A Woman

Mylarkey Lunch Bag

2012-01-29T07:10:00.000-08:00

Need a way to keep your soda or child's milk cold for an afternoon at the park? Still back-to-school shopping and crafting? The Mylarkey Lunch Bag (see more specifics, below) is a project suitable for anyone with even minimal sewing experience. From start to finish, it is about a half day project for a beginner or a one evening project for a more advanced seamstress. The pattern includes instructions on how to make 3 sizes of bags and where to purchase materials. Lunch bag kits, including all supplies except thread and tools, will soon be available in the shop. The pdf pattern will be emailed to the email address on your Etsy account within 48 hours of your order. A hard-copy of the pattern may be sent via postal mail for an additional printing and shipping charge of $3; please contact me prior to ordering to request this option.

This pattern is being sold for personal use only. Please contact me for a price quote if you are interested in making these bags for commercial sale.

More about the Mylarkey Lunch Bag. It is:
1. big enough for your standard sandwich or leftovers lunch,
2. small enough to fit in a backpack or briefcase,
3. insulated with Insul-Bright (polyester and mylar) to keep your cold food cold (or, at least on the short-term, warm food warm),
4. lined with nylon inside for containing and wiping up spills and quick spot cleaning,
5. machine washable for deeper cleaning,
6. healthy for you: besides keeping your food cold, it is also vinyl- and soft-plastic free (see online articles about health concerns associated with these materials),
7. reusable and environmentally friendly,
8. last but not least, covered with a cheerful cotton print!

Notes: I came up with the name ‘Mylarkey’ after spending some time looking into the health safety of mylar (which seems to be quite safe, unless you get it in your eye!). But the name (and Bag) also make me think of my Auntie Janet, former schoolteacher and humorist extraordinaire.

ORDER PDF Pattern for Mylarkey Bag

Picnic Pouch - Reusable, Wipeable, and Washable

2012-01-29T07:07:00.000-08:00

The Cascade Lemonade Picnic Pouch - a reusable, wipeable, and machine washable bag for carrying snacks and lunches (see more specifics, below) - is an easy and quick project suitable for anyone with even minimal sewing experience. From start to finish, it is about a one hour project for a beginner. The pattern includes instructions on how to make 3 sizes of pouches and where to purchase materials. Picnic pouch kits, including all supplies except thread and tools, will soon be available in the shop. The pdf pattern will be emailed to the email address on your Etsy account within 48 hours of your order. A hard-copy of the pattern may be sent via postal mail for an additional printing and shipping charge of $2.50; please contact me prior to ordering to request this option.
This pattern is being sold for personal use only. Please contact me for a price quote if you are interested in making these bags for commercial sale.

More about the Picnic Pouch:
The Picnic Pouch is perfect for use as a reusable lunch/sandwich/snack sack! The inside is lined with water-resistant nylon, making the bag easy to clean with a sponge. For deep cleaning, just throw it in the washing machine. Closes with velcro using a foldover design that makes it easier to get food in and out without getting crumbs in - or scratching hands on - the velcro.

Dimensions: the 3 sizes are approx. 4x6, 6x6, and 7x8 inches when closed, perfect for pretzels/snacks, small sandwiches/fruit, and large sandwiches, respectively
Why you can feel good about making and using a Picnic Pouch:

1. It's reusable - no need to buy ziplock baggies for daily use.
2. It's free of soft plastics, so healthier for you (thegreenguide.com is a good place to start reading up on safety concerns about vinyl and plastic products used for food storage)
3. Cascade Lemonade donates at least 15% of profits (including from pattern sales) to support the purchase carbon credits and renewable energy, plus other non-profits from time to time (e.g. Heifer International, projects on donorschoose.org, etc).
4. Let's not forget this one: it puts a smile on your (or your child's) face!

The Picnic Pouch also fits perfectly in a Mylarkey (reusable, insulated, machine washable) Lunch Bag! Lunch Bag patterns (now, over 100 sold!) and Design-Your-Own Lunch Bags are also available in the shop!

ORDER PDF Pattern for Picnic Pouch

Jealousy And Self Confidence Can't Live In The Same House

2012-01-28T14:22:00.000-08:00

I felt led to write about a passionate emotion that has plagued everyone at least once in their life and that is "jealousy"!

Oh yes, that green eyed monster that rears it's ugly head when self doubt, insecurity and fear oozes into our lives!

I had a conversation years ago with someone who felt jealousy was a "positive" emotion and that it was a way of expressing love for your spouse or partner.
They were taken aback when I whole heartedly disagreed!

Jealousy is based on fear, the fear of losing something or someone. Over a prolonged period of time, that fear will eat away at your relationship like rust on a car. Before you know it, the relationship becomes toxic, spirals out of control and eventually disintegrates.

The law of attraction states: "What you think about, you bring about" - one of my favorite quotes that I apply to my daily thoughts.

The more you think about jealousy and everything that means to you in your life right now, the more situations you will attract that creates more jealousy. It becomes a visicious cycle, one that you need to stop - TODAY!

Prolonged fear also leads to disease in the body. It shows up as tension, anxiety, nervousness, worry, doubt, insecurity and unworthiness.

We must reprogram our fears and replace them with faith so that our bodies don't deteriorate, leaving us sick and disease ridden - have no doubt, fear will eat away at your body just like rust on a car!

Replace that fear with love for yourself!
You can do that by stopping the criticism, stop the self loathing, stop the need to control others!

"Even though I am consumed with jealousy, I deeply and completely love and accept myself”

"Even though I have always been a very jealous person, I accept this feeling and everything it means to me”

"Even though I don't know if I want to let go of this feeling, I love who I am anyway"

Easy No Sew Fleece Blanket Edging

2012-01-24T13:26:00.000-08:00

What a week I have had – some good and some not so good. How about I start with the good.
I think I mentioned the Joann’s fabric store in Oklahoma City OK. is having a liquidation sale as they are opening a new store in another location in town and I guess they are not moving any of the merchandise from the old store to the new one so they have had very good sales going on. I purchased the anti-pill fleece in 2 yard segments to make single layer throws for my grand-daughters and grand-sons – 9 in all. I didn’t want the throws to get too heavy so that is why I only used one layer for each.

Here are the step by step photos and directions I used to make them. I purchased Anit-Pill Fleece in 2 yard cuts…wanted the throws to be able to be washed and dried without getting pills which make fleece ugly and not so cozy.

Step 1 I trimmed the selvages off and straightened the ends. This part is not difficult as they don’t have to be perfect rectangles. The fabric always is wiggly so who is going to know if it is a llittle off square one way or another.

Step 2 - Cut 1” slits around the entire edge and a 2” square out of each corner. The 1” cuts are 2” deep. I stuck a piece of painters tape 2” in from the edges of the fleece, laid the straight edge of the fleece on one of the lines of my cutting mat then used the rotary cutter to eyeball cutting every inch. If it did not come out even in 1” increments I eyeballed to the end of where I was cutting and either added a little to each 1” fringe or subtracted a little so I wouldn’t have a really skinny or really fat strip at the corners. I did cut through 2 layers at a time and it was no problem to keep my cuts even. The tape really helped and cutting into it a little at times didn’t dull the rotary cutter like hitting the edge of a ruler would. I cut the corners out with a scissors to avoid overcutting into the side strips.

After this step is done the rest could be finished sitting in my favorite chair and watching TV, listening to music or an audio book. These fleece throws are so easy even kids can do the edge treatment but would do the fringe cutting for them to keep them safe from those sharp rotary blades. How about making a Christmas gift for grandparents or in my case I have gifts for my family for Christmas….OK, now on to the finishing of the edge treatment.

