Puzzles - this should be a pre-marital test

Uncle Lee gave our family a puzzle to work on. Chris and I have done a couple of puzzles together in the past but frankly, our schedules were too busy to do too many. Now that we only have to work around the girls' events, we have more time.

We started out following the same processes. First, the outside edges. Then the lines that outlined some boxes that were in the puzzle. Then the chaos began.

I have learned a lot about Chris. We enjoy each other's company - we like to talk - but wow, we do NOT solve puzzles the same way.

I came downstairs this morning - and this is what I found.


Chris is a shape sorter - I am a color sorter.

I cannot work under these conditions.

Gambling

My mom was a saint. That's all I have ever heard about my mom. But, my mom loved to gamble. Now - she didn't go to the boat or anything and she certainly didn't make it a regular thing. But Mom loved those scratch off tickets. She would give them to us for Christmas even.

I have a friend here at work that loves them also. It's not an obsession or anything but for fun - she will bring a couple to us here at work at well.

So now - I love them. I love the crossword ones. It's the anticipation of getting that one letter that makes them fun.

I bought one today when I went to Casey's to get breakfast pizze. I didn't win on my crossword but I did on one of the 3-of-a-kind. Won a whole $2!!! So - I am only down three bucks today!!!

Woohoo!!! I like to believe I am helping the Illinois Dept. of Education...

Neighborly love - not hardly

So - I know that I might be wrong here but my feelings are my feelings...

Our neighborhood does not allow parking on the street Monday thru Friday 9-3. We live next to a high school and the high school students were always parking in front of the mailboxes and we wouldn't get mail. The US Postal Service petitioned and we lost all parking. We have tried to get at least parking on one side of the street - opposite the mailboxes - but I guess the neighbors on that side weren't real keen on that idea - so no dice.

Chris ran home for lunch today. Our driveway is full with AJ's truck and the ghetto van. Rather than risk a ticket - which the police have come thru and given tickets before - he pulled into the neighbor's driveway across the street. Meesie got a ticket a month ago for $30 for being parked at 10am in front of our house.

Now, this particular neighbor is NEVER home. I don't know what she does or maybe she lives with someone - whatever - she is never there. We scoop the snow around our mailboxes since her's is on our side of the street. The neighbor next door to her mows her grass. I have moved her trash cans up to her house for her. Chris even shovels her snow when it is bad.

Of course, today is the day that she is home???? So what does she do? She left a note on Chris' car that said the next time he parks in her driveway, she will call the police.

Love it.

Chris won't be parking there anymore. And I will be damned if he scoops one little snowflake for her again!

Christmas Eve

so.... Christmas eve....

The candy table is ready.

And I miss my Kiel. This is the first year I haven't had all of my babies here.

I will be ok...

So sad...

Way back when I did my student teaching in Kindergarten, one of the teachers pointed at a student and said she knew exactly how he would turn out... I didn't want to believe that but I had that same feeling yesterday.

Chris and I were stopped at a four-way stop on ISU's campus. A kid - maybe ten years old - came running out. A man was chasing him and tried to grab his arm. Now, they are in the road doing this. At first, I thought - whoa - child abuse - need to call someone. Then we noticed that the man had a CVS name badge on. Uh oh. This was a shoplifting thing. The clerk was trying to tackle this kid - and was yanking at his sweatshirt and they were scuffling around. Keep in mind - Chris and I are sitting in the car - and have no idea what to do. Finally - the clerk gets a bottle away from him and pulls off the kids sweatjacket over his head. The kid runs off and the guy throws the sweatjacket at him and starts making a cell phone call.

The bottle was tall - clear liquid - red top. Chris thinks it was vodka.

I was just so sad. I am so afraid that this event won't be the last time that this kid gets in trouble. 10 years old and stealing - alcohol no less. Just sad...

We drove off.

Christmas picture

Well, we failed on the family holiday picture this year. Actually - it wasn't a failure but more of a family picture full of exceptions.

We didn't include Kiel of course since he lives in Florida. Then we didn't know if we should include Holly or not. She is part of the family - but yet, she isn't. And we didn't want to make her or AJ uncomfortable - so we didn't include either one of them. Besides, AJ had to work. And there was no way Mellisa was going to get up on a Saturday morning - in freezing weather to go to a zoo and hang out with a reindeer.

So there you have it - our family Christmas card for this year! I might get them sent out old school style - but don't hold your breath on that!