since I have posted here.  I do keep up with my friends thru subscriptions but I guess it isn’t quite the same… (I discovered Facebook, and have been there wayyyyyy too much)

There hasn’t been alot of anything new going on with me..  I have been blessed with 3 new grandbabies, 2 little girls named Izabelle and Claire, and 1 little boy named Ezekiel…  Our latest little granddaughter was just born on 2/15/2010..  That brings our grandbaby total to 12, and so far there hasn’t been any updated news on anymore new arrivals.  Maybe that means my kids are all going to take a break on the baby making scene

My son Alex who is in the Marines will be deploying to Afghanistan soon..  In a couple of weeks actually.  He is only supposed to be over there for around 7 months.  I told him to keep his head down and come home safe… As a mom I guess thats all I can hope and pray for.  This picture is of my son and his fiancee at the annual Marine Ball in California this past fall…

I am still driving the schoolbus every day…   you know, the same old same old..  My fibro and RA have flared up again so all medications have been upped.  The Dr added in a Humira injection every other week as well as a Methotrexate injection every week…  Yes, I feel like I am a walking medicine cabinet.  At this point I just want to feel better.

Hubby is taking me and baby out to dinner and a movie for my birthday.  My birthday was actually on Thursday, but dinner tonight will be nice..  Not sure what movie we will go see with baby though….   A few weeks ago hubby and I went and saw the newly released Wolfman movie.  I thought it was very good and pretty much followed the original Wolfman movie with Lon Chaney.  I enjoy those old “horror” flicks.

I hope everyone is doing well….  Like I said I do try and keep up with everyone thru subscriptions but there are a few people I havent heard from in awhile so I am off to check on you    Take care everyone…

big huggs, Dyanna

We got back from San Diego, California last weekend after seeing our son, Alex, graduate from marine boot camp.   It was quite a week.  We flew out there Monday morning September 15^th and we took Miranda and our oldest daughter.  It was baby’s first airplane ride and she loved it   We had a few problems once we arrived in sunny San Diego though…  First we had to pay an extra unexpected deposit on our rental car, then we got to the hotel to find our room reservations had gotten messed up..  We finally got into our room but ended up having to change hotels after the first night due to a reservation mix up.  The new hotel was in downtown San Diego and talk about a nightmare trying to get around! 

                We were able to do some sightseeing.  Mainly we went to the Ocean and then just did some driving around to see the sights.  Thursday was Family day on the Recruit Depot. We were there shortly after 5am and we saw Alex getting ready to do his morning run with his platoon.  We walked around until it was time to listen to one of the Drill Instructors tell us about the rules for the day.  After that we were able to sit in the stands and wait for the platoons to be brought out for our official first look at our new Marines     We were able to visit Alex for 5 hours after he was released from formation for on base liberty.  He looked so good!  It had been 3 months since we had last seen him.  There were lots of happy tears and hugs.  We walked around the base and looked at everything and just enjoyed spending time with him.  When his leave ended we went back to the hotel and relaxed for the night.  Friday morning we were back on the Depot bright and early to get a good spot for graduation.   Graduation ceremony ended about 1pm and Alex had all his gear ready and we left the depot.  After a wonderful walk thru Old Town we had a nice dinner at one of the outdoor cafés and then it was back to the room to pack up for our flight home Saturday morning.

My first hug after 3 months!

Me (my sunburned face) and Alex & baby

Alex marching with his platoon

Waiting to be dismissed after graduation

Alex & baby having dinner at the Cafe Coyote

A tired baby asleep on the plane ride home

                Saturday morning we dropped the rental car off and was shuttled to the airport. By 10pm we were home at last..  Sunday all the kids came over for a welcome home party.  Alex has 10 days of leave which are up tomorrow.  He was lucky and got Recruiters Assistance which means he can stay home for an extra 14 days but must report to the Recruiter every day and help him out.  Once his 14 days are up Alex has to go back to California, this time to Camp Pendleton for his last 30days of infantry training.  Once that is done he will be heading to North Carolina to Camp Lejeune to begin his diesel mechanics schooling.  After his schooling is up it is anyone’s guess where he will be sent…

Alex home and seeing his new nephew

Alex with his welcome home cake

Alex and his nieces and nephews

All of us

In schoolbus news…   My old bus was turned into a spare bus and I was given one of the other spare buses.  This one has well over 100,000 miles on it so I am reasonably sure next year I will get an updated, newer bus.  Not one of the new buses cuz I don’t rate that high, but one of the newer, older buses