Step 3 Cut a small slit about 1/2” to 3/4” from the end of each strip with a scissors. These small clips into the fleece are only about 3/8” long. As you can see in the photo I just folded over the end and snipped to get the slit I needed.

I had a large crochet hook to use for the next step. It is a size N but the size isn’t important, just need something that it will go through the slits I cut and be able to grab the next strip and pull it through. The original web page had them using a looped paper clip or wire for this step. Check out the photos on that page.

Step 4 Starting in the center of one long side the crochet hook is slipped through the slit of one strip and into the one next in line. ( I am a left handed person so I am working from left to right – if you are a right handed person you will be going from right to left. If you can’t figure it out check out the photos from the blog I learned this from here. I was going to photograph it for right handed people but decided no, I am always having to transpose everything for myself from right handed directions so this time right handers would have to transpose and I would just show how I did it. If it were a complicated procedure I would have made it easy but since it is really pretty simple and self explanatory through the photos it stays left handed.)

The second strip is pulled through the slit of the first one and now the second one is on the crochet hook. Next put the crochet hook through the slit in the next strip and pull it through….keep doing this all around the throw until you only have one strip left.

Finishing the Edge

Step 5 The corners are treated no differently than the sides. As the strips are pulled through and around the corners you will get a rounding of the corner and can keep going along the next side. No fancy stuff just the same thing you have been doing on the sides.

Step 6 The last strip is cut in half to make two smaller strips. Cut a slit in the first strip close to the body of the throw and pull one of the half strips through that slit from the back then hook the other small strip and pull it through the last one you hooked as you worked around the throw.

Tie the two smaller strips together in a double knot and try to hide it under the back if you can. I had trouble with this part and decided if the knot showed a little that was OK. The ending is the only place where you have a small knot. If you have ever used those other kind of throws made with two layers and knotted fringe you know how uncomfortable it is to lay on those huge knots. With this edge the only knot is small and hopefully pretty invisible and not lumpy to lay on.
Notice how nice the edges look plus it looks so fancy but now you know how easy it is to achieve.

Menopause dwarfs

2012-01-16T18:41:00.000-08:00

GOOD Women

2012-01-16T17:46:00.001-08:00

150 Stocking Stuffers

2012-01-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

1. $5 gift cards (Starbucks, McDonalds, Amazon, Borders etc).
2. A favorite candy (my mom always got us those plastic candy canes filled with M&M;'s)
3. Decorative cupcake liners (I found some great ones here)
4. A favorite magazine
5. Camera strap cover (like the one I gave away here) - note, that giveaway is closed!)
6. Packets of flower or herb seeds for planting
7. Personalized stationary
8. Slipper socks
9. Silly putty (another thing I always got as a kid)
10. Rubber coated paddle attachement for a mixer like this one
11. Monogrammed iPhone Case
12. Nail polishes
13. Sharpie Pens
14. Chapstick
15. Hair bands
16. Small crosswords puzzle book
17. Crayons
18. Body wash
19. Piggy Bank with coins
20. Personalized M&M;'s that say Merry Christmas
21. Clip on book reading lamp
22. Measuring spoons or cups
23. Cute wine stopper
24. Scarf
25. Stickers
26. Monogrammed coasters (there's a great how to here)
27. Lottery tickets
28. Deck of playing cards
29. Rubix cube
30. Loofa
31. Hair clips
32. Cuticle set
33. Jewelry
34. Batteries
35. Cooking extracts - vanilla, mint, orange etc.
36. Mittens
37. Scented candles
38. Bookmarks
39. Fishing lures
40. Knitting or Crochet needles
41. Lotion
42. Play Dough
43. Golf tees or balls
44. Matchbox cars
45. Memory card
46. Cd's
47. Tools
48. Wash/Dish rags
49. Diaper genie refills (you laugh, but I would love those in my stocking!)
50. Specialty olive oils such as this one
51. Eyeshadow
52. Unusual pastas like this red chili linguini
53. From the Kitchen of labels like these
54. Gardening gloves
55. Tickets to the aquarium
56. Address book
57. An orange - to shape out the toe of the stocking!
58. Ice scraper
59. Small digital camera
60. A teasing comb for all the southern girls
61. Cookie cutters
62. A good book
63. Retractable ID or key holder
64. Makeup bag
65. Nice wooden spoons
66. Gift card to go see a movie
67. USB Drive
68. Small photo frames
69. Wallet
70. Personalized water bottle like this one
71. Speciality teas - here is one of my favorites
72. Garden markers (for herbs etc)
73. Scented antibacterial kitchen hand soap
74. Pumice stones
75. Travel sized games (connect four, uno, etc)
76. Gourmet spice mixes
77. Small sketchbook
78. Fridge magnets
79. Stencils for crafting
80. Tickets to go see a musical performance
81. Kid paint set
82. Extra Wii controllers
83. Small calendar for your purse/backpack
84. PJ's
85. Wristlet to hold a small digital camera like this one of mine from one of my 1st blog posts!
86. Wine glass charms
87. Freezable teether's
88. Osis Dust It click here
89. Monogrammed onesie or tee
90. Money clip
91. Set of markers
92. Gourmet hot chocolate like this one
93. Ring holder
94. Wine aerator
95. Cufflinks
96. Pedometer
97. Personalized purse mirror like this one
98. DVD's
99. Cell phone car charger
100. Child sized harmonica
101. Luggage tags
102. Personalized coffee cup
103. Travel alarm clock
104. Baby legs
105. Personalized mom bracelet or necklace with children's birthstones
106. Perfume/Cologne
107. Speciality chocolates such as See's
108. Mini tripod
109. Cute umbrella
110. Earbuds
111. Flower bulbs
112. Monogrammed baby wipes case
113. Passport holder
114. Raw honey like this
115. Small digital picture frame
116. Webkinz
117. Snow cap
118. Digital luggage scale: here's one
119. Chalk
120. iTunes giftcard
121. Digital measuring tape
122. Bubbles
123. Watch
124. Wine thermometer
125. Tickets to the zoo
126. Speciality coffee such as this one
127. Bath toys
128. Monogrammed burp rags
129. Makeup brush set
130. Binoculars
131. Barbies
132. Child "character" flashlights
133. Jewelry box
134. Recipe cards
135. Swiss Army knife
136. Belt
137. Small lint roller
138. Key chain
139. Baby rings to attach toys to a carseat
140. Coloring book
141. Birthstone earrings
142. Throwback candy - Pez dispensers, pop rocks, nerds, fun dip.
143. Kindle
144. Scrapbooking supplies
145. Personalized fortune cookie (you can have your own message put into them)
146. Universal remote
147. Hand sanitizer
148. Silly Bandz
149. Family Christmas ornament
150. A handwritten note from Santa

101 Elf on the Shelf Ideas

2012-01-13T17:04:00.000-08:00

Has your family adopted the Elf on a Shelf tradition but find that you are running out of crazy fun ideas each year? To help keep the tradition alive, I’ve listed 101 things your Elf can do this season.

