of days. I've been working on the new series called Holiday Series. I have all four drafts of the series but now the real work comes in. Lengthening and then sending it to Mary Lynn who takes my run on sentences to task!

Then when it comes back from Mary Lynn I have to make all the corrections - and there will be many! Then refining and adding more descriptive words in the paragraphs.

While we are driving around I will work on my Evernote copy of "No Christmas for Olivia" the first book in the series.

See you later!

Fr. Damien's Homily

My cousin Mary Lynn's son, Fr. Damien died in 2010. He was only 46 when he died. This is one of his homilies. So timely. Thank you Mary Lynn for letting me post it.

Sunday Homily Oct 2008 by Father Damien Daprai, OSB

Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God.  How appropriate as we wind down the political elections. I would indeed like to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s – if you know what I mean. Let’s just say I’m wearied, almost nauseated by our politics with its endless debates, slander and accusations.

Political debate, slander and entrapment go back a long way – even Jesus didn’t escape it. The Pharisees were political enemies of Jesus and they tried everything they could at first to debate with him. They asked him “By whose authority do you do these things? Who gave you this authority? Show us a sign from heaven.” Jesus wouldn’t answer them. So the Pharisees tried to slander him – He eats with sinners – He doesn’t observe the Laws of Moses – He casts out demons by the power of Satan. Jesus was the original Teflon leader, nothing stuck. Then Jesus went on the offensive by warning people about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. One of them said to Jesus, “You are insulting us.” Jesus replied, “Woe to you Pharisees – you scholars of the law. You impose burdens on people that are hard to carry, but don’t lift a finger to do them yourselves”. Then Jesus told the parables about the Kingdom of God being taken away from them and given to others. So now in our Gospel reading today the Pharisees are looking to entrap Jesus so they can accuse Him of something. By asking the question, “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?” They thought they had Jesus cornered no matter what he answered. If he said yes, it’s lawful to pay the census tax; the Pharisees could accuse him of supporting the Roman occupation of Israel, something the average Jew hated. If he would have answered no, it’s not lawful to pay the Roman tax, then they would have denounced him to the Roman authorities. This was the final ace up the Pharisees’ sleeve and they were thinking – we’ve got him now. But Jesus raised the political question to the spiritual level and said to give to Caesar the money he wants, but give to God everything else. Give your heart and mind to God and obey all His commandments, but only give Caesar your simple taxes. When the Pharisees heard his answer they were amazed, so they left him and went away.

How did Jesus learn to talk like this? What school of rhetoric did he graduate from? What Philosophy did he study?

Remember when Jesus returned home to Nazareth with his Apostles and His neighbors asked, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? Isn’t this the carpenter’ son? Aren’t his brothers and sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

Where? – The Holy Spirit. He didn’t go to rhetoric school. He studied Sacred Scripture and listened to the Holy Spirit. Then when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him like a dove and a voice was heard from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” In this baptism Jesus was given the Mission of being a Messiah and the Holy Spirit gives Jesus the power to fulfill his mission. The Holy Spirit leads Jesus on his mission and gives power and authority to the words of Jesus. It is the Holy Spirit that allows Jesus to rise above all conflicts and arguments and never allows Jesus to get discouraged or doubt himself.

When the Pharisees were trying to entrap him, Jesus knew he was slipping in the poles. He knew he was about to be handed over to the Romans for execution, but he never wavered or changed course. He didn’t become more moderate, he didn’t try to secure his base, and he didn’t tell people what they wanted to hear, he didn’t promise people anything – except that he would send them the Holy Spirit.

So as we endure two more weeks of politics, let us remember the words of Jesus “Give to Caesar his taxes and give to God our hearts, and minds and obedience.” Caesar may be able to promise me free prescription drugs and promise to bail out the financial mess, but God promised to give me the joy of the Holy Spirit and eternal life with Him. Jesus I’m voting for you!

Happy Halloween!

Our Little Vampire Princess

I went over to chalk Ayva's hair. Took me a little bit to figure out how to do it. Finally I wet her hair and it worked.

