December 31, 2010
Day 365 - O'Hare
I drove Kristin to O'Hare this morning. She was happy that the weather had improved enough for her flight to take off for Denver. She was originally supposed to fly home from Midway, a longer drive for me, so I was happy to drive her to O'Hare.
December 30, 2010
Day 364 - Words with Friends
Kristin was supposed to fly back to Denver early this morning, but her early morning flight was canceled due to poor weather. We were able to get her onto a flight tomorrow, so today, we are relaxing and enjoying some games.
December 29, 2010
Day 363 - Happy 80th!
Scott's mom celebrated her 80th birthday with family today! It was especially nice having Kristin home for this special day.
Below: Our little Monkey enjoys spending time with Auntie Kristin!
Below: Our little Monkey enjoys spending time with Auntie Kristin!
December 28, 2010
Day 362 - New toy
The days during Winter Break, after Christmas, have typically been a time to play with new toys. Lucy is doing just that. This toy is a plastic jar that gets filled with treats. The idea is that if the dog pulls on the rope, the treats will be dispensed 1 or 2 at a time. Lucy hasn't quite figured that out, so her strategy is to pick up the jar by the rope and throw it to the floor. She does get the treats out that way!
**Update: about two weeks after Christmas, Lucy broke her toy. The plastic lid cracked. I guess it isn't meant to be dropped on the floor over and over.
**Update: about two weeks after Christmas, Lucy broke her toy. The plastic lid cracked. I guess it isn't meant to be dropped on the floor over and over.
December 27, 2010
Day 361 - Hawk
We were sitting in the kitchen, looking out the bay window, when Kristin and I saw this hawk swoop down and grab a smaller bird from the feeder. It then flew to the branch of the tree and started plucking out the bird's feathers. Kristin was pretty grossed out by this real life nature lesson!
December 26, 2010
Day 360 - Going home
After spending the past two days at our house, Blake is all bundled up and heading home. We love you Blake!
December 25, 2010
Day 359 - Merry Christmas!
Although Blake is a little young to really know what Christmas is all about, it is clear that he loved celebrating! Santa brought his presents to our house. It was WONDERFUL having a baby here for Christmas!
December 24, 2010
Day 358 - Christmas Eve
"The stockings have been hung by the chimney with care,..........."
We love taking family photos on Christmas Eve. Below is is a four generation picture: Baby Blake with his Mommy Cheryl, Grandpa Scott, and Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Beil.
We love taking family photos on Christmas Eve. Below is is a four generation picture: Baby Blake with his Mommy Cheryl, Grandpa Scott, and Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Beil.
December 23, 2010
Day 357 - Ricotta Cheese!
Today is a cooking day as we get ready for the Beil Family Christmas celebration tomorrow. I'm making three pans of lasagna. Guess who loves licking out the ricotta cheese container!?
December 22, 2010
Day 356 - Traffic!
I had to drive down to midway tonight to pick up Kristin, who flew in from Denver. Her flight was delayed, but so were lots of others. This photo was taken at close to midnight as I was stuck in a mammoth traffic jam! It will be nice having Kristin home!
December 21, 2010
Day 355 - Stocking
Since I didn't finish the needlepoint stocking for Blake, Santa will be filling this stocking for him this year. I bought this stocking made of quilted sports fabric at a craft fair. I personalized it with felt letters. It is now hanging by our fireplace since Santa will be coming to our house on Christmas Eve!
December 20, 2010
Day 354 - Stocking project
I have been working on this stocking projects since late November. It is a needlepoint Christmas stocking for Blake, our grandson. It doesn't look like I'll be finishing it in time for his first Christmas!
December 19, 2010
Day 353 - Highchair
Today we assembled the new highchair I bought to use at our house when our grandson, Blake, comes to visit. We are excited about having him try it out on Christmas Eve!
December 18, 2010
Day 352 - Wreath
This is the wreath that Scott bought to hang on our front porch next to the front door. It is a nice one. I especially like the pine cones & darker red ribbon. Good job, Sweety!
December 17, 2010
Day 351 - New phones
I love our new phones! I bought a new cordless base station and 5 more phones to go with it. Now we finally have a cordless in each room that we spend time in. The new phones have some great features that we didn't have before, such as a light that comes on if we have a voice mail. It also has an intercom so we can call from one handset to another.
December 16, 2010
Day 350 - Sitting
As a grandma, I cherish my time with my Grandson every week on the day that I babysit. We spend nearly all his awake time playing and laughing and learning. He is now strong enough to enjoy his Bumbo seat!
Even when he gets tired and ready for a nap, he still has a smile for the camera!
