The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

What a title. It describes what has been going on in my family's life for way too long.

The Good:

Well as of this morning, our resident house guest, Eric Mattinen, is no longer living with us. As of this morning, Chris brought Eric to the bus stop in Moose Lake and saw him get on the bus. Eric didn't even say bye, or thanks for everything we've done for him for the last 2 years. So in our small way, we have been celebrating the idea that its just the four of us again. Eric has moved to Chicago to stay with his sister. Good Luck to Eric!

The Bad:

After an extremely stressful situation, the restaurant that Chris was working officially closed without any notice given to the employees. Our really good friend Tori, was the Asst. Manager and did a wonderful job trying to keep the peace, and a heads up. With the restaurant closed, there is no final paycheck of any of the monies owed to the employees. After I broke down and decided to give my say to the former owner/investor, I received an email reply back. This was a shocker, as I didn't think the man would give me the time of day. It was filled with bogus claims and flat out lies. In the end, he made it sound like the employees should take pity on him.

The Ugly:

With this bad situation, and no money to pay bills, what happens to my family in particular is up in the air. Bills will still not be paid, the stress of being unemployed is bad enough, but to have Christmas on our back door doesn't help either. As for when it comes to doing taxes, the issue of of the jobs Chris did have, there wasn't enough to take out federal taxes, so it leaves me in fear of what we are going to owe the Feds. One person I was talking with said that we may be exempt from having to do taxes. We shall see...

The Solution:

Live each day to the fullest. Smile, Laugh, and Love is the order of day. Remember that things can always be worse, even in the worst of times. Have faith that all will come round and get better, it just takes time. As my mom likes to remind me.... "And This To Shall Pass."

Thanksgiving 2010 pictures

Here is our family pictures for Thanksgiving. Alex took most of the pictures and did a wonderful job. Way to go Alex!!!

Thanksgiving 2010 pictures

Here are the kids right after eating their fill. Sammy went right to sleep, Tianna on the floor saying she ate way to much and Alex, Maxine, and Sierra chilling and playing DS.

Thanksgiving 2010 pictures

After saying grace, the feast is on. Looks yummy? It was!!!!

Thanksgiving 2010 pictures

Here is our Thanksgiving holiday feast. Looks good doesn't it?

Thanksgiving 2010 pictures

We even had deer come up to the house to say Happy Thanksgiving. These deer pictures were taking out the patio window. The kids said they saw another one for a total of three deer. Grandpa Don thinks the one on the left was the mother of the one on the right. I don't know how to tell, it was pretty cool to see them up close to the house though.

Thanksgiving 2010 pictures

This room is the TV room with the fireplace. Here we see a selection of Pilgrims that are all different sizes on the mantel. Each holiday this mantel is decorated with the most interesting holiday items. Aren't they beautiful?

Thanksgiving 2010 pictures

This is the big room that mom and papa set up for Thanksgiving. It is a large room with plenty of room for all. The holiday meals usually are spent in here. Each is decorated for what ever holiday is here. The tables were covered in Thanksgiving table cloths, with Thanksgiving dishes and turkey napkin rings. It was beautiful walking in the door and seeing it all setup.

Thanksgiving 2010

Well as another holiday closes for the night, I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday!!!

This year we did a few things different. Instead of running around with our heads cut off, mom and my kids, and I went to mom's house yesterday and baked the pies, cookies, rolls and got together the food stuffs that were to be eaten today. That left the turkey, dressing, taters and a few other wonderful foods for today. This made both my mom and I, relaxed and a little out of sorts because we are so used to being busy the mornings of the holidays. It was a really different feeling to us to relax. Why in the world we didn't think of doing some of the baking and stuff the day before, we'll never know. However, now that we were able to do that, we will be continuing on for all the holidays to come.

This year the company included: Mom and Papa, Grandpa Don, Chris and I and our two kids, Sarah and Max and their three kids. 12 total were able to make the fantastic time at mom and papa's fun and so yummy.