Andersen Pool is now available!

I am so pleased to announce that the third book in the Saginaw Series, Andersen Pool is now available. You can go to the link by clicking on the picture of the three books to the right.

In this book the three friends get jobs at the Andersen Pool. Two of the girls have boyfriends - one does not. Will Jealousy break up the trio of friends? Aunt Sarah plans her wedding.

My friends Tom and Steve and their fabulous restaurant, Fandangles' show up in this book. I stole their menu right off their website for Sarah and Joseph's Wedding.

I hope you enjoy the third book in the series. Make sure you write a review when you have finished the book. Thanks for being such loyal readers.

My Favorite Halloween House

Just a few blocks from us is the greatest house with Halloween decorations.  I love it.

Almost Done!

I just published the third book - Andersen Pool - it is in review and will be available within 12 hours! I am so excited. The art should be done for the final book of the series before Thanksgiving. That means the whole series will be available for Christmas gifts. Marketing begins when the fourth book is published. Say prayers!

Pat's Annual Birthday Trip

Yes, we are back at Tahquamenon Falls. Upper this time.  We always celebrate Pat's birthday in the UP. Even though we are early we were just ready for a road trip!

It is a cloudy day, hence, no other visitors. Our favorite kind of day!

What an afternoon!

We met the greatest couple at the Peninsula Grill this afternoon.  Jack and Jackie Frisinger from Kalamazoo. They have been married 63 years.

Jack Frisinger played for the St. Loius Cardinals farm clubs 1947-1951. He started in Albany Georgia.  He played for several clubs. She even had a picture of him in his uniform! (Click his name above to see his stats!)

Bats:  Right 
Throws: Left 
Height: 6' 0 
Weight: 160 lb.
Born: 1928  (Age 84)

Then he was drafted in 1951 and was stationed in Korea and Libya. He was a decoder in the Air Force.  When he came back he never played baseball again.

They were a delightful couple. We enjoyed our visit with them. They are watching tonights game with the hopes that Detroit will play St. Louis in the World Series.

Pumpkin Farm

What a gorgeous fall day in Michigan.  First to the pumpkin farm then the Arcade at Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth to celebrate Ayva's birthday.

Birthday pictures to follow.

Tiger Fever

I have to say this was such a roller coaster year. I wanted to shake Leyland all the time. But watching them through this American League series has been great!

We are so excited about the World Series.

Rain Delay?

How crazy was that???? A rain delay before any rain! Then the game postponed before any rain! I think they might be sorry they did this. However, Pat says that getting done with these games early is a bad thing. Too many days off before the world series. So maybe it is for the best???

Spoiled

The sun is coming up! We have had a couple of rainy gloomy days and I can't wait for a beautiful sunny day.

We are spoiled from all the beautiful days we have had.

My brother-in-law decided to redo the Andersen Pool cover. So it will be a little bit longer before I can get the last two books published. I am blessed to have him care so much that he wants to get it right.

We get to see Lillie in her swim meet tonight. Can't wait to visit with Lillie and Anna and their parents afterwards.

Mmmmmm......

Dinner at Caroline and Jesse's last night! Mmmmmmm.... Enchiladas and rice. It was delicious.

Had fun playing with the kids - they have such a great imagination. They were Zombie killers and they kept saving their Nana! Javier had alarms rigged everywhere to detect Zombies. Ayva had fun pretending to be a Zombie - she couldn't wait for the Walking Dead to be on TV last night! Caroline says that if she has done nothing else she has prepared these children to survive a Zombie attack!!!!!

I just couldn't resist!

Fall

We decorated at church + I use "we" lightly. Jean and Nancy and Pat did most of it. I twisted my back the wrong way and couldn't bend!

I found the cornicopia at Goodwill in Traverse City last winter. It is exactly the right size for the altar. Ron brought a truckload of pumpkins, squash, gourds, hay and corn from his farm. The mums are beautiful colors. It is too bad they won't last very long.

Nancy and Jean do so much for our parish because they love this community.