1. Marshmallow fight – marshmallows everywhere
2. Pillow fight – feathers everywhere
3. Nerf gun fight – darts everywhere
4. Laundry fight – clothes everywhere
5. Lipstick on mirror message
6. Crepe paper barricade on their bedroom door that they have to bust through
7. Rearrange story books in ABC order or in a pile of disarray
8. Clean closet or make mess of closet
9. Fill tub with bubbles till the point of explosion
10. Hang from shower nozzle with a towel on
11. Unroll toilet paper roll on the floor, around Christmas tree, etc.
12. Zip down a zip line through the house
13. Caught sneaking candy
14. Eat milk and cookies
15. Organize school clothes – mismatched haha
16. Write a message on the on the snow covered car window
17. Create a paper chain with a bit of a mess to show for it
18. Hang child’s unmentionables on the Christmas tree
19. Hang from chandelier or ceiling fan
20. Make faces on school pictures with a marker
21. Take a spin in toy car/remote control car
22. Play board game with stuffed animal friends or action figures
23. Tea party with stuffed animal friends
24. Read book, newspaper, e-reader, ipad, computer, etc
25. Listen to child’s ipod
26. Play child’s DS/itouch
27. Play video games
28. Draw picture
29. Color in coloring book
30. Dump toybox
31. Create a block tower
32. Switch as out closet clothes (i.e. take chunk of child’s clothes and switch with chunk of sibling or parents clothes) or switch out dresser drawer clothes
33. Hide rocks in shoes
34. Hide one shoe
35. Sit in shoe, holding shoe laces as if going on a sleigh ride
36. Turn everyone shoes into superhero shoes
37. Plant magic seeds with directions to water once a day. On 3rd day something will grow. Secretly plant lollipops on 3rd day. I love this Magic Elf Seeds idea from East Coast Mommy!
38. Make cookies – flour everywhere
39. Make Reindeer food
40. Turn toilet water blue
41. Turn milk blue
42. Take picture of child sleeping
43. Hang out on child’s bedpost
44. Knit a scarf or hat. Not literally, Jen. Come on.
45. Make paper airplanes and fly them around the house
46. Park the car backwards, down the street, crooked, etc.
47. Put toothbrushes in toilet or clean toilet with toothbrushes– yuck (make sure new standbys are waiting in the wings)
48. Type /write an amazing letter of all the wonderful qualities your Elf has witnessed of your child!!!!!!!!
49. Have a package arrive via UPS/US Postal Service – new clothes for your Elf ordered by yours truly.
50. Hide parents phone, keys, or mom’s blow dryer
51. Recreate your family tree that now includes your Elf
52. Nothing. If your elf didn’t move overnight then perhaps their behavior contributed to their elf not moving.
53. Fold clothes, empty dishwasher, vacuum
54. Dust, sweep kitchen
55. Rake leaves/shovel or play in the snow
56. Dance party – music playing & stuffed friends dancing
57. Game day – playing soccer, baseball, basketball, dance, gymnastics, karate, etc in the house
58. Complete child’s homework or add pictures on homework
59. Make phone call
60. Drink Pepsi & milk
61. Run on treadmill/ ride exercise bike
62. Sew on sewing machine
63. Play cards
64. Learn multiplication facts
65. Play dress up – wearing mini homemade reindeer ears, etc.
66. Cover a room with Post-it notes on EVERY wall
67. Watch movie with popcorn & remote control
68. Build something great with Legos
69. Change all clock times
70. Take all the kitchen cabinet knobs off
71. Unscrew all the light blubs
72. Lock car keys in the car (parents have to have good acting skills & time on their side)
73. Tear up child’s old homework
74. Have a friend or relative call child thanking them for your Elf’s white elephant gift (child’s missing toy, clothes, artwork, etc)
75. Skype a friend/family member as your child is waking up (get someone to play along)
76. Cut coupons
77. Wrap gifts or cut up wrapping paper
78. Cut out toy pictures from toy catalog
79. Try on mom’s jewelry
80. Elf packs school lunches but mixes up everyone lunches (each child receives siblings lunch – great conversation piece at dinner)
81. Short sheet child’s sheets – ha ha
82. Cool off a cup of HOT chocolate with a stationary fan, see ours here.
83. Elf writes his own X-mas list – Elf clothes, Mrs. Elf, candy, etc.
84. Create a scavenger hunt for the kids with clues leading to mischief
85. Leave paper trail (or dog food trail) through house
86. Hang wet clothes on clothesline outside– especially funny in colder climates because their clothes will be stiff
87. Build a family fort with a name on the front
88. Wrap a new gift for the kids to open – exciting and thoughtful
89. Turn all the kitchen chairs backwards
90. Turn all the breakfast plates upside down
91. Swing on outdoor swing set – chilly
92. Sit by warm fire – cozy
93. Punch stuffed animal in the throat
94. Cover lawn with Easter decorations such as plastic eggs
95. Fill room with lots of balloons or hang them from ceiling
96. Build snowman
97. Write a secret message to child with invisible ink
98. Create a mask & cape out of paper/cloth – Super Elf! Perhaps he can be hanging from the ceiling by fishing line.
99. Inspire reading, writing or imagination – leave a new book to be read or ask child to write a list things they are thankful for or ask child to finish Elf’s half written story making it as silly and creative as possible
100.Write a message in the snow (better for little ones who won’t notice the obvious footprints)
101.Pin fluffy tail on the back of child’s pjs while sleeping –great for hard sleepers.

The dilemma of taking care of elderly parents.

2012-01-13T14:28:00.000-08:00

It has become the baby boom generation’s latest and, in some ways, most agonizing life crisis: what to do when the parents who once took care of you can no longer take care of themselves. Raise your hand if you’re one of the 60-year-olds reading this who has one or more living 80-year-old parents.

Listen in on a group of middle-aged children of the elderly, and you’ll hear that even the most casual mention of aging parents is likely to open up a Pandora’s box of anxieties. These are stories told with tears, with exasperation, and sometimes, when they can take a step back, with laughter. Not funny ha-ha mirth, but more like the hysterical laughter we all experience at those moments when we’re forced to come to grips with the absurdity of life and our own helplessness.

Even if their parents are still doing fine, middle-aged children need only look around at friends and neighbors to be reminded that these anxieties will become theirs one day. Indeed, most of the children I spoke with in the research for my book, “60 On Up: The Truth About Aging in America,” actively worry about their aging parents, often well before their parents need any help.

I see it with my own 63-year-old daughter, who wants me — her 87-year-old mother — to be in touch when I leave town, even if only for a few days or a week, who calls when she’s traveling though she never did before, whose anxiety announces itself over the phone lines when we haven’t talked for a while: “Are you OK?” I tell her I’m fine, ask her to stop worrying. “It’s my turn to worry,” she replies.

She and her husband have regularly spent some weeks each year in adventurous travel abroad. Now, she’s reluctant to go away for so long and resists going anyplace where she’ll be out of reach for more than a day or two. When I tell her that her anxieties are overblown, that her fears are unfounded, that I want her to go and enjoy herself, she looks at me and says, “It has nothing to do with what you want. It’s what I need.”

It’s a response that moves me to tears, while a little corner of my brain thinks, “Yes, I know, but that’s your problem. It has nothing to do with what I need right now.”

When she read these words in an earlier draft of this article, she called. “I think you left something out here, Mom.” I’m quiet, puzzled, waiting for the rest, until she goes on to remind me that when she phoned to say they were back after their last overseas trip, my immediate response was one of great relief — “as if,” she says, “you were holding your breath the whole time we were gone. You actually told me that you were relieved and that you didn’t really like it anymore when I’m so far away for so long.”

I resist at first, wanting to tell her she’s making more of it than I meant. Then I remember the rush of unshed tears when I heard her cheery, “We’re home!” at the other end of the phone line, remember, too, how comforted I felt to know she was nearby again, relieved of an anxiety I hadn’t even fully known was there.

“But I also meant it when I said I don’t want my feelings about this to determine how you live your life,” I say.

“I know,” she says, “but that’s only because you think you always have to be the mom. I love you for it, but it can be a pain when I feel like I’m getting mixed signals and when you try to protect me when I don’t need your protection.”

Another reader — the adult child of another mother — to whom I sent an earlier version of this article, sends an email pointing to this passage and says, “It would be nice if you’d expand on what you do need. Parents tend not to say what they need, and we children are left to try to figure it out, which leads to problems when we make mistakes.”

