Morning Has Broken

Every other week, Tom and I head to the "other" Kattau house so Brent can get to work by 7:00. We drink coffee, read the paper and listen to the "Today Show" until it's time to wake up the girls. It is 'back rubbing, giggling, kissing' time before they hop up for breakfast, dressing, teeth brushing and bookbag check. They are ready in a hurry knowing that it's snuggle/play time until time for school.

               Layla couldn't be happier than when she
                 snuggles with her PopPop!



Miss Marley adds book titles to her December book list.

Oh the joys of being a grandparent. (Now, if we just had three other grandkids as close as these two, life would be perfect!!!)

Can't wait until Christmas! Pardon me while I go buy batteries!

Seeing the Light!

I love the lights! It's dark outside but the lights on the tree are twinkling. There is a fire in the fireplace and for 30 seconds (long enough for me to take a picture) I had some of the candles flickering on the mantle. So pretty!





How many days until Christmas???

This Year Will Be Different!

"This year will be different," I said. "I'm going to be better organized," I said. "I'm not going to make my cards this year," I said. "I'm going to exercise," I said. "I'm going to say 'no' to anything that doesn't appeal to me," I said. "I am going to update my blog daily even if it is just a sentence or two," I said.

Well...I lied! It's not different! I'm not better organized! I am making my cards (even though I am not happy with how they look). I joined Silver Sneaker's exercise group but have been too lazy/busy to go very often. I have said 'yes' to everything because it all sounds good. I have certainly not done any blog updating because I haven't taken any new pictures in ages. I'm going to do better...maybe.

So here are my updates:
I had a 'wellness' checkup with my Dr. last week and she found a "tiny" bit of blood where it shouldn't have been so I waited for a long weekend to go to my cancer doctor yesterday. It was nothing!!! I have no new tumors!!! I have been cancer free for 2 years! This was a huge praise!

Mother has completed her second eye injection and sometime after her 3rd one on November 27, we'll find out if the shots are stopping the hemorrhaging in her left eye. (One of these days, I won't have to stop and look up the spelling that that word!!!)

I'm missing my grandkidlets today as I wrap a few Christmas presents.

On Friday, December 14th, I've been asked to play background piano music at Goshen Hospital at the Cancer Survivor's luncheon.

I'm going to help at the Christmas Program at Brenneman Preschool (where Marley used to go) on the 21st. I'm going to be an Angel. They certainly aren't typecasting!!!
 
Speaking of my sweet little Elkhart grandkidlets---I love this picture of them under their Christmas tree:

 

I also just finished decorating our own tree this week. I looks the same ever year but I love it anyway:

 

 

So glad that there is choir practice tonight! It is fulfilling to sing good music. It helps me know what day of the week it is. It's fun to visit with friends. But now, I have to get serious and get back to work. Well, maybe I'll stop by my piano and play a little tune first.

Shocking!!!

Unbelievable! Abnormal! Shocking! My camera didn't come out of its case on Thanksgiving Day! Kendra was in disbelief and Heather was thrilled.

It has been a wonderful holiday here in Noblesville. I arrived on Tuesday in time to  help Paula do the grocery shopping. Tom drove separately. With Paula and Kendra's houses so close together, Tom and I  typically sleep at Kendra's and everyone invades Paula and Ron's house during the day. As I write this, Paula, Heather, Kendra and I are sitting around Paula's loooong dining room table. I should take a picture. There are 4 people and 4 laptops in use. Every now and then a comment is made and laughter erupts. There are grunts and groans about how much sugar has been consumed after which someone yells, "pass the cookies!!!". We are so bad but we have such a good time together.

Thanksgiving dinner was delicious and there was waaaay too much food but we would have it no other way. Kendra's family had spent Thanksgiving Day in Logansport with Jason's family.  They returned to Paula's in time for the evening dinner. Brent and Jen Snell spent time with Jen's family in Columbus IN stopping here for dinner before heading back to Elkhart. I loved having both of my kids here at the same time.

Black Friday was such fun this morning since Paula and I love to follow our daughters around in the dark as we check out some of the "deals". We were not in a big rush this morning and we had no major items on our lists so we just took our time and avoided the crowds. We actually got a lot accomplished.

I did take a couple (shocking isn't it!!!) of pictures on my phone of the Smith kids on Thanksgiving Eve:

Lexi plays ball with her big brothers
 

Nicholas, Blake & PopPop
Baking with the Best

P.S. Heather is using this blog entry as a test to see if the margins are set correctly. This is a test! This is a test!! This is a test!!!

Professor Smith

It was easy to spot Blake when we walked into his classroom for Grandparent Day. Nothing makes that little boy happier than when he can dress in a shirt and tie!!! Is this normal??? (I remember Tom mowing after school with his tie still on! It must be normal!)



       Professor Blake Thomas Smith



         It was easy to spot our Little Professor. Don't you love it???



       Blake was really getting into the graphing assignment!



Mrs. Harger was reading a story using an "overhead" that I would have loved when I was teaching. Grandma Connie and PopPop Jim (both in black) and Pop Pop Tom (on the floor by Blake) listen to the story.



        Blake's wonderful 2nd grade teacher.




     Blake was so happy to be with his gym teacher...



               ....and his art teacher.



     We were so happy to be able to be with Blake!



Grandma Connie and PopPop Jim were also happy to
be at Grandparent's Day! They made the trip from
Kokomo 2 days in a row since Alexis' Grandparent
Day was the day before Blake's. Tom and I were so
sorry that we couldn't get there but appreciated that
the Smith grandparents were.

 I'm so thankful that Blake is loving 2nd grade!
    I love that little boy more than chocolate!

PS. I am using a different program to enter my photos.
The positioning of the lines of print that you see, are
not how I type them. they look normal as I type them.
 One of these days, I'll get this figured out!

NO! Nicholas is NOT Nine!!!

Is it possible! How can Nicky be 9!!! Ok he is but it certainly doesn't seem possible! I was teaching 1st grade at the time and had a months worth of lesson plans made so as to be able to be in Noblesville when the call came. I remember being so excited when I got the call that I kept screaming something about not remembering how to use my phone or something like that! Births are an exciting time but a 1st grandkidlet is indescribable!

Sweet little boy!

Creative!

 

 

Athletic!

 

 

Fun-filled!

 

 

Smart!

Most of all, Nicholas has a tender, loving spirit.

I love this little guy more than chocolate!!!

Happy birthday Nicholas!

 

P.S. Thank goodness he did promise me that he would never outgrow my lap!!!

Take Two!

Took this picture of Alexis on my phone. Just wanted to share.
                           Love! Love! Love this little girl!

I also love this photo of our Buddy Walk group but sorry Tom is missing. He is behind the camera. There were three strange people in the photo that were not part of our group but my genius friend, Larry App, replaced those people with three very special characters.