My New Electronic Device!

It amazes me that we all have a lot of electronic equipment that we use daily! From our televisions, cellphones, computers, i-pods, car starters, Blackberry's, laptops......the list goes on! We can all say that these things enhance our lives in one way or another. Whether for entertainment or as a necessity. Well, yesterday I purchased an electronic device to enhance my life. I have had a feeling for the last few years that it was something I would want/need to get. And if you ask my DD's and my DH, they have felt I should invest in this device too!

In my early thirties I noticed I was having trouble hearing low tones....after a hearing test and seeing an ENT Dr. I was diagnosed with otosclerosis in my left ear and had a stapedectomy about 12 years ago. I knew at that time that I might need the same surgery in my right ear some day. So, about 4 years ago I knew I was loosing the low tones in my right ear and had a hearing test....which confirmed what I thought. Well, I just kept putting off the idea of having surgery...until this year. I could tell something else was going on with my left ear and finally went for another hearing test.....I now had loss the ability to hear some of the higher tones in my left ear. The ones that help you understand what is being said, mainly the longer sounds, aaaa, uuuu, oooo, etc. Now I am dealing with two different issues. So... the only way to correct the high tone problem is with this little gadget......

Any of you that has one of these or knows someone who does knows how expensive they are...ouch!!! (little chuckle here!) But, I am looking forward to seeing(hehe, hearing) how much I have been missing in conversations!

I still have to deal with the problem with my right ear, my ENT is on maternity leave till June and I have an appt. set for then. I'm just glad I don't have any higher tone loss in that ear. (Yet!)

I'm writing this to let my family and friends know. And I am okay with it.....the worst part, besides the cost, is not knowing how fast or how much more hearing I will loose.

Thanks for listening!

??????

........are we done yet?

INSPIRATIONAL FRIEND!!

I so enjoy my conversations with my friend Nancy! Some times we get a little spiritual and philosophical....and I find we really have the same core beliefs! I happened to have seen her the last two nights and we were talking 'quotes'!! Kind of a quote weekend! She shared these two short one's!!

Humility is not thinking of oneself....

It is thinking of oneself....less!

And...

I preach the Gospel always.....

...and when necessary,

I use words!

-St. Francis

Yeah, this is Nanc and I trying to look tough!! lol

It was taken a few years ago at the 'Woodtick Run'!

(A motorcycle ride up north!)
Note to self: get new pic with Nanc!!

Have a great Sunday!!!

MY PHOTOS ARE GOING TO PRINT!!!

This is the cover of my friend Julie's new book!

It is due to come out in a little over a week.

Her first book, 'The Color Red', came out a couple of

years ago. A few months ago Julie ask me if I

would be interested in taking a few pictures

of her and Michael for the book. She had a

dead line to meet and also wanted winter

pictures and the snow was melting fast.

So one day we got together after Michael got

home from school and headed down their backyard

for a photo shoot. Julie just sent these

pictures today.......I thought she would only

be using a couple of the pictures I had taken.

I was so surprised to see my photos on the

front, back and insides. By no means am I a

professional photographer! I just like taking

pictures! I got teary eyed when I saw this jacket...

I had a great time that day....and to be able

to help Julie tell her story with these pictures,

I am honored and pleased!

You can find more about Julie's books HERE!

Check out Ali J. Boutique.com!

I hosted a scarf party at a local coffee shop Tuesday evening! Had a fun time and scored some great summer scarves!!

SATURDAY BREAKFAST GUEST!

Our dd's have always given us a hard time about getting

excited about birds.....they associate bird watching with...

maybe (aging)! LOL Well, this beautiful guy was right off

our deck this morning... who wouldn't enjoy looking at

something this colorful at such a dreary time of year!!

WAHOO FOR SNOW!!

This is the view out my office window at 11:30!!

Yep, that's a school bus!

School got out early, most of my clients canceled!

And this is a view out my Pathfinders window!

It's a four-wheel drive day!

The snow is accumulating!!!

And it looks like enough for.....

SNOWMOBILING!!!!

I was hoping to be able to go once more

this year!!!

(I'll let you know if we do!)

25 YEARS OF REINHART!

What a fun weekend we had with our

Reinhart 'family'!!

Every January Reinhart Foods has an awards

banquet for their sales force. This year

the banquet included celebrating their

25th Anniversary since Reinhart bought

Marshall Food Service. Tim had been with

Marshall Foods for 2-3 years when Reinhart

bought them. We have seen a lot of people

come and go over the years. And boy,

has it been fun.....we have met so many

wonderful (and some interesting) people!!

Saturday the sales guys had meetings for 4 hours

while their wives had massages, got their hair done,

did a little shopping and went to 'Flight School'!!

Actually, we went to The Lankmark Bistro

where they have Martini Flights!(note the

glass trays on the table!)

Then Saturday evening was the annual Awards Banquet!

Tim's parents have been coming for the last 3 years

since Clarence received the Eagle Award (an employee

of the year award given to a transportation, warehouse

or office employee.)

Marla, Terry and I!


Tim's mom(Jean) congratulating him on
25 years at Reinhart!

Cheers!

Tim, John(Murph), and Larry!
Three of the 9 or so original employees!


