A Fun Afternoon With the Grandsons

The grandsons came over today about 1pm and Brandon brought his Nin*tendo Monopoly with him. We gave him this for Christmas. He collects Monopoly games and this is about his fifth or sixth. He loves Monopoly and while I got them a bite of lunch, they sat up the board. We had a lot of laughs while playing but after 4 hours the boys whipped me. I was down on my luck and out on the street.

The boys continued to play for about another half hour. When Jordan had stacked up $10,000 Monopoly dollars, Brandon surrendered. It had been 4 hours since we started the game. Brandon said his butt was sore from sitting for so long. This is not an easy task for him. Like me, he isn't still for long.

So, Jordan won and had stacks of money. He was ecstatic. It was a fun afternoon. After we ate, Brandon said he couldn't keep his eyes open and asked to go home. So at 6:30 pm, I dropped them off. Next week maybe we will play Clue or Scrabble for a change. We try to make a game date about once a week.

In other news, my battle of the bulge continues. If you recall, this was my New Year's resolution last year. I did great and lost 26 lbs by April. Then I had the heart attack and subsequent bypass surgery. For months all I did was sit around because I couldn't do much. Well, I'm feeling great, doing more than I've done in years and the battle of the bulge continues. I have lost 2 lbs this week, which I'm more than happy with.

So fun with the boys and weight loss is on my list. What does your family do for fun and bonding? I would love to hear your New Year's resolution.

A Noisy but Delightful Visitor

This little guy is beating his brains out on a tree in the park across the street. He is a downy woodpecker and there are quite a few around this area. I hear and see them every day and though they are noisy, they are delightful. It doesn't bother me one bit that they drum on the tree at the end of the driveway or fly about chirping on a sunny winter day.

I love birds and we put suet feeders out for them in the winter months. The first one we attached to a shrub at the back of the house. The next morning we found it on the ground, squashed flat as a pancake and the suet missing. Raccoons! So, the other day when I was at Home De*pot, I picked up another one and filled it with suet. Hubby attached it to the awning of the front window out of reach of squirrels and raccoons.

We also have blue jays, cardinals, red polls and a variety of other birds in the neighborhood and I never tire of seeing and hearing them at any time of day. Birds bring color and nature's music into our yards during the dreary winter months.

In other matters, Mom has been having some problems again with UTIs and spent one afternoon at the hospital and one at the walk-in clinic. She is now on her second round of antibiotics. These ones seem to be working well.

Hubby had the flu last week and he was really sick. I'm not sure how, but I avoided it. I felt a little queasy for a day or two but nothing major. I slept quite a bit and that seemed to do the trick. We are both doing okay right now. Hubby seems to have fully recovered.

Happy New Year!!!

To all my friends and acquaintances, I send you these wishes for a Happy New Year!

May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy! May the problems you had, forget your home address! In simple words may 2011 be the best year of your life! Happy New Year!

And this shall be a sign...You will find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
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We had a quiet day here today. There was just hubby and I. We cooked a small turkey with all the trimmings and it was delicious. Then we watched Christmas movies and Old Dogs on tv. We enjoyed Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief and just lazed around.

Last night, we went to Michelle's for Christmas Eve dinner. Roast beef and all that goes with it was the menu. Then they laid out a spread of cheese, crackers, pickles and Christmas treats. We opened gifts and had a great time. This year most of the gifts were just token gifts, as this has been a hard year for us all. Somehow it was better because the focus was on enjoying each other's company and not on gifts. Barry's parents and my mother joined in the celebration. The boys got hoodies and a book from hubby and I. No expensive games or gaming systems.

Hubby and I got a gift card for Swiss Chal*et from Barry, Michelle and the boys. But Christmas isn't over for us. We will have another celebration at Mom's on New Year's Day. That is when she has hers so everyone can enjoy Christmas with their immediate family. She's done this for several years.

I hope that all my blogging friends and acquaintances had a wonderful Christmas. I would love to hear all about how you celebrated with your families and the traditions that have been handed down from one generation to another. MERRY CHRISTMAS!