Even when he gets tired and ready for a nap, he still has a smile for the camera!
December 15, 2010
Day 349 - Curious
I'm doing some wrapping today. These two gifts are for Lucy. How do you think she knew?
December 14, 2010
Day 348 - Gifts
The gifts we purchased for a needy family in our community are all wrapped and packed up. I'll be delivering them today to the Wheeling Township office so that the family will get them in time for Christmas. We had fun shopping for the mom and her two boys, ages 6 months and 4 years.
December 13, 2010
Day 347 - Candy canes
I love subbing in this special education room, especially when the OT comes in with a fun project. Today the kids made candy cane ornaments out of pipe cleaners and beads. It is a great fine motor activity and good practice for following a pattern. The kids also get practice reading from the great directions written with Boardmaker. All the kids enjoyed this project!
December 12, 2010
Day 346 - Friends!
This wonderful group of friends have been my colleagues at school and we remain good friends even though I'm retired. We've been having a cookie exchange in December for several years. This year it was at Patty's house. These women make the best cookies ever, and the laughs and conversation we have at the cookie exchange are wonderful!
December 11, 2010
Day 345 - Slideshow
I'm just getting around to making some slideshows of photos from events during 2010. This event was held in August (okay so I'm a little behind!). I love using Animoto....it is so easy!
These dear friends get together to celebrate when one of our daughters is about to get married. We call it a 'Pearls of Wisdom' shower. We share pearls of wisdom about marriage with the bride-to-be. This lovely bride is Caroline, oldest daughter of my friend, Chris. She has since been married.
December 10, 2010
Day 344 - Field trip
I got to substitute in a special education class going on a field trip today. First we took the kids to the Dollar Store to buy Christmas gifts for their families. Then we went to lunch at McDonalds and the kids got to play there after they ate. What a fun day!
December 9, 2010
Day 343 - Sunrise
I got to see a really pretty sunrise on my drive down to Cheryl's house this morning.
Then I had an awesome day babysitting for by Grandson, Blake. He is always such a happy baby!
Then I had an awesome day babysitting for by Grandson, Blake. He is always such a happy baby!
December 8, 2010
Day 342 - Flowers
Our Book Club meeting is at my house tonight. I stopped and picked up these flowers at Trader Joe's. I put them in a vase on the snack table. I like the way the pine cone and evergreen branches give the fresh flowers a holiday look without it being a standard poinsettia plant.
December 7, 2010
Day 341 - Holiday luncheon
Today was our District 25 Alumni holiday luncheon. This yearly event draws many, many retired teachers together and is a great kick off to the holiday season. These are two of my good friends. Sue Sue S. (left) retired a few years before me. Sue M. (right) retired the same year I did.
December 6, 2010
Day 340 - Gifts
This time of year, our pool table is piled with gifts and becomes our wrapping station. We have lots of extra gifts this year because we adopted a needy family in our community and have purchased gifts for the mom and two young boys. I need to get started on the wrapping!
December 5, 2010
Day 339 - Christmas decorations
We dragged the Christmas bins out of the crawl space today, then set up and decorated the Christmas tree. I need to get the decorating finished a bit early this year so that the house looks nice for book club this coming week here at my house.
December 4, 2010
Day 338 - Snow!
We had a pretty snow this morning. This is the view out an upstairs bedroom window. Besides the snow, my eye was drawn to the large number of birds that were gathered in the tree by the bird feeder.
December 3, 2010
Day 337 - Christmas card 2010
We have many blessings to be thankful for! This is the Christmas card we'll be sending out this year. I designed it and ordered it from Shutterfly (where there is a sale going on right now). The top photo is our Grandson, Blake. I bought the Santa outfit for him and yesterday secretly did a photo shoot with him wearing it (shhh....don't tell Cheryl & Seth). The lower left photo shows his Mommy and Daddy, all dressed up for cousin Bekka's wedding. The photo on the right is proud Auntie Kristin. We look forward to celebrating Christmas with our family!
December 2, 2010
Day 336 - Jumping!
I'm so enjoying babysitting for my Grandson, Blake, every Thursday! Today, we tried out his jumping seat. His mom, my daughter, Cheryl, had one when she was a baby. She loved it and I think he will too!
December 1, 2010
Day 335 - Going home
Cheryl & Blake have been here visiting for a few days. It is time for them to go back home. Lucy is guarding Blake while Cheryl is outside warming up the car. Good dog!
November 30, 2010
Day 334 - Playing!
Blake is visiting & playing with Grandma's toys! He is definitely aware of what toys he wants and is able to hold on to them now for quite awhile. He is such a happy baby and loves laying on the floor, looking around, playing, laughing, and kicking.