These issues between parents and children, the mixed messages on both sides — children who say they want to help but who already have too many demands on their time and energy, parents who say they don’t need anything but clearly do — are an old story. It’s not news either that adult children have always worried about their parents, that they’ve always cared for them in their old age, and that the role reversal is inevitably a wrenching emotional experience for all concerned.

But the demographic and cultural context in which this takes place is vastly different now than it was a century ago. Then, few women worked outside the home, so someone was available to care for an ailing parent. Today, a changed culture combined with economic need has put most women in the labor force alongside their men, which means that there’s no one at home to take care of Mom or Dad when they need it. Then, life expectancy at birth was just over 48 years; today, it’s close to 80. Then, so few lived to 65 that there is no record of life expectancy at that age. Today, if we make it to 65, we can expect to live another 20 years. And one-third of those over 65 need some help in managing their daily lives; by the time they reach 85 (the fastest-growing segment of our population today), that number jumps to well over one-half.

The result: Middle-aged adults may well spend more years caring for a parent than they did for their children.

Those in their 60s and 70s, who looked forward to these years with their promise of freedom from the responsibilities that bound them before, are now asking: “When do I get to live my life for myself?” The younger ones, who at middle age are already stretched thin by their own financial problems — worried about how they’ll provide for their children’s education, whether they’ll ever have enough for their own retirement, how they’ll live the rest of their lives — are asking: “How can I do it all?”

No one wants to ignore parental needs, but unless there are financial resources well beyond what most families can dream about, how to meet those needs is a problem with no easy solution. For the children, it can mean bringing their parents into their homes and, among other things, dealing with a spouse’s grumblings about the intrusion in their lives, teenagers’ complaints about giving up the privacy of their rooms and coming home to Grandma or Grandpa after school – a tempest that sometimes strains marriages to the breaking point.

If there’s one word to describe the dominant feeling on both sides of the bridge that connects the generations at this stage of life, it’s “ambivalence.” “I love my parents, but…” That’s a line I hear spoken repeatedly as women and men struggle with the duality of their feelings — their love for their parents; their sense of obligation; their guilt that, no matter how much they do, it never seems to be enough; their difficulty in coping with their own needs, with their jobs, their families, their fears about their future and, not least, the inability to see an end in sight. The parents’ stories are the mirror image of their children’s. “I love my children, I know they want to help, but…” The words say they appreciate their children’s concern while they feel it as an infringement on their autonomy.

Children grumble about how hard it is to reason with their parents, about how they resist any change even when it seems clearly necessary. Parents complain about unwelcome intrusions, about being talked to as if they were incompetent children. “It’s what happens when you’re old. You lose all credibility, and people treat you as if you’re half brain-dead,” observes an 86-year-old father heatedly. “It’s damn insulting, and I don’t like it any better when my children do it. Worst part of it is, they don’t get it. They just write you off as being difficult.”

His 79-year-old wife agrees but speaks with more understanding of the difficult situation in which they all find themselves, welcoming her daughter’s caring while also resenting her interference. “I know she doesn’t agree with our decision to stay in our house, but that’s only because she wants us someplace she thinks is safe, so she doesn’t have to worry.” She hesitates a moment as if considering whether to go on or not, then adds, “I don’t know exactly how to say this, but sometimes I think the kids are selfish, too. I mean, I know they love us and want the best for us, but is it an accident that what they think is best is what will relieve them, whether it’s really good for us or not?”

An accusation that’s not without some merit, but one also that doesn’t take account of the complex and conflicting feelings both generations juggle. Looked at from the parents’ side, there may, in fact, be something self-serving in the way children push parents to give up their home, their cars, their lives, so that they can stop worrying about them. Some even acknowledge it. But step into the children’s shoes, and you wonder: Who’s selfish? Is it selfish of parents to insist on maintaining their lives and the home of a past they can no longer live easily without considering the price children pay?

True, parents didn’t count the cost, whether financial or emotional, when they gave themselves over to caring for their children. But parents chose that life. It wasn’t forced on them by circumstances outside their control, and the legitimacy of their authority to do so was unquestioned. But taking care of Mom and Dad profoundly interrupts the lives of adult children who have no authority to control or manage the situation unless their parents willingly hand it over. “I feel like I’m being torn to pieces,” cries a 48-year-old woman as she struggles to balance her care and concern for her 70-something parents who need help and don’t have the financial resources to pay for it.

Her parents’ response: “We just want her to stop nagging us and let us live our lives the way we want to.” I remind them that their daughter says they can’t afford to continue to live their lives as they have.

“That’s our problem,” her mother replies, hotly. “We’ve managed until now. We’ll manage again.”

It’s a no-win situation. Parents commonly resist their children’s attempts to intervene, but they are often in denial about the depth of their decline and can’t or won’t see what’s plain to others: They need help. If children back off from the conflict, their parents can fall through the cracks. If they don’t, parents are often resentful and difficult. “They think because their father died, I need them to tell me how to run my life — where to live, how to spend my money. It’s ridiculous. I love them and I don’t want to get upset and argue with them, so I finally just stopped listening when they talk. Sometimes when I know it’s one of them calling, I don’t answer the phone.”

It’s an upside-down version of the familiar passive-aggressive drama between parent and adolescent child: “Where are you going?” “Out.” “Who are you going with?” “Nobody.” “What are you going to do?” “Nothing.” Just as parents must decide when to intervene and demand answers, so adult children sometimes have no choice but to take control.

“My mother is furious with me because I insisted on moving her into an assisted-living place,” says a 70-year-old man mournfully. Then, his sadness turning to anger, “For God’s sake, she’s 89 years old and has arthritis so bad she can hardly move. I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me, but when I found her on the floor because she fell and couldn’t get up, there was nothing else to do.”

There is no right and wrong here, no black and white; there are only shades of gray in situations so murky that it’s nearly impossible for either parents or children to know just when it’s the right time to take a step, make a move. Children, who think they see the line more clearly, push their parents to a decision, mostly out of loving concern but also because they need some relief from the worry and the burden. Parents fight more tenaciously to hold on to what’s left, as each step of their decline poses another threat to their sense of self. They tell themselves they’ll know when the time has come; then one day they slip, fall and can’t get up. Or at some unseen, unfelt moment, they slide past the time when they were mentally capable of making a reasoned choice. For a disease of the mind doesn’t arrive with the drama of a broken hip; it travels stealthily, taking little bits and pieces as it moves through the brain, each one seeming inconsequential in itself until one day the person has slipped over the edge.

What to do? I have no easy answers. What I do know is that one of the great challenges facing both the nation and its families is how to take care of our parents and grandparents — a problem that is increasing exponentially as 78 million baby boomers have begun to move into the ranks of the elderly. In an article last month in the New York Times about the failures of Medicare — what it does that it shouldn’t do, what it doesn’t do that it should — Jane Gross tallies some of the social cost: “Right now, there are 47 million Medicare beneficiaries, costing a half trillion dollars a year, or one-fifth of the nation’s health spending. In 2050, the population on Medicare will number 89 million. How scary is that?”

Scary enough to push us to lift our voices for some radical change in the way healthcare is delivered in our nation. I know, I know. We’re living in a moment when the rise of the political right, and the consequent gridlock in Washington, has even made it socially and politically acceptable to propose the abolition of Medicare and Social Security as we’ve known them. But that doesn’t mean we must suffer in silence. Rather, we — both parents and children — have to make ourselves heard on behalf of the kinds of changes that will lift some of the strain from the backs of both generations. At minimum, a change in Medicare policy that would allow for long-term care, whether outside or inside the home, without requiring that the recipient be impoverished — a policy shift that would ease the financial anxieties of both generations and surely assuage some of their psychological anxieties as well. At best, a national universal healthcare system that, like those in every other Western democracy, would ensure healthcare for all Americans and wouldn’t break the bank, as our present for-profit system threatens to do.