I am loving this cooler Autumn weather we are having   I have always loved Autumn, the colors, the smells.  I would be happy to have this weather year around.  I am definitely NOT looking forward to the ice and snow that I know is just around the corner…

That’s it for the news from here.  Stay safe everyone and have a great week

School officially started on August 21^st this year.   The mechanics brought my bus back to me 2 days before school started.  They dropped it off in my driveway and later that afternoon I went out to check the bus over and to make a route time run in it for the upcoming school year.  I turn the key over and….   Nothing!    The bus wouldn’t start!   I have had this problem off and on in the past and they have changed the starter etc.   Well after the bus has been at the bus barn all summer long you don’t expect to get it back and have it immediately not work…    I called them and they brought me a different bus and took my bus back to the barn.  Of course they wait til the next day to bring me a bus so now I really HAVE to get my route timed cuz I have parents calling me wanting to know what time to expect me the next day.   I get the route timed and find out my route is about 15 minutes longer than last year because I (lucky me) had 7 kids from the other bus route put back on my bus again this year!   You will probably remember I have had this problem in the past with having a full bus while the other bus has 15-20 kids on her route.  This year the problem is the other woman just has to get back as quickly as possible and those 7 kids add too much time to her route…   My question is….  What about MY route!?   Now mine is longer and  I have added extra kids to it.  There just is no winning.   But back to my bus troubles.  The first 2 weeks of school I drove a spare bus while my bus was in the shop.  This past Monday they brought my bus back.  Monday afternoon it started.  Tuesday afternoon it wouldn’t start!   WTH!!   They have had it for 2 weeks and it won’t start!?   Finally it catches and I drive my route.   Wednesday morning the bus starts, Wednesday night it won’t start again.   After many tries it finally starts and I drive my route.  This morning I took it in to fuel it up and they decided to keep it and finally change the starter.   In 20 minutes I am supposed to run my afternoon route and there is still no bus in my driveway,  (they were supposed to bring it back to me as soon as they got it fixed)   I guess this is an early sign of the way the rest of the school year is going to go…      Can I just fast forward to next summer????   PLEASE!!!!

Hey Everyone!   No,  I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth…   Just a lot of things have been going on….   First of all school is back in session and I am back to driving the schoolbus every day.  That hasn’t been too bad except my shoulder started bothering me almost immediately after I started driving again.  I went to the chiro twice last week with no relief.  I finally got into see my family Dr yesterday morning.  She put me on a medro pak to start taking the inflammation down.  She also gave me some muscle relaxers and pain medication as needed.  I am supposed to keep my shoulder moving so it doesn’t freeze up on me and see her next week unless I am better.  She wanted me to not drive the bus for a week but I can’t do that because the week after next I will be off work while I am in San Diego…   Which brings me to big news number 2….

                Alex, my son that just graduated High School in June enlisted in the Marines as you all probably remember.  He left for boot camp on June 23^rd.  On September 19^th he will finally be graduating boot camp and will be a Marine!   I am so proud of him.  Next week they have to endure a 54 hour crucible which separates the men from the boys.  He has to pass that in order to earn his Eagle, Globe and Anchor.  Hubby, I , baby, and my oldest daughter will be flying out for his graduation and he will be flying back home with us for a 10 day leave.  Then he will have to go back to San Diego for another 30 days before he goes on to his training school.   I am not sure where that is going to be yet.   I have missed him so much and can’t wait to see him again

 Alex, Sara and baby the morning Alex left for Boot Camp

                Big news number 3….    I am a grandma again!!!   My daughter Lily had a beautiful baby boy Wednesday night at 7:27pm.  His name is Ezekiel and he weighed in at a whopping 9# 11.8oz’s!!!   He is 22” long…   He was welcomed into the world by grandma, grandpa and his proud daddy.  My daughter also has 3 little girls that are just ecstatic about having a little brother   The birth was easy and fast and although he was born with the cord around his neck plus a big knot in it, he is perfect.  He was even born with his little fist clenched up tight against his cheek    Mama and baby are doing great and if all goes well will be coming home sometime today…

Is this a proud daddy or what?? 

                I have been keeping up with all my xanga friends thru the subscriptions I have at your sites.  Thank God for subscriptions     I am going to head out for now and check up on how you are all doing today…    Take care and TGIF!!!  

I am going to put some pics up to show off my handsome son and his prom date.  They had a fun time, which I knew they would.   The weekend before this past one I went with Alex to order his tux.  He looked so nice in it.  We decided on a black tux with a pretty yellow tie and handkerchief to match Brianne’s dress.   A few pics of them both…..