After the banquet everyone headed over to the
Marshall Inn for a little 'entertainment'!
Reinhart style!!!! There was karaoke going on
so a few of the office girls entertained us!
(or did they??!?)
Most of us just looked(laughed)on!

And then even the sales force had their entertainers!!

The auctioneer got his '25 dollar bid' in!!

And the 'Wild Thing' Todd capped off the night with

his now legendary rap song!!

Great memories, we're all looking forward to next year!!

DO YOU R.A.K.?

I guess I'm tooting my horn. I'll do it quietly! Below is a letter I wrote to the editor of our paper. I never thought anyone would contact me about it. Friday evening I got a call from a guy who works for a car repair place wanting to get hold of her to fix her car. I even received cards from a couple of ladies who were touched by the letter and one sent me $10. (Think I'll drop it off at the women's shelter, just can't spend it....) And on the papers web site there were 5 comments, only one saying 'It is a sign of the times; good Samaritans having trouble; people are gun shy.' The others complimented. I just wanted to make us all think. Assess the situation and do what your heart tells you......and when you are thanked, ask that they pay it forward!! With the way the economy is going we will need to do more (Random Acts of Kindness).

Letter: Caring and helping year round
Karen McLaughlin, Willmar, West Central TribunePublished Friday, January 16, 2009

At 8:40 a.m. Tuesday as I waited to turn onto County Road 5 to go to work, I noticed someone walking up the hill towards me. Remember, it was 20 below.
I also noticed a number of people who drove by, looking right at this person. It obviously was a student headed to the college as they were wearing a backpack. Talk about dedication.
I rolled down my window and asked if they wanted a ride. I got a nod and the young lady got in my car. I found out her car wouldn’t start and she had called friends and was told they didn’t have time to give her a ride. (You must not have had time either if you drove right by her.)
She also didn’t have any money. So she walked. Well, I took the time.
Let’s not quit giving, caring and helping when the holidays end.


Thanks for reading this.....I hope you take the time to warm your heart by doing a R.A.K.!

Holiday Joy!!

Have you been shopping lately?? We have cut way back on our gift giving! And we have been enjoying the season so much more. I had to stop at the 'mall' to pick up a contact yesterday and I don't think I could have done any more than that! The halls were packed and I didn't want to see what the stores were like! And I haven't gotten any of the 4-6 gifts I need to buy yet!

I've gotten through 3 nights of 'Santa Semi' and my body is feeling it! (Too much dancing for this gma!!) But bring joy to the communities we go to gets me in the 'Holiday spirit! It's to bad we couldn't incorporate the real 'reason for the season' into the 'Holiday Express'! But it's the commercial stuff that gets the people out!

Sponge Bob and the 'new' Snowman were quite the hits this year!

All the old characters did good too!Not sure if we'll be going out today for our last night! Sounds like

we have a lot of white stuff coming along with 35 mph winds! Not

good for riding on the back of a semi even in a bear suit!

As I think about what lies ahead of me this week I feel over whelmed!Decorating for Christmas, work, laundry, etc, etc.




Then I noticed my "Easter" cactus! I have called this Christmas cactus that for years because it always bloomed at Easter.






(My aunt gave it to me about 20 years ago....she has the original plant which came from my great-grandmother. Note the 'bark' in the center of the plant.)


















Any way..... it has blossoms on it now!! It really will be a Christmas cactus this year!!



And this is all it took to make me feel calm about this week! Simple pleasures!!

(I'll post a picture when it is in full bloom!! )

We went to Randi and Nick's for the weekend. Just to hang out with Eli and help where we could. Those little one's grow and change so fast. Living two hours away is a little hard but we'll just make great memories with the time we do spend together.

The pictures of Eli just don't seem to show how little he is. But if you notice the size of his pacifier( which is the small size) you can see how small his face is. He has big hands though!! (gets 'em from his dad)

(Eli is bundled in his Gpa Tim's blanket!)

Sweet dreams, Eli!

Precious baby feet!

SO I DECIDED TO MAKE STEW.......

...............and I went to the grocery store to get beef, potato's and carrots.

Yeh, I thought they were long carrots when I picked up the package.

But I didn't get the whole effect till I opened it!

How'd they get them outta' the ground with

out breaking them??

Just another card with Unity Stamps.
I was able to visit with my sweet friend, Angela today!

Unity Stamp Co.is really keeping her busy.

I admire how she keeps working on balance with work,

family and friends!! She's doing an awesome job!!

Angela and I at their 'hunting shack'!!

FIRST SNOW OF THE SEASON!!

Yep! Woke up to this!

(Can I park in the garage now, hun?)

I found this quote on Heidi Swapp's blog.

I reminds me of my family. In a very good way.

I can think of many ways my parents and grandparents

reused things or recycled them. It seemed nothing went to waste.

And I saw this week how this motto has even passed down to my daughter, Megan.

She wanted to make Halloween costumes for a girl friend and herself.

She asked if I had royal blue fabric(which I didn't) so she used an old set of royal blue

of flannel sheets. She also used an old pattern I had to make two bib overhalls.

Going Green is another way to get through these hard economic times.

And it's a good feeling to 'do it yourself'!!