Meanwhile, take a deep breath and come to terms with the reality that our new longevity is both a blessing and a curse — a blessing because we live longer, healthier lives than we ever dreamed possible, a curse because old age sucks. It always has, and it always will, because it is, by definition, a period of decline that takes a toll on those who are old and those who love them. The only difference now is that, because we live so long, our children suffer it right alongside us.

“This was supposed to be my time,” says a 75-year-old retired widower whose 94-year-old mother has been living with him for 13 years. “It’s hard not to think, What about me? I’ve had some heart problems, and I think about that and know that, well, you know, I could die anytime and I’ll never have had the chance to live these years like I wanted to.”

More Lillian Rubin

Scratch 'n' Gift DIY Advent Calendar

2012-01-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

Make these cards as your Advent calendar. Kids can scratch the paint with a coin each day to reveal a new fun idea.
Advent clips
What you'll need:
25 1" wood circles, small number stickers (1-25), 2 colors of acrylic paint, paintbrush, 25 miniature clothespins, tacky glue
Make it:
1. Press a number sticker firmly on the center of each wooden circle. Apply acrylic paint over sticker and remove sticker immediately; let paint dry.
2. Paint the front of the clothespins in the second color; let dry.
3. Glue wooden circle to top of clothespin.
Advent cards
What you'll need:
Cardstock, scissors, clear packing tape, dish soap, acrylic paint, paintbrush, string
Make it:
1. Download the Advent cards using Adobe Acrobat Reader. All card text can be altered; customize it as you like.
2. Print cards onto cardstock and cut each one out along the dashed lines.
3. Place a piece of packing tape over the center of the card, covering text.
4. Mix 1 part dish soap to 2 parts acrylic paint and paint over the packing tape. Allow to dry completely. Once dry, repeat the process for a second coat.
5. Hang cards on string with clips.

BETTER BRING YOUR SUITCASE!

2012-01-11T20:09:00.001-08:00

To help save the economy, the Government will announce
next month that the Immigration Department will start deporting
seniors (instead of illegal's) in order to lower Social Security
and Medicare costs.
Older people are easier to catch and will not remember
how to get back home.
I started to cry when I thought of you.
Then it dawned on me ... oh, crap ...
I'll see you on the bus!

Make a Package Bow

2012-01-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

MAKE A GIFT BOW OUT OF A MAGAZINE!

In gift wrap emergencies when you've got the present but need some wrapping,
here's an idea for turning a magazine page into a bow.
There may be better ways to stick this thing together,
but I used what I had on hand: staples and adhesive glue dots.
Double stick tape should work, too

Cut a magazine page lengthwise into 9 strips, 3/4" wide.
Leave 3 of the strips full length.
Cut one inch off 3 of the strips.
Cut two inches off 2 of the strips.
Cut the last strip down to 3 1/2" long.

Twist each strip to form a loop at both ends and staple it in the center.
Shape the last, short strip into a circle and secure it with a glue dot.

Layer the 3 longest pieces on top of each other, spacing them evenly and securing each with a glue dot.
Add the next two groups of pieces, doing the same.

And finally, stick the loop into the center.

Hard to Learn......

2012-01-10T09:46:00.001-08:00

Christmas 2012

2012-01-08T13:39:00.000-08:00

My grandkids from 16 years old to 2 - 2 year olds

Finally a scale that works!

2011-12-16T08:12:00.001-08:00

Margaret Dick

2011-12-08T19:34:00.001-08:00

Death is something that we deal with in the darkness of our own lives on a personal level.

Margaret and I were born and raised in the Drummond community and played together in the days of our youth. We progressed through the normal stages of girls growing up. We moved on into the high school years, and many hours were spent playing basketball in the gym. Then we found ourselves married and with daughters that would go to school together. Then Margaret moved to Kansas and I moved to Oklahoma City. Our lives drifted apart. Still losing a classmate touches our own mortality.

Margaret Dick
(January 4, 1951 - December 5, 2011)

Sharon, KS- Margaret Ann Dick, 60, died Monday, December 5, 2011 at her home, Sharon, KS. She was born on January 4, 1951 in Enid, Oklahoma, the daughter of Eldon and Emma (Fyffe) Rikli. She was a Cook and Bus Driver at Drummond Public Schools, Drummond, OK and was a Secretary and Para at Attica, KS, but most importantly a grandmother. She was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, Sharon, KS and Altar Society. On April 29, 1972 she married Randy Dick at Sharon. He survives.

Other Survivors include her mother Emma Rikli, Drummond, OK, two daughters, Dana Landwehr and husband Randie and Jana Scripsick and husband Mike all of Sharon, KS; one brother, Billy Clyde “B.C.” Rikli, Enid, OK; two sisters, Mary Jo Fleer, Drummond, OK; and Jane Kimball, Pueblo, CO; 7 grandchildren, Little Randie Landwehr, Landon Landwehr, Zack Barker, Celie Landwehr, Emmie Landwehr, Cali Scripsick, and Cauy Scripsick; and several Nieces and Nephews. She was preceded in death by her father and a brother, Don Rikli.

Vigil Service will be at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Sharon, KS. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 8, 2011 at the church with Father Firmin Kyaw officiating. Burial will be in St. Boniface Cemetery, Sharon.

Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of Kansas in care of Larrison Funeral Home 120 E. Lincoln, Medicine Lodge, KS 67104

Condolences may be left at www.larrisonmortuary.com

Maturity. . . . . . .

2011-12-04T14:57:00.000-08:00

Maturity comes when we take responsibility for our problems by forgiving those that have wronged us and by seeking God's forgiveness for our own transgressions.

What do you want......

2011-12-03T12:56:00.001-08:00

‎"If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place" Nora Roberts

Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts

2011-11-30T19:00:00.000-08:00

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon smooth dijon mustard (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot with a lid (foil works too, if your skillet lacks a lid) and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the lid, and scoop out brussels. Add cream and simmer for two to three minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or Dijon. Pour sauce over brussels, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-27T06:07:00.001-08:00

I am very Thankful that my whole family was together for Thanksgiving. A very special memory that I will keep dear to my heart forever, was Wednesday night when my 3 granddaughters and I baked the pies for Thanksgiving. GREAT JOB girls, the pies were delicious!

I actually didn't do to bad in the Familii Wii Bowling Tournament.

Heck Yes, I'm a female.

2011-11-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

I push doors that clearly say PULL. I laugh harder when I try to explain why I'm laughing. I walk into a room and forget why I was there. I count on my fingers. I hide the pain from my loved ones. I say it is a long story, when it really is not, just to get out of having to tell it. I cry a lot more than you think I do. I care about people who don't care about me. I am strong because I have to be, not because I want to be. I listen to you, even when you dont listen to me. And a hug will always help. Yes, I'm a girl!!!!!

If Tomorrow Never Comes

2011-11-12T13:59:00.001-08:00

If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door, I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise, I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute or two to stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming, you would know I do.

If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day, well I'm sure you'll have so many more, so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an oversight, and we always get a second chance to make everything right.

There will always be another day to say our "I love you's", And certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can do's?"

But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get, I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget, Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike, And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?

For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day, That you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss and you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, whisper in their ear, Tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear, Take time to say "I'm sorry," "please forgive me," "thank you" or "it's okay".

And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.

