Happy New Year!

Hey GiGi remember this ornament. It is one of the ones you blessed me with. Chris and I are taking the tree down today and tomorrow :( It is always sad for me after the girls have worked so hard to put the tree up. However I think I will be glad to get my living room back. LOL. And speaking of the girls this is my fav pic for the year.




Have a Happy, safe, peaceful and Blessed New Year.

Stel

Merry Christmas from the Carstens

Remember to tell someone you love them.
Remember to hold someone extra tight in that hug.
Remember that Christ came to set men free.
Remember the true reason for the season.
Remember I love you.

SJ

Sad Day

Some of you that may remember when we use to have two housemates who shared our home on Hub St. They were Shawn and Sean and they were from Oklahoma. They worked with Chris at Texas Instruments and would sleep over during the day here in Sherman and go to work with Chris at night. Shawn and Clare moved to Fink, TX in 2002 and so we didn't see them as much as we did before when they were an active part of our lives. Well Clare called last night. Shawn was killed in a motorcycle accident on Hwy 289. Chris was asked to be a pall bearer. We don't know when the service is going to be but please remember the Sheffield family as they head into the Holiday season without Shawn. Please lift up Chris as he walks this valley. He told me last night. He always expected Shawn to be one of his Pall bearers. Never the other way around.

I hurt

Catching up

Trying to get caught isn't always easy especially when you have no time in your own house. All this week I have spent every night out somewhere because of one thing or another. But tonight I was finally able to sit down and do some work on my house and laundry. It will be hopefully cleaner than it was before. Tomorrow is my house blessing day. I wanted to shampoo my rugs before the holidays but I don't think that is going to happen and have them dry in time So I am just going to have to get happy with what I have and go on. Chris and I made a mad run to McKinney for some stocking stuffers, and other stuff that was needed for next week. AND I got a late lunch/early dinner out of the deal at Olive Garden. Woo hoo.

I found a pic of Catherine when I was cleaning up Iphoto. This was at the first state show.

She is such a joy watching her grow up and become such a talented young lady. I knew she would break my heart one day.

Rae called earlier she is doing well in her temporary apartment switch. And she has two new fish to replace the ones that passed. She is going to bring them home when she gets here next week. Woo hoo I can't wait to see her. Now I need to finish some small shopping and we'll be finished. If I don't get online before Christmas. May you all have a very Merry and Blessed Christmas.

Winter Concert

No pictures of the band but one of Caedee getting ready for the Concert. She is so excited she fits back into some of her Jr. High clothes. Mom had sent some some really pretty -- er umm foundation garments yeah that's it foundation garments and she was able to fit in all of them. I am so proud of her she is absolutely beautiful Inside and out.


Now since Rae and Caedee showed me how to use Iphoto to crop my pictures I have been using the stars out of that simple program. So Here is a photo that I am putting on this year's Christmas Card because well I could never get the girls together long enough for a professonal photo.


Enjoy and know that I love you all very very much.

(note to Gigi - need your address babe - can you email me later?)

Caedee makes All Area

Becky reminded me that last night that I failed to inform the world that Caedee advanced to All Area. Woo Hoo Go girl. She got 3rd chair for All Region and therefore will advance to All Area. However it was bittersweet for her. Her two best friends and arch chair rivals didn't make it with her. One because of a paperwork snafu and the other because of the judging. They are both happy for her but she is now going onward without her support and prodders and I think she is a little frightened of that. However that twinkle in her eyes tells me that the judges are going to get their money's worth.

I Finally figured out how to get Christmas Cards ordered for this year. Woo hoo. Thank you Sams Club on line. Be watching your mail for a late but well meaning card soon

A Wonderful Evenings with Friends

We think that it has been 18 months since the last time we were all together. Way too long. Way way too long. Thanks to some prodding we finally picked a date and thanks to the cooperation of miscellaneous factors, we were finally able to settle on a evening together. So Here ya go Gigi. Your picture of your long distance sisters. You would have laughed to see us try to learn how to set the timer on my camera. It appears I can figure things out without the aid of a teenager though it definitely takes me longer than Rae or Caedee. Pizza, salad, cherry fluff, cheese cake and hot apple pie. Yumm Yumm. Wish you were there