November 29, 2010
Day 333 - Tired dog
Here Lucy is waiting for me to come up to bed. She is such a creature of habit. Her bed is in our bedroom, but she won't go to bed until we are both in the bedroom. Poor tired dog!
November 28, 2010
Day 332 - Tangled
Scott is outside, putting up our new LED Christmas lights. I'm inside, removing the roof clips from the old strings. I wonder why they are such a tangled mess. Why did he put them away last year this way instead of coiling them up neatly? I love you, Dear!
November 27, 2010
Day 331 - New lights
November 27, 2010 - We headed out to Home Depot today to pick up some new Christmas lights for outside. Lots of bulbs on our old strings are burned out and would be costly to replace, so we decided to make the switch to LED lights this year. There was a good sale on lights at Home Depot. I hope we bought the right amount!
November 26, 2010
Day 330 - Swimming!
I didn't take this photo, Cheryl took it and sent it with her cell phone. Cheryl, Seth, and Blake are in Iowa for Thanksgiving. This is Blake's first time in a swimming pool. He loved the water! I love how this photo shows his Dad's love for him.
November 25, 2010
Day 329 - Thanksgiving!
YUM, pumpkin pie! If it were up to me, I would start my Thanksgiving meal with dessert!
We were a small group at Thanksgiving this year. Kristin spent the holiday in San Francisco. Cheryl, Seth, and Blake traveled to Iowa to celebrate with Seth's family. Scott & I spent the day with his parents, Aunt Mimi, and my brother, Ted, at Uncle Bruce's house. We have a lot to be thankful for this year!
We were a small group at Thanksgiving this year. Kristin spent the holiday in San Francisco. Cheryl, Seth, and Blake traveled to Iowa to celebrate with Seth's family. Scott & I spent the day with his parents, Aunt Mimi, and my brother, Ted, at Uncle Bruce's house. We have a lot to be thankful for this year!
November 24, 2010
Day 328 - Long car ride
Cheryl sent this photo via cell phone. They are on their way to Iowa for Thanksgiving. This is Blake's first really long car ride. He is being a great passenger!
November 23, 2010
Day 327- Blake!
Cheryl, Seth, and Blake will be leaving for Iowa tomorrow. We will miss having them with us on Thanksgiving. But, we enjoyed a nice visit at their house today! At 3.5 months old, he is really beginning to interact with toys & people. Here he is sitting in his chair at the kitchen table, hanging onto his keys.
He also likes books and loves to be read to already. Here Grandma reads him a story before he goes down for his nap. I look forward to doing LOTS of reading with him in the months and years to come.
He also likes books and loves to be read to already. Here Grandma reads him a story before he goes down for his nap. I look forward to doing LOTS of reading with him in the months and years to come.
November 22, 2010
Day 326 - Turkey
We always decorate the house a little bit for Thanksgiving, even though we aren't entertaining family here on Thanksgiving Day. I love this colorful turkey windsock that hangs outside our front door.
November 21, 2010
Day 325 - College Buds
We've recently reconnected with some college friends. Tonight we enjoyed a fabulous dinner with Steve, Mo, Hawk, and their wives at Mo & Debbie's lovely home. Steve & his wife were visiting from CA. Scott actually knew Steve before college since they went to elementary school together. Friendships that span 35-50 years are amazing!
November 20, 2010
Day 324 - Dining Room Table
We have a monthly supper club with two other couples. Tonight is at our house. The table is set, most of the cooking is done, and now it is time to enjoy time with friends!
November 19, 2010
Day 323 - Scary!
Hmmm, I was nervous going in to my appointment with the neurologist today. I was scheduled for a test to diagnose numbness I've been feeling in my feet. When I saw this equipment in the exam room, it did NOT ease my mind! I think my doctor needs a new cart for this set up so that she doesn't have a mish mash of wires held with scotch tape!
November 18, 2010
Day 322 - Playing with Grandma
Our daughter, Cheryl, went back to work this week after being on maternity leave since Blake was born. She is lucky to have been offered a part time job in her district, so she will only be working 2-3 days a week. I'm even luckier, as I will be babysitting for my adorable grandson every Thursday! I am so blessed!
November 17, 2010
Day 321 - Break time!
These are break time choices that the children in a special education class have. Before beginning work time, they choose what they want to do when they are finished with the work session. Kids with autism are often very motivated to work when they are allowed to take sensory breaks.
November 16, 2010
Day 320 - Sleeping dog
This is Lucy, curled up and sound asleep on OUR bed this morning. It looks like we'll be encouraging her to stay in her bed!
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