Rose's Ramblings

Making Christmas Cookies with the Boys

Today was the day I told David and Anthony we could make cut-out cookies and decorate them.  I got the dough made the the cookie cutters all set up.  We made the first batch and then I got sick.  As usual Rich stepped in and finished the cookies with them.  I think they enjoyed it and will get to take the cookies home.  Since they worked so hard we decided to meet Ben at Applebee's for lunch.

The Reader's Digest Angel

Once upon a time many years ago Lisa made me an angel from a Reader's Digest magazine.  I think she was in third grade at the time.  Every year I put this angel out at Christmas time.  After so many years of handling and taking in and out of storage the paper became brittle and dry rotted.  I finally had to throw it away.  She was an adult by this time but she never let me forget that I threw her Reader's Digest angel away.

Well on Saturday when we had the tree trimming Lisa gave me an early Christmas present.  She made another Reader's Digest angel.  This one will go in my curio cabinet so I don't have to store it.  Isn't it beautiful???????  What a wonderful present.

Tree Trimming

For the third  year in a row Lisa had her tree trimming party.  After coming home from Pittsburgh we had the Tree Trimming event to do.  She had the house all decked out with fancy little Christmas things, the meal cooking in the oven and the table set and even the craft table set up for the kids

David and Anthony had a great time making ornaments for the tree out of pipecleaner and beads and putting together a paper chain. 

The meal was wonderful and Lisa had little gifts for everyone.  She hasn't lost her touch for entertainment.  Norma, Dave, Jessica, Rich, John, Lisa,myself, and Don were here.  We missed Ben but he had to work. 

Roscoe Family Christmas

This past weekend was our annual Christmas get-together for the Roscoe Family.  For the second year in a row Anthony and Ryan were hosting it.  Rich and I left early Saturday morning for Pittsburgh.  It was quite calm all the way through Ohio and parts of PA but the closer we got to Pittsburgh the weather started to get worse with the snow.  The last part of the trip I spent with my head down and eyes closed.  Thank God we made it without incident.

After arriving at Anthony's and settling down we left for the Southside Works for our dinner at the Hofbrauhaus. There we met up with Warren, Dawn, Cameron, and Madison, Steven, Kara and Dakota.  What a wonderful time we had.  Laughing, talking and just plain enjoying a great time with the family.  Afterwards we went back to Anthony and Ryan's for dessert, coffee and drinks and a lot of storytelling and reminicing of the "good ole' days". 

  

The whole gang. 

  

Steven, Kara and Dakota

 

 
 
 

Warren and Madison

Misc. News

What a beautiful weekend we had.  Did some really wonderful things with the family.  First off, last weekend we sat in the freezing cold and watched two football games.  First in the morning was Anthony's last flag football game then at 4 it was David's game. 

David's team won which means they were in the playoffs for this Saturday.  Only for my grandchildren would I sit in the frigid weather to watch a football game.  But they count on us being there.

This Saturday was Halloween and we went to see David play again and they actually won which means they play for the championship on Saturday.  Unfortunately we had made plans to go visit John down at Hocking College so we will not be able to attend that game.  Dave will video tape it for us.

On Saturday evening we went to Valley City's Halloween.  They do such a wonderful job for the kids.  They all line up at the depot by grades from Pre-School up through sixth grade.  Then march down to the fire house where the fire department puts out very nice treats for them and the adults as well.  Plus this is where the town congregates to chat and catch up on the latest news.  Then of course you can't miss the famous haunted house put on by Jean Brandt and Magnificuts Beauty Salon.  She does a wonderful job every year.  The kids go to the houses right in town and Trick or Treat.  What a wonderful memory they will have of these Halloween's to tell their children.  There is something to be said about growing up in a small town. 

Enjoying the Last Few Days of Indian Summer

David and Anthony were over after school yesterday and decided it was time to winterize their tree house that they have in our woods.  Oh the imagination of children!!!!  I decided to practice taking some pictures with our camera and what perfect conditions.  Two imaginative boys, fall colors and beautiful weather. 

 




  

 
 
 

Three Month Progress Report

 
On July 15, 2009 I had Gastric Bypass surgery.  I went for my three month checkup and am at 39% of my weight loss which is about 10% ahead of schedule.  As of today I have lost 46 pounds.  I cannot emphasize enough about how great I feel.  In addition to the weight loss I am off cholesterol and one blood pressure medication and plan to be off all medication within one year of surgery. 

Granted it has not been easy for me.  I still get sick with certain foods but the benefits certainly outweigh those times and I would do it all over again if I had to make the choice again.  I just feel great, physically and emotionally.

   
   
 
 
 
 
  
  

HALLOWEEN TREATS

We had such a nice Saturday evening.  Lisa, Norma, Rich and I got together to make Halloween treats for David and Anthony's first and fourth grade class for Halloween.  I seen these boxes in my Stamp n Up catalog and we kind of duplicated them.  Norma will put candy in them and pass them out to the kids at their school party.  We gave Rich the tedious job of gluing them together.  That's because out of all of us, he has more patience.

  

 
  

 
 
 
 
 

 

Finished Product

Progress Report

It will be nine weeks on Wednesday since my surgery so I thought I would post my progress report.  I can't tell you how wonderful I am feeling.  I have more energy then I've had in years, sleep great and I have lost 35 pounds.  My blood pressure is the best it's been in twelve years and my BMI is finally down to a respectable number.  I have no regrets about having the WLS.  I am wearing clothes in my closet that I haven't been able to wear in five years.  That's a great feeling.

Yesterday Rich and I took a 14 mile bike ride. I have wanted to do this all summer but had to wait until I healed.  We equipped ourselves with new bikes and gear back in June and decided to really take a nice long ride yesterday.  We started off in Brecksville where we met my friend Jan and road the towpath to Peninsula.  Once we arrived in Peninsula we had lunch and headed back to Brecksville.  It was seven miles one way.  We could have taken the train back but didn't.  It was the perfect day for a bike ride but unfortunately it was also a perfect day for hundreds of other bikers.  It was very crowded which makes me nervous since I am not a good bike rider.  But I made it without running into anyone or falling.  We are going to do this on a  weekday when it will be less crowded so we can enjoy the beautiful scenery and take pictures. 

Clay Balls

A friend of mine sent me this in an email and I wanted to share it with everyone who reads my blog:

Clay  Balls        
A man was exploring caves by the Seashore.  In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls.  It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.   They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him.  As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.  

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock .  Inside was a beautiful, precious stone! 

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls.  Each contained a similar treasure.  He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left.   

Then it struck him.  He had been on the beach a long time.. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves.  Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!  

It's like that with people.  We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel..  It doesn't look like much from the outside.  It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it.  

We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy.  But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.  

There is a treasure in each and every one of us.  If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth. 

  
May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.   
  
I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have with you..  Thank you for looking beyond my clay vessel. 

APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE

THING YOU HAVE, ESPECIALLY YOUR FRIENDS!

LIFE IS TOO SHORT AND FRIENDS ARE TOO FEW!

Pass this on to another Clay Ball!!! 

Do not ask the Lord to Guide your Footsteps if you are not willing to MOVE your Feet'