Thankfulness

2011-11-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

If one could only learn to appreciate the little things...
A song that takes you away, for there are those who cannot hear.
The beauty of a sunset, for there are those who cannot see.
The warmth and safety of your home, for there are those who are homeless.
Time spent with good friends for there are those who are lonely.
A walk along the beach for there are those who cannot walk.
The little things are what life is all about.
Search your soul and learn to appreciate.--Shadi Souferian

12 Days of Christmas

2011-11-12T12:24:00.001-08:00

Finished my Grandkid's "12 Days of Christmas".
I really enjoy doing it, but really really glad when I am thru.
This year it was an average of $38 for each Christmas Tree.

Living Will

2011-10-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Do you want to be a whale or mermaid?

2011-10-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way: READ MORE

Daughters and Granddaughters

2011-09-20T14:23:00.001-07:00

We need to teach our daughters the difference between a man who flatters her, and a man who compliments her .... a man who spends money on her, and a man who invests in her .... a man who views her as property, and a man who views her properly ..... a man who lusts after her, and a man who loves her ..... a man who believes he is God's gift to women, and a man who remembers a woman was God's gift to man. "

times of trouble

2011-08-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

When you're weary
Feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all

I'm on your side
When times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/simon_and_garfunkel/bridge_over_troubled_water.html ]
I'll take your part
When darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Sail on Silver Girl,
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way

See how they shine
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/simon_and_garfunkel/#share

Wish you never had to worry about money? Maybe you'll like this...

2011-08-15T08:39:00.001-07:00

You don't have to believe that it will work, but not liking the way things already are is a good starting point to coming up with a better solution for how we live and how our children will live their lives.

Times are tough?

2011-08-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

Think about the toughest situation in your life right now. Will it matter in five years from now? Take a deep breath and leave the details to God.

Not a good day

2011-08-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

Love

2011-08-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope: it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen....I Corinthians 13:7-8

There comes a time in your life,

2011-07-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

"When you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.

2011-06-01T19:20:00.001-07:00

Pleasing everyone is too hard. Ticking everyone off is a piece of cake.

Laugh when you can✿

2011-05-20T11:40:00.001-07:00

Apologize when you should✿ And let go of what you can't change✿ Love deeply and forgive quickly.✿. Take chances and give your everything✿. Life is too short to be anything but happy✿ You have to take the good with the bad✿ Love what you have✿. Always remember what you had✿. Forgive and forget✿always remember.. that life goes on✿. Post if agree✿ Life is short.

HOW DO YOU EXPECT KIDS TO LISTEN TO THEIR PARENTS..

2011-05-16T05:53:00.001-07:00

Tarzan lives half naked, Cinderella comes back home at midnight, Pinocchio lies all the time, Aladdin is the king of thieves, Batman drives nothing below 320 KM/h, Sleeping Beauty is lazy, and Snow White lives with 7 guys!!!!!! We shouldn’t be surprised when kids misbehave! They get it from their story books.

Love

2011-05-09T20:22:00.001-07:00

No matter what you do, no matter what you say, no matter how far you go, don't take your love away.

Nervousness is feeling fearful that you may be losing him; detachment is knowing that he may be losing you;

Easter Bird Nest Cookies

2011-04-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

EASTER BIRD NEST COOKIES
12 oz. pkg. butterscotch chips
1/3 c. peanut butter
1 (5 oz.) can crunchy Chinese noodles
Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter together in double boiler. Mix in noodles. Spoon onto wax paper and refrigerate until hardened. Keep refrigerated.

Shape into little nests while still warm.

Place candy easter eggs or jelly beans in each nest.

my DAD

2011-04-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

on March 31st 2011 my dad passed. We knew he was slipping away. Just didn't know it was going to happen so soon. Are we really ever ready?
It has been really sad and we are trying to cope.

GRIEF IS THE PRICE WE PAY FOR LOVE!

Kimi has put up some great picturesGrandpa Jay

Happy St Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

Make sure your kilt is short enough to do a jig BUT long enough to hide your Lucky Charms!!! Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone!!!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

2011-03-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

‎"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...." ~ FB Connie Kuhnemund Barnes

60

2011-02-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

Q. When should you become worried about incidents of forgetfulness?

A. Forgetting your car keys: not a problem.
Forgetting your pants: problem

Wake up running

2010-12-18T07:22:00.000-08:00

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must out run the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve.
It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up,
you'd better be running.

My girls and their babies

2010-12-01T02:50:00.000-08:00

major crop harvest!

2010-11-29T06:14:00.000-08:00

We always just had 1 combine, 1 truck and a pickup.

Times have changed. in 50 years.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T07:42:00.000-08:00

"The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now. And the more grateful you are, the more you get." – Happy Thanksgiving!

My Husband

2010-11-18T02:03:00.001-08:00

My husband has made me laugh. Wiped my tears. Hugged me tight. Watched me succeed. Seen me fail. Cheered me on. Kept me going strong. My husband is a promise from God that I will have a friend forever. Put this as your FB status if you love your husband.

Best 60th Birthday Book

2010-11-16T00:52:00.000-08:00

When I Grow Up I Want to Be 60
by: Wendy Reid Crisp

Things to Do Now That You're 60 (Things to Do...)
by: Graeme Kent

What You Don't Know About Turning 60: A Funny Birthday Quiz
by: Phil Witte

Suddenly Sixty And Other Shocks Of Later Life
by: Judith Viorst

Sixty Things to Do When You Turn Sixty
by: Various

Now We Are Sixty
by: Christopher Matthew, David Eccles

10 party games for people over 60

2010-11-12T02:58:00.000-08:00

1. Sag! You're It!
2. Pin the Toupee on the Bald Guy
3. 20 Questions Shouted in Your Good Ear
4. Kick the Bucket
5. Red Rover, Red Rover, the Nurse Says Bend Over
6. Doc, Doc, Goose
7. Simon Says Something Incoherent
8. Musical Recliners
9. Spin the Bottle of Mylanta
10. Hide and Go Pee!

I can’t be 60!

2010-11-12T02:20:00.000-08:00

Q: What is the most common remark made by 60+ year olds when they enter antique stores?
A: 'Hey! I remember these!'

Q: What is the most effective form of birth control for people 60 and over?
A: Nudity.

Q: Where can men or women over the age of 60 find young, sexy members of the opposite sex who are interested in them?
A: Try a bookstore -- under fiction.

Q: As people age, do they sleep more soundly?
A: Yes, but usually only in the afternoon.

Q: Where do 60 year olds look for fashionable glasses?
A: Their foreheads.

Q: What is a 60 year old's most frequent thought when going from one room to another?
A: 'What did I come here for?'

How did this happen? I can’t be 60!

2010-11-12T02:11:00.000-08:00

Q: Why should 60 year old people use valet parking?
A: Valets don't forget where they park your car.
_____________________________________________________
Sixty is the venerable, senior generation – not the young, hip, break-the-rules crowd I grew up with. We were taught to show respect to Sixty, all the while rolling our eyes whenever one of these well-meaning, hopeless dolts demonstrated that she was clueless about the really important things in life—like good music, politics, relationships, and what to wear to a ballet.

How did I become one of THEM?

Sixty can’t name a single song on iTunes top download list. Sixty is the target audience for those pathetic TV ads for Viagra, adult diapers, and reverse mortgages. Sixty is more concerned about his own property tax rates than quality education for (other people’s) kids. Sixty can’t remember how a joke goes two minutes into the telling of it. Sixty is the loyal first wife that her graying husband leaves for the newer, shinier model. Sixty is the panicked middle manager who prays that the latest downsizing round will pass him by. Surely I can’t be 60!

OK, I exaggerate. A little. The Godzilla-sized boomer generation has redefined what it means to be 60. Indeed, our market power has allowed us to state convincingly that “sixty is the new forty.” We are healthier, more active and engaged in life than the generations preceding us. We have lots of role models who look FABULOUS and exude a vitality to match their great looks.