After everyone ate their fill, the kids headed to the livingroom to hang out and play some DS games. The rest of us adults stayed in the big room to visit. Everyone had a great time. There was lots of laughter and lots of love spread for all. After awhile we all went to the tv room and sat on the chairs and floor in front of the fireplace and kept right on visiting.

Finally it was time for each of us to go home. Amongst packing up all the kids and the stuff everyone brought, we all had our share of the left overs that will last through tomorrow. Whom ever said that Thanksgiving food was meant for just one day, didn't have a clue.

I truly hope that everyone had a wonderful time with family and friends.

Till later...

Another Weird Dream

Ok, I'm awake now, but really confused....

So in this dream, my husband Chris decided he wanted to know how far it was from our front door to Moose Lake, MN. Not to any particular store it seems, just how far it was. So he took a skein of yellow Red Heart yarn and tied one end of it to our screen door and off he went to Moose Lake. I must have had a number of skeins of yellow Red Heart yarn in my inventory. At one point, near Moose Lake on Hwy 61 I caught up with him. He was just about out of yarn and was telling me that I had to go to ALCO and buy more yarn. I told him that I wasn't going to buy him any more yarn. At this point he got really angry with me and starting yelling that I didn't care about this "Really important task." We got into this really big fight over it. I came back home and went back to bed because I was so angry that I couldn't get Chris to see that this wasn't important.

So the questions I asked Chris this morning were, Why did he think this was so important? Why did he tie the yarn to the screen door and go to Moose Lake? Why did he get so angry with me because I refused to get him more Yellow Red Heart yarn from ALCO?

Chris just looked at me and said that I was weird, and that he didn't do anything like that and the dreams I have are so weird and sometimes extremely funny. I told Chris that at least this dream was violent or scary....

Weird huh?

Dear Abby

DEAR ABBY: I have a suggestion for people who are stuck for gift ideas. Several years ago, I asked my mom for a very special Christmas gift. I asked her to write down her life story -- things she had done as a child, the experience of hitchhiking from New Mexico to Tennessee during the Great Depression, and all the other experiences of her life. She did, and I printed it for her. That year she gave each child, grandchild and great-grandchild a copy. It was the best Christmas present ever and one that's still cherished by us all.

Both my parents are gone now, but we have Mom's wonderful stories to remember. Without her book, those memories would be lost forever. I encourage everyone to record their family history and memories for your loved ones to read. You'll never regret it, and it will be enjoyed for generations to come. -- ANDREW IN JOHNSON CITY, TENN.

DEAR ANDREW: That's a terrific suggestion. And if the parent or grandparent isn't comfortable with writing, the same goal can be accomplished by setting up a video camera and interviewing the family member by asking questions about his or her youth.

November 14, 2010

Yesterday I went with my family to our local high school for the craft show. There were many booths set up with lots of things to look at. There are so many talented people making things!!! I went to gather ideas for crafts I could make. I took a little notebook with me and took notes and prices of things that caught my eye. I was even able to bring home some of them to try my hand at making. After that craft show, my mom and dad took us out for lunch. What a treat!!! The food was great and hanging out with my family was totally awesome!!! Afterwards we went to the local Senior Center. They were having a sale there as well. There were a few good ideas there too. My mom and I are looking into how to make a hanging hand towel with a crochet top... I've never made one before and am interested in trying my hand.

The entire day was very snowy. This morning my son, Alex, went outside and I had him take a few pictures of the new snow. He was pretty excited to use my camera. I've tried to get him to use it more often, but he says that he can't find anything that he'd want to take a picture of. Silly I know. What ISN'T there to take pictures of? Here is a couple of his pictures:

This one is looking down and out of our small trailer park where we live. Neat shot!

This shot is looking up through the trailer park where we live... Another neat picture!

The house on the right is my house. We live in a small trailer park in Barnum. Neat snow picture though.