Alex on our deck  Alex & Brianne  

The little blonde is our oldest granddaughter, Domi.  The llittle brunette is our baby, Miranda.  They were both wearing princess dresses the day of prom

I have my tomato plants and pepper plant in the pots on my de4ck.  I also have some herbs and flowers planted.   We are still working on getting some more of our privacy fence up.  It takes a long time when you do it all piece by piece and since hubby doesn’t get much time off work it takes us even longer.

17 more school days and then it is SUMMER VACATION time!   I think I have definitely earned a break this summer, and not the kind that involves my ankle    I am hoping to get some major motorcycle rides in, and maybe a short weekend trip or two.  We are still saving money so we can get to San Diego sometime in October when Alex will graduate Marine boot camp.  We haven’t decided yet if we will take the bike, the van, or if we will fly.   A lot depends on the weather.

Hubby finally got our daughter Lily’s van fixed.  The drive axel somehow broke on it.  At first we thought it was the transmission.  I am soo glad it was only the axel.  It cost around $70 to fix it versus a good $1000 or more for a transmission.  So the van has been taken back to her and she isn’t carless anymore    that also got one more vehicle out of our yard….    Now if we can only get our other car fixed.  Hubby thinks there must be a crack in one of the heads.  It’s always something!

Not much else going on right now….    Driving the school bus, taking care of my digital scrapbooking site.  We just had a big weekend, National Scrapbooking Day.   That always brings a lot of people into the site and the store.   May 21^st thru the 27^th is The Scrapping Gardens’ 2nd birthday.  We are planning a bunch of different activities.  Some games, some crops, some sales     Pop on over if you would like to check it out…   The Scrapping Garden

That’s it for now…   My daughter Rachel is coming over tomorrow to take me to lunch for Mothers Day….     You all have a wonderful Mothers Day too!

tucked inside his coat pocket out in one of the saddlebags on the bike.   Wonderful place for his wallet to be, but at least it wasn’t lost.

Even though there was no school today I still got up early.  Baby crawled in bed with us again and took up the entire middle of the bed (how can 1 little girl take up the entire middle of a king sized bed?!?).  I woke up with a backache and just decided to get up and take a hot shower.  My back felt a little better when I got out, so I had my coffee with hubby and since he has the day off too we decided on what to do today.   Going to Menards to the Garden Center is what we ended up doing.  The rain was coming down in sheets when we got there but it did eventually stop.  I picked up some pepper and tomato plants, a pretty hanging flower basket, and some seeds to plant.  The peppers and tomatoes are going into containers on my deck.  I only want enough to eat with dinner or for a snack, I really don’t want to have so many that I need to can them, although the way food prices keep going up I may need to start…..    The wind has really picked up outside but at least the rain has stopped for now and the sun is shining.   I think I will go outside and see if I can get my plants planted before the next rain storm comes thru this afternoon.   I got all my window boxes planted last weekend, of course I planted from seeds so it will be awhile before I have any flowers.  Baby likes watching them grow from seeds so it is something she likes to help with.  Her daddy bought some more of those mammoth sunflower seeds.  She had such fun helping him plant them last year and watching them grow.  It was even nice watching the woodpeckers hanging off of them upside down this past winter trying to get the remaining seeds.  I also took the solar lights we bought last year and put them in the window boxes all around the deck.  They look really pretty at night when they start coming on..    I will try and get some pictures to post later…

In other news….   My daughter Catie, who just got married last August called the other day to tell me I am gonna be a grandma!    This baby is due December 17^th      That makes 3 more grandbabies due this year,  one the first of September,  one due around the middle of November, and this one due the middle of December.    That will bring our grandbaby total to 9 !!    This Christmas get together will be a big one    We may have to start renting out the hall just to fit all our kids and grandkids in for get-togethers…

Well,  I better get a move on.  I want to get my plants planted before the next storm comes thru.   I hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday! 