The Upside of Turning 60

2010-11-12T02:08:00.000-08:00

by Diane Keaton:
Having just celebrated a "milestone birthday", here is my biggest takeaway after 60 years on the planet: There is great value in being fearless. For too much of my life, I was too afraid, too frightened by it all. That fear is one of my biggest regrets. I wish I had put myself out there a little bit more and experienced people more instead of protecting myself. I spent a lot of time protecting myself. I mean, I've met a lot of extraordinary people over the years -- and I just wish I had been able to open myself up to them more.

I remember when I was filming "Godfather III." My father was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and I flew home. He told me, "I only wish I'd done more. I wish I had worked less at something I didn't really enjoy." I've been blessed to work at something I love, but I wish his words had emboldened me more.

I've spent a lot of my life worrying -- especially when I was younger. I used to listen to Judy Garland all the time -- I love Judy Garland and her music. But I started to realize that if you keep singing like that, singing songs of being victimized by love over and over and over again, it can't help but have a profound effect on your life. At a certain point, you're programming yourself to become a victim of love. And I decided that that wasn't for me, so I forged ahead. And I feel like I've managed to avoid becoming a victim to that particular kind of love.

A sense of freedom is something that, happily, comes with age and life experience. In "The Second Sex", Simone de Beauvior says that as they approach 50, a lot of women are set free from the anxiety and the mortification and the humiliation of intimate relationships with men -- the opposite sex. For some reason, you are suddenly free from it. And thank god for that.

It's the upside of sticking around this long.

Ethan

2010-11-10T04:14:00.000-08:00

I read on facebook that Ethan is walking. That is so exciting. Can't wait till I get home to see him walking.

It's not WHAT you eat, it's how MUCH you eat!

2010-11-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

Professor Mark Haub of Kansas State University ate a sugary and fatty snack every three hours for two months and actually lost 27 pounds.

He says its calorie counting that matters the most, not the nutritional value.

He ate 1,800 calories worth of Twinkies, brownies, Doritos, candy bars and much more every day, but he doesn't recommend any one else try this diet.

The Kansas State Nutrition Professor wanted to prove to his students that weight loss is merely "calories in versus calories out." (He reduced his caloric intake while eating junk food.)

At the same time, he says he feels great, has good cholesterol, and no problems with blood pressure.

So, is it okay to give up nutrition for a time - to lose weight & get "better" health?
Are sugary foods really the problem in our society - or is it how much we eat?\\

My Man

2010-11-05T22:42:00.000-07:00

If you have a Wonderful Man,
Who helps balance your whole world...
Who isn't perfect, but is perfect to you...
Who works (VERY) hard & would do anything for you...
Who makes you laugh & drives you crazy...
Who is your best friend...
Who you want to grow old with...&......
who you are thankful for everyday...
Post on Facebook..

Oh man my stomach hurts.

2010-10-31T23:14:00.000-07:00

I ate a little too much of the kids candy. First a Snickers, then some Reeses cups, and I just couldn't stop "checking the kids" candy. All I kept hearing was "Grandma, that's our candy". Hey I dressed up too..........

Monday

2010-10-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Ah Monday, another opportunity to get it right!

Cleaning

2010-10-02T18:02:00.001-07:00

I have found this urge to clean.

Sweep, wash and shine the kitchen floor. It looks GREAT!

I should have the whole place in great shape.

History

2010-09-29T14:53:00.001-07:00

We create our own history. day by day, decision by decision, habit by habit.-Jeff O'Leary

Worried ..........

2010-09-28T07:53:00.001-07:00

Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday..........

MY GIRLS

2010-09-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

These are my beautiful daughters that have given me the 9 most terrific grandchildren! Thanks girls, job well done. You are fabulous women and the best mom's in the world.

8 Grandkids Swimming

2010-09-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

Oh Saturday before Ethan's Birthday Party. 8 of my 9 grandkids had a Birthday swim. They had such a GREAT time. Jessica sure wish that you could have joined us. We know that you have grown up and would rather be with your friends.

Happy Faces

2010-09-23T08:21:00.001-07:00

I think they are trying to decide who had the best Birthday Presents!

Ethan

Camden

Dear Lord,

2010-09-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

Please keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth... Amen.

Bob Cutting Google Birthday Cake

2010-09-20T09:43:00.001-07:00

The link to the article

Ethan's Day

2010-09-19T19:09:00.001-07:00

Ethan's 1st Birthday!

Ethan and his Parents

Ethan's brother and sister

Ethan's Friends

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ehtan's 5 cousins and MY SIX GRANDSONS!

Fast Food Restaurants

2010-09-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

..... "Can i have a coke?" "Is Pepsi alright?"
"Uh, is monopoly money alright?" :D

......If McDonald's sold hot dogs, could u order a McWeiner with a straight face & tell them u want it supersized? :o)

_______________________________
I think I'm Suffering from ADOS: Attention deficit... ooh squirrel!!!

Camden's Day

2010-09-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

This is how Camden felt about his birthday!

Camden had a GREAT Birthday!

1st round of 1st Birthday Parties

2010-09-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

Friday was Camden's 1st Birthday

Chad grilled steak k-bob's. They were really excellent. What a great dinner. Then Camden enjoyed all of his gifts.

Cake was enjoyed by all. Kimi baked the best cake...
and the icing was really good, just ask Camden.

Next week is round 2 of 1st birthdays.

Jay and Jodean's Great-Grandchildren

2010-09-06T06:58:00.001-07:00

Mom and Dad went to Jaidan's 11th Birthday party

Jay and JoDean w/ the great-grandchildren Carter, Jaidan, Callie, Briley, Randa

Family......

2010-09-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

A farmer who had a quarrelsome family called his sons and told them to lay a bunch of sticks before him. Then, after laying the sticks parallel to one another and binding them, he challenged his sons, one after one, to pick up the bundle and break it. They all tried, but in vain. Then, untying the bundle, he gave them the sticks to break one by one. This they did with the greatest ease. Then said the father, Thus, my sons, as long as you remain united, you are a match for anything, but differ and separate, and you are undone.

Feisel from Denmark

2010-09-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

This is Feisel Butt from Denmark. One of the coolest guys I have ever met.

Beebe First Day of School - 2010

2010-08-16T04:46:00.000-07:00

Jake, Jessica, Josh and Jennifer
How my grandchildren are growing!

Heart Broke...

2010-08-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

I dated a musician who used to play his songs for me over the phone. Then I realized he was just putting me on hold....

COUNTING

2010-08-04T09:27:00.001-07:00

4 days till we go to Taj Mahal

10 days before I am back in the USA

EAT THAT FROG!

2010-08-03T03:54:00.000-07:00

There just isn't enough time for everything on our "TO DO" list--and there never will be. Successful people don't try to do everything. They learn to focus on the most important tasks and make sure they get done.

There's an old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, your have the satisfaction of knowing that it's probably the worst thing you'll do all day. using "eat that frog" as a metaphor for tackling the most challenging task of your day-- the one you are most likely to procrastinate on, but also probably the one that can have the greatest positive impact on your life--Eat That Frog! shows you how to zero in on these critical tasks and organize your day. You'll not only get more done faster, but get the right things done.

In his trademark high-energy style, acclaimed speaker and best-selling author Brian Tracy cuts to the core of what is vital to effective personal time management: decision, discipline, and determination. He details twenty-one practical and doable steps that will help you stop procrastinating and get more of the important tasks done--today!

