Afternoon, everyone!! Warmup ahead for the Midwest...

Trisha, what an adorable baby!! Congrats again!! Glad he's back home--two of my babies had to stay extra to live under the lights. It was traumatic with the first one--it was my first baby...but when the third one had to stay over, I felt kind of relieved, because I could get some sleep before he came home and started the 2 am feedings

Well, we signed a contract to build a new house I was still vacillating even that morning. After all, we have lived in this house for 35 years. But after the mess with the flooded bathroom/house and how tiny it is when the babies are here, we know it's time. The builder has a great reputation, and he and DH used to play 16" softball together. The lot has a beautiful pond out back, it's quiet, and it's also the house we have always dreamed of.
Friends ask, "So are you building a ranch?" Nope-the laundry is upstairs, however, and the staircase is a straight shot, so if I ever need a lift, it's an easy install.
So once the mortgage is approved, and this house's remodel is done, we will put it on the market, purge like crazy, and move into the family cabin up north if need be. All's good...

Debbie, that sounds divine! Good luck in purging, selling and settling into your new one. I wish I could be like you and give up our family home of 36 years. It is big enough to always have both my girls and families here and I like that. I don't want to retire into one of these 2 bedroom apartments or condos that are so popular among retirees. I envision gatherings with my girls and spouses, grand kids and then great grand kids staying at my house for special occasions or just because they love us. Plus our house is the biggest one of the 3 family members that live here that can host my siblings and the whole extended family for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I wouldn't want it any other way. But yet the house is paid off and the stairs isn't that straight shoot you speak of if I ever need a stair lift.

Morning funny for all of you Cat lovers..lol!

Sally, that's why I don't/can't have a "real" tree!!

If I were able to move better I might try it but it's just not worth the aggravation. I just look at pictures of everyone elses pretty trees.

LOL Sal...I don't know one single cat I'd consider "an angel"...

Debbie, all three of mine are angels!! Just remember, though......the devil was once an angel......

Debbie, that is exciting about the new house. Stressful but exciting!

I had fun last night. I went to a arcade game/ restaurant that recently opened here with my sister and niece. The food was decent unlike some of those places and we had fine playing skeeballl, pinball, air hockey, whack a mole, etc. After about two hours the place was a little hot and the noise started to get to me, but I would go again. My niece had about 1600 tickets to buy various "treasures." Some of the college age guys that were there kept giving her their tickets. She kept telling them thank you very much and I hope you have a nice evening. By the time we left they were showing her how to play some of the games. I think her mom and dad are going to be in big trouble in a few years.

She is coming over tonight to cook while her parents go to a Christmas party. She wants to make spaghetti, garlic bread, and a Christmas cake. I am sure I will be exhausted, but I figure in a few years she will be rolling her eyes about going to Aunt Barb's. She is already rolling her eyes at her parents. I think she is 9 going on 15 sometimes.

Kitty, you need to get one of those small ceramic trees that has a light inside and has those little plastic fake colored light bulbs that light up with the light inside.

Oh Barb, those sound like precious memories to have with your niece. Us adults can teach the young ones so many things. On the rare occasions we go to one of those places we find some kid who doesn't already look like he has a gazillion tickets already ours. Love the look on their faces and the parents

I've got the little artificial tree my Dad had while he was in Assisted Living. I put it on top of my little heater in the living room. I've added some of my own ornaments to it. It's so small that the cats can't bother it....or climb it.....I just display it out of their reach.

It's good to know you have some kind of tree. That was the kind of tree that most of the patients in the hospital would have when I was still working. I loved them! I always wanted one.