Finishing our pizza when the waitress brings our bill.  No big deal, hubby reaches into his back pocket and pulls out NOTHING!   He doesn’t have his wallet!   I am trying to figure out what I am going to tell the waitress while hubby goes outside to check and make sure his wallet isn’t in the van.  He comes back in empty handed and now I am panicking.  I am wondering what on earth I have on my person that is valuable enough to leave at the pizza place, that isn’t so valuable that I wouldn’t leave it.   The only thing I can come up with is my cell phone.   So now to tell the waitress she isn’t getting paid….   She comes over to the table and I tell her hubby left his wallet at home, she is just looking at us,  some young teenage girl without a clue.   Just then hubby has an idea and asks her is she can manually process our card.  She can!  All is not lost.  I call home and have Alex dig out my card and read me the numbers.  I give her the numbers, she processes the card and we are outta there!   Talk about a close call!   It may be awhile before we go back there, although she did get a good tip

No school tomorrow! YEAH!  I won’t be sleeping in, but at least I don’t have to get up early and drive the bus.  I can sit back and leisurely drink my cup of coffee and I web surf.  Actually I don’t generally have time to surf, but I will be able to answer customer emails and deal with any other problems that may have come up with TSG over night.  Sometimes my customer service mailbox is full and other times things are slow.    We did open a whole new store.  We moved up from Zen Cart to Xcart.  The new store is so much nicer, the images of the products in the store just pop out now.   If you have some time while you are drinking your morning coffee why don’t you go check it out HERE  

Ok,  I am going to call it a night and go relax a bit.  I will try to get back tomorrow so I can finish my updates…   Have a great night everyone

 Actually she sent me the US pics first, then she called me while I was looking at them…   I am gonna be the proud grandma of a baby…….

BOY!!!

I can’t believe it!   After 3 little girls I think my daughter is in shock too!  Now we have to spend the next few months getting some little boy clothes, otherwise he is gonna be looking real pretty in pink  

Since I have been to Xanga that is.  I have been so busy trying to get things situated at The Scrapping Garden that I haven’t had time to come and do much visiting.   I HAVE been keeping up with all my friends thru my subscriptions, but it just isn’t the same. 

Things have been so busy at TSG site.  We are in the process of moving the store we have right now to a bigger, fancier Xcart store. The payment has been made, the store is just waiting for the last few modules to be installed and we will be ready to start getting our digital products put in.  I shut the old store down this morning and we are hoping to be back up and running on Monday.   Check back every once in awhile and I will let you all know when we get the new store ready to open.  We will be having a grand re-opening sale so anyone who is interested in digital scrapbooking should come by and check out all the available products from our designers.   We just recently added a new designer who specializes in genealogy and heritage type kits.  I am looking forward to attending her chats and checking out her designs.  I have tons of heritage photos of my family that I would love to get scrapped into an album for each of my brothers and sisters…   Maybe this will help me get started…

On the home front things are about the same.  I was able to go with hubby on his last business trip.  School was shut down for Spring break for a week so I went with him.  I spent my day in the hotel while he was in his meeting but I was able to get a lot of work done with no interruptions.  I did think I was going to have to go and ask the cleaning ladies to keep the noise level down a couple times though.  I couldn’t believe how loud they were,   even going so far as to slam every room door I swear!   Eventually they finished up and then it was quiet…   Just me and the sound of the keyboard as I typed….   Sure beats the noise of slamming doors.  Anyway, Hubby and I spent a very nice 2 nights away from home and were able to reconnect with our usness (is that a word?) 

Alex is counting down the time til he goes to Marine boot camp.  I have a date now..  July 21^st.   I am soooo not looking forward to this     Ok, buck up mom and just get through it…..

Sara is in another school play.  This one is a musical and the performance is next week.  She has been so busy rehearsing every night I have hardly seen her.  Hopefully I will get some pics of the play and will get them posted next week.  Prom is about a month away.  Alex is going,  he hasn’t gotten a date yet so he may just go with a group of kids.  Sara was asked to the prom by her (at least right now) boyfriend.  She is only a sophomore this year so I told her I wanted her home after the prom, no going to the after prom party and staying out all night.  I told her that hubby and I would happily pick her up after prom if need be.   (I don’t think she likes that idea <wink>)

Hmmmm  oh yes.  This past weekend Alex and I worked putting more of our privacy fence up.  We got about 17 more sections up.  We aren’t using already made sections.  We are screwing single boards to the fence frame all the way around the house.  It takes a lot more time but hopefully the panels will never need to be replaced since we are doing them all one piece at a time.  

Not much else happening, just work and more work.

Today my daughter goes in for her US…  We will hopefully know whether our newest grandbaby arriving in September will be another little girl or a boy…  I am just waiting for the phone call and then the US pics

Well,  time for me to get moving.  Take care everyone; I have missed not having time to check in very often.  I’ll have to make myself a sticky note to remember to make time!      Big huggs to all my pals