Here is a great rule for Success: Think on Paper

2010-07-31T22:54:00.000-07:00

Rule 1: Decide exactly what you want
Rule 2: Write it down
Rule 3: Set a deadline on your goal
Rule 4: Make a list of everything that you can think of that you are going to have to do to achieve your goal.
Rule 5: Organize the list into a plan
Rule 6: Take action on your plan immediately
Rule 7: Resolve to do something every single day that moves you toward your major goal.

from the book: Eat That Frog

Grumble.... grumble.....

2010-07-29T19:32:00.001-07:00

I could grumble about most things today, be it the news, the weather, the plain fact that nothing seems to be right, but it wouldnt matter if I did grumble, it won't change.

Alana - Ahmedabad Expat

2010-07-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

Alana - Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Hi expat friends. I have started a list of places around Ahmedabad to pass on to the next volunteer at Drishti. Its rough and needs your help. I am trying to capture the places that are not listed in guide books- where we frequent and love. Check it out and let me know what else I should add!

Curry Toes

The Worst Eyebrows EVER!!

2010-07-21T00:33:00.000-07:00

...I JUST DON'T HAVE WORDS....AT LEAST HER EYES AND HAIR MATCH? I'M SCARED

WOW!! GIANTEST EYEBROWS EVER!!

SHE WAS PLAYING TREE #3 AGAIN THIS YEAR IN THE SCHOOL PLAY...SIGH....

IT'S A FRIEDA "BRATS DOLL!!"

SHE WANTED TO BE FREIDA BUT COULDN'T COMMIT.

OMG!! HER EYEBROWS ARE IN "NEW TIMES ROMAN" FONT?

Divorce Cake

2010-07-21T00:28:00.000-07:00

7 Menopausal Dwarfs

2010-07-21T00:26:00.000-07:00

WOW WHAT A LITTLE GEM THE CUCUMBER IS

2010-07-21T00:23:00.001-07:00

1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.

5 Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6.. Want to avoid a terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8.. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.

9.. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Delta AirLines

2010-07-13T04:39:00.000-07:00

I had tried to get a ticket for a month long trip. But sold me a ticket 1 week, I had to call and change the ticket. Delta charged me an additional $300 to change the mistake that Delta had made. I had said 1 month and request Aug 15th and got the ticket for July 15th. Not quite a month in my books. The customer service on your end laughed when I explained and before she told me that she would charge me the additional $300 change. I had a really hard time explaining that to my boss.

We wanted 3 tickets together. When at the airport 2 of us were going thru Detroit and 1 was going thru Minneapolis. It cost us each $50 additional to all get on the same plane.

THE STORY GOES ON::

After paying $25 a bag and $90 for being over 50 pounds, DELTA AIR LINES lost our suitcase, sent it to Terminal 2 in NYC instead of Terminal 3 where all of the other bags arrived.

The customer service was just awful at the Baggage Service Office. 2 women at the counter to help 15 people in line. We had a connecting flight at Terminal 4 to go to India and had to wait in line for 2 hours. While waiting in line I called the 1-800 number and they said that the bag was in Baggage Service Office in BIN 3 but just didn't tell me Terminal 2 instead of Terminal 3 we arrived in. It wasn't until we got our turn at the counter that she told us it was Terminal 2 instead of Terminal 3 where we were.

I am VERY positive that I will NOT choose DELTA AIR LINES AGAIN! It just seems NOBODY cared. The lady that laughed when I called about the mistake. Gary at the counter at OKC. AND diffently not the 2 women in Terminal 2 Baggage Service Office.

Passenger 1: Kathryn Chesnut
Frequent flier #6700606467
Frequent flier #03118660608

Airline Record Locator (PNR): JXT704,CHO54H

FLOOD June 14, 2010

2010-06-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

This is looking at intersection at 23rd and Billen which is 1 block from Villa

The water was up to the top step of the 8th steps up to our building, but nothing inside our building.

IMPORTANT WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUE:

2010-06-10T08:40:00.001-07:00

* Do you have feelings of inadequacy?
* Do you suffer from shyness?
* Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?
* Do you suffer exhaustion from the day to day grind?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or
pharmacist about Margaritas.

Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything. You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and with a regiment of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.

Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Margaritas.

Margaritas may not be right for everyone Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Margaritas. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it.

Side effects may include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Incarceration
- Erotic lustfulness
- Loss of motor control
- Loss of clothing
- Loss of money
- Loss of virginity
- Table dancing
- Headache
- Dehydration
- Dry mouth
- And a desire to sing Karaoke

WARNINGS:
* The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are whispering when you are not.
* The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them.
* The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to think you can sing.
* The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting.

Please share this with other women who may need Margaritas

To Florida and Back

2010-06-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

It was a great, relaxing trip to Florida Key West and back. I so enjoyed the entire trip. Do you know where our RV takes us? "NOWHERE FAST!"

Laurel you should be a writer.....

2010-05-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

I don't think I have heard the story of India told so well!
Things I’m going to miss about India

Catherine Ingram tells a story...

2010-05-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

in her book Passionate Presence

about a young friend of hers who said, "Pretend you are surrounded by a thousand hungry tigers. What would you do? Catherine said, "Wow, I don't know what I would do. What would you do?" Her young friend said, "I'd stop pretending!"

____Passionate Presence: Excerpt_______
She was walking on a path by the river when she heard a plop. Looking in the direction of the sound, which came from the vicinity of her feet, she saw a frog just a few inches from her, hopping in her direction. They went on together for a few steps like this when she deliberately slowed her pace. The frog slowed as well. She walked faster, and the frog hopped faster, too. She began to laugh so hard that she soon had to sit down. And the frog also sat.

As delightful as the frog was, she knew that her delight came from a deeper well, an innate delight that was not bound to a particular experience. It was as if it was always there, a current of joy flowing through her, waiting for an excuse to spring out. Feelings and memories from childhood flooded her awareness like a multitude of fireflies as she basked in the amusement with the frog, her current of joy particularly strong. She felt, once again, an inexplicable excitement about being alive, and simple things were enormously interesting, pleasurable, and funny.

She reflected on the sadness of existence as well, to see if the current of joy could withstand it. But there it was, a quiet inner happiness, despite everything. She was in love with life, with the very fact of it, the incomprehensible event of existence. She felt as if she were quietly celebrating the day, her delight being the natural response to the gift of life. She knew that nothing was needed for this celebration, not even the frog. Meanwhile, he had perhaps grown impatient with her musings. As she continued to sit, the frog hopped slowly toward the river.

Hummingbirds

2010-05-10T06:13:00.000-07:00

Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation.

Happy Mother's Day Mom

2010-05-09T15:59:00.000-07:00

These are my FAVORITE flower: Blue Orchids

Happy Mother's Day Mom! Your the best!

Your mother is always with you . . .

2010-05-09T15:51:00.001-07:00

Your mother is always with you.
She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street.
She's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks.
She's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well.
Your mother lives inside your laughter.
She's crystallized in every tear drop.
She's the place you came from, your first home....
She's the map you follow with every step that you take.
She's your first love and your first heart break....
And nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, Not space...
Not even death...
Will ever separate you from your mother...
You carry her inside you...

Solid Potato Salad

2010-04-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

Ross Sisters

LOVE . . .

2010-04-28T11:25:00.001-07:00

like there is no tomorrow.

Truth

2010-04-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

CHOCOLATE-coated truth tastes better.

A pessimist . .

2010-04-26T12:11:00.001-07:00

is really an optimist with experience.

Silence mights be golden . .

2010-04-26T12:10:00.002-07:00

but laughter is priceless.

Happiness . .

2010-04-26T12:10:00.001-07:00

is an inside job.

WISDOM . .

2010-04-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

GROWS WITH AGE.

Try this . . . .

2010-04-24T14:23:00.001-07:00

Instead of complaining --- try to find a solution.