New Projects

Here we are with a new project to work on. These ornaments are made with plastic canvas and yarn. I started making these ornaments to sell both on etsy.com and for next years craft sales. My goal is to have made a dozen for now but I figured that the more I make, the more there will be to sell. These ornaments don't take long to make. The backs and the fronts are the same. I've decided that I like the "Finished" look when it comes to plastic canvas projects. Many people just make the fronts, and when turned over you see all the end threads and such. All but the Christmas tree designs were quilt block patterns. The Christmas tree I just put together.

November 9, 2010

Today my day started off at 6:30am. I woke to my dog Sophie crying in her sleep. She was kicking my bladder so hard that I thought I would have an accident. I woke her up and quickly got both the dogs outside. It was pleasant outside. Not to cold, and not exactly warm either.

I had the weirdest dream last night. It wasn't a nightmare, but for those that know me, my dream was entirely out of my character. I was dreaming that I was in the process of reinventing myself. Not in the matter of exercise and all that, but emotionally and in my style of dress. I don't know designers of any kind. I usually wear blue jeans and one of Chris's t-shirts. However, in my dream I somehow came to the conclusion that "Clothes make the Woman." In my dream, I had to park at the far end of the parking lot of a Big K Superstore. It was a bit chilly and the rain was just starting to make an appearance. I ended up running to the front door of this store. I was trying to open the door and it weighed about 400 pounds. I got it open and tried to hold open the door for another lady that wanted in. This other lady thanked me for holding the door for her. She was there because she needed to find a new shower curtain hook for her bathroom. It was a clear plastic shell with one hook. The hook had broken and she was desperate to find a replacement for it. She told me her name was Helen. Both Helen and I walked into the store. Directly in front of us were thousands of clothing racks in every direction. Helen went one way and I another. This store was so big that you had to climb aboard a shopping cart to navigate the store. As I was digging further into the store, Helen saw me and said, "If you find a man in here, be sure to send him my way." I laughed and said if he was really gorgeous, that we'd have to share him.... Helen gave me this really weird look. After getting out of her sight, I pulled out this little notebook from my pocket and wrote, "To bubbly." This notebook contained all the things I needed to remember not to do in the process of reinventing myself. I continued on in the store and there was this woman there that kept saying that if she had money, she'd buy this and that. I noticed everything she said she really adored and quickly put them into my shopping cart. There was a sweater that had lots of horizontal stripes in maroons, yellows, browns, and one stripe of purple and pink. I didn't really like the sweater but because the woman was gaga over it, I then just had to get it. There were other things soon in my cart. Black dress pants, black skirts, frilly tops and more. I soon found myself in the shoe department. I was looking around and spotted these high heel, ankle high black shiny boots by Liz Clayborne for $80.00 (I have no idea who Liz Clayborne is....)

I left the store with lots of bags and headed back to my car. I don't know if Helen ever found her shower curtain hook she was looking for, because I never saw her again.

The next thing I know, I was going back to work ( I don't know what job, or where...) all dressed in that sweater, with a white frilly blouse under it, black dress pants and my Liz Clayborne boots. The woman from the store that was gaga over the clothes must have worked where I did because there she was, staring at me. She then says in a really snide voice..."Well, look what the cat dragged in..." All I remember after that was me running to the bathroom to hide, grabbing my notebook, writing down what that woman said and how it made me feel.

I then woke up. Now most important...I don't know designers, I don't know who Liz Clayborne is or if she designs things, what she designs. There is not Big K Superstore anywhere the area. I would never pay $80.00 for a pair of high heeled boots. I don't even wear high heeled boots.

Just a really strange dream.....

Till Later....

Family Treasures

This quilt is called Courthouse Steps. This quilt was given to my husband Chris after his grandmother passed. Chris's Great Aunts made this quilt. It is all machine stitched and hand tied. This quilt would fit a full sized bed with just a bit hanging over. It's thick and much loved.

This is the first Granny Square Afghan I received from my mom. Later she made me the matching two Granny Square pillows. This afghan is big enough for one person to snuggle up with and get warm. When cold, this is one of the first afghans I grab. Then I grab the throw pillows. Combined they have great sleeping powers and I am known to wake up about 4 hours later with a smile on my face.

This is a doll quilt that was made for me. I've had this little quilt for as long as I can remember. The measurements of this quilt are 21 1/2" X 19 1/2". Isn't it fun?

This is another doll quilt that I've had for as long as I can remember. The materials are all double knit materials. This quilt is 20 1/2" X 18' and done in 2" blocks.

This is a doll blanket that was also part of my childhood. The back is all in solid yellow. This one's measurements are 20 1/2" X 13". I remember wrapping my babies in it and putting them to bed.

This is the second granny square afghan I received from my mom. After making a number of them in white, I told my mom that I wanted one in white also. I was lucky to get this afghan. The blocks are bigger then the one done with black, but it is the same sized as the black one. Growing up, my mom and dad always had a granny square afghan on their bed. When they would go to town, you would find me in their room looking at all the blocks and trying to decide which was my favorite, if I could find the Christmas block, the ugly block, which represented which holidays and etc. (Now you know what I was up too.....lol)

This quilt was made by Grandma Denton. All the materials are double knit. This is a pretty neat quilt. I used to think it was very ugly, but after looking at each block, its not so ugly anymore....

Awww, this quilt was on my bed when I was growing up. It too is all double knit materials. This quilt was so warm. I remember growing up at home, it would be winter, and this quilt and all my other blankets were froze to the wall. This quilt was always a wonder to the few friends I brought home. We'd sit and look at all the blocks and talk about wearing clothes with those patterns. My friends liked this quilt because it was warm and they knew it was friendly. At times when my friends got to come come over, they'd pat the quilt as we would talk about any troubles we had. It's a safe and friendly quilt for sure. Now my kids use it on their beds. One time it will be on Alex's bed, the next on Sammy's. They love it because it came from grandma.

This quilt was made by my sister, Sarah. This quilt was made for Alex. One year for Christmas, Sarah made quilts for my kids. Alex likes this quilt especially because its all blues. He uses this quilt a lot during the winter, and sometimes when watching a scary movie, he covers up with it and hides under it when the scary scenes come.

This was another quilt made by my sister, Sarah. This one is also done in double knit materials. Sarah made this one for Samantha. This quilt is normally on Samantha's bed, and when I took it off her bed to take a picture, she told me to put it back!!!

November 4, 2010

Well first thing I have to say is "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY PARENTS!!!"

They have been married for 38 years today.

I've been so wrapped up in my personal soap opera, that I didn't even think of the date or anyone outside my house that isn't personally connected to me. So to that, I'm sorry mom and papa that I didn't wish you well before now.

My soap opera has been going on for quite some time. The loss of a job, the stress of the lack of money to pay bills or the things we need. Being without any income for over 6 months, leading to more stress and sleepless nights. To finally getting a job, but finding out that it isn't even enough to pay for the gas to get to the job. To getting another job closer to home, but finding out that you weren't promised the hourly wage you were told you were going to get, and then finding yourself getting sent home because business is slow. To the most recent of getting a "better" job, more money per hour, and guaranteed 40 hours a week with lots of overtime to find out that the boss decided not to pay any of his employees. Then having the silent partner take over the restaurant and changing the payday to a week later. Then having to worry ever so much that you still might not get paid.... and that's just the abbreviated version of our lives. Needless to say, getting a good nights sleep is almost null and void.

Throughout all of it, my family has drawn closer rather then falling apart. There are times when we feel like we are in each others pockets all the time, and the house just isn't big enough to have your own space. When the decision to either put gas in the van or buy toilet paper is the hardest thing to decide upon. Thank goodness my mom has helped as much as she could. Without her, I don't think we've done as well as we have. We've gone to the welfare office and they are providing us the means to get food, but there has been times when we didn't have the gas in the van to even go shopping. Needless to say, the local gas station has been our grocery store when we needed it. Local is key, its only a few blocks up the hill so its not so bad to walk it.

Well hopefully after much prayers and good thoughts, things will start to take a turn for the good. We so need it. My family has been so stressed. The kids are stressed at home, that leads to having bad days at school. Chris and I and our friend Eric find that we need to setup a time schedule for the bathroom. The dogs get jumpy and won't settle down so we end up barking at them to cool it when we can't figure out how to cool it ourselves. Luckily through all of this, no one has gotten sick where we need to see the Dr.

So onto a better time. As its said, if your at the bottom of the well, the only way out is up. I keep telling myself that "This to shall pass." Well maybe we are finally on the right track and are getting out of our well.

I believe that when things are finally better for us, my family will just collapse and sleep for about a month, just to feel the release of all the stress. So in the meantime, we keep praying for better things to happen and try to deal with things as they come.

So those are my thoughts of the night.

Till Later...

My Animals

I've mentioned a few times on my blog about my dogs, so here we have a introduction to meet all three of my animals. I love them dearly and would be lost if they weren't a constant comic relief.

If you are ever interested in getting a pet, be sure to look at the local shelters. Maybe you'll find one that will pick you instead of you picking it.

This is Hamlet. She is a medium hair tan color cat. She was just about a year when we adopted her. She is a mitten kitten on all four paws. If you were do describe her coloring, you could say that she was Dust color. She is 15 years old now and there are days that she doesn't act it. As for her liking of the dogs? Well most of the time she ignores them. Other times, she'll chase the dogs and give them what for. I think she likes to hear them yelp. Her new thing is to be extremely vocal till you tell her to quit. Then she'll huff at you and go find someplace to sleep. Normally under my bed. She's taken a good portion of the bottom cover off my box spring and made a hammock right over the floor register.

This is Chance. We adopted him from the local shelter. He will be 6 this Christmas. Chris and I were looking at all the dogs waiting for adoption and saw him. He didn't bark, or jump. He wasn't even a full year old. Chris got him for me for Valentines Day. He is a German Shepherd Mix. At the shelter after picking him up, he crawled up to my shoulder and with a paw around each side of my neck, went right to sleep. He picked us more then us picking him. I have him registered as my service dog for both my son and myself. He's a big dog thinking that he's a lap dog.

This is Sophie. She was born last June. She is a Toy Terrier Mix. She had a really tough upbringing. Some friends of ours came over one day and brought one of her brothers to show me. Our friends had some other friends that were looking for car parts at a junk yard. Walking around the yard near a crusher they started hearing some yelps. They investigated and found the mother, and 8 puppies in a cardboard box, in a car waiting to be crushed. They took the entire family home with the plans on finding them all homes. After our friends showed me their puppy, I immediately had them bring one home for me. I wanted a female puppy. I didn't care what she looked like, but I wanted her. She is very sweet and extremely funny. Near bedtime, she starts what we call the Sophie mile-a-minute run. She grabs a dog toy and runs around the house sounding like a car that just won't start. Afterwards she is so tired that she will just fall over and be sound asleep.

"All in the Family"

This the Denton Family. This picture was taken the day my Grandpa (Don) turned 88. It was a great day. We had everyone attend that could. We had good visits, and lots of food. The best part was watching Grandpa blow out his cake.

Grandpa Denton's 88th Birthday party

(Back) my papa Randy

(Couch) Grandpa Don, and my mom Lori

The Denton Kids

(Back Row) My brother Ben, My sister Sarah, Me

(Couch) Grandpa Don, and my papa Randy

Grandpa's Chillin with all the Great Grand Kids.

(Back Row) Alex, Ashley, Samantha

(Middle Row) Maxine, Grandpa Don, Paige, Sierra

(Floor) Tianna

(Back Row) Ben, Alex, Samantha, Kim, Shawn

(Middle Row) Max, Grandpa Don, Maxine, Sarah

(Bottom Row) Ashley, Tianna, Paige, Sierra

Missing is my husband Chris.