And now the After shots.

I finished work today at least for a few weeks. While I’m off I hope to get the whole house painted, change some rooms around a bit and de-clutter.

Karla wants me to come up for a day or two as well and help her get some meals made and put in the freezer for when the new baby arrives so she won’t be run completely off her feet.

This weekend I plan on going to Karla’s for a night or two and attend a Benefit for a friend of ours.

On Monday or Tuesday the painting will start !! Bathroom first, I will try to remember to take before and after pictures as we go.

April 8th is the date for the new grandbaby to arrive, I will likely be back to work at that time but will hopefully get to spend a few days helping Karla get settled with the new one. and hopefully get to have Brooke stay for a night or two while mama is in hospital, of course all this will depend on work and when baby decides to make her appearance

I quit smoking on Jan 10th, although I have had the odd one since then I’m doing very well this time around and hope that it will last !!

I plan on returning to some type of weight loss group in May when I’m done of work for the summer and work hard at getting back in shape ! I want to look good for Kevin and Shan’s Big day

Wendell is still fighting back issue’s but is back to work.

Brooke is growing like a weed !! and is loving having her mommy home with her ! I dare say Karla is glad to be home with her little girl too, she is enjoying being a stay at home mom right now.

Viv and I have been going to Vibe I started back there shortly after I quit smoking to try to keep from putting to much weight back on. I’m paid up till the 1st part of April.

Today was such a beautiful day out I got home at noon today and got some housecleaning done and then took Rudy for a walk hope the nice weather keeps up for the month of March as I will want to have windows open to keep the paint fumes at a minimum.

Will try to post updates more often.  I will try to get on and put before and after pictures of each room as we complete them

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

Thanks for stopping by !!

Although Kevin and Shan are unable to be home for Christmas day Kevin is making a quick trip home for a visit from the 17th till the 23rd so we’ll at least get to have him with us for  a few day prior to Christmas which is the next best thing.  Would be perfect if Shan was able to come too.

Karla went for her 3D Ultra sound on the 5th and found out we’re getting another granddaughter.

She even gave us a little smile.

2009 in the Millman household.

.

2009 started of with much sadness with the loss of

Wendell’s mom in January.As we moved into February

we got mothers apartment cleared out and tried to move forward.

In March to celebrate Karla’s Birthday, Karla, myself, Brooke and Earl

booked tickets and went to visit Kevin and Shan for a week.

We had a wonderful time and Brooke attended her first Maple Leafs hockey

game wearing her authentic Jersey her Uncle Kevin and Auntie Shan had given

her on the day she was born (Christmas Day 2007).

In April I returned to work for 7 weeks which brought us into May.

After finishing work in May Wendell and I jumped in the car

and drove up to visit Kevin and Shan, again we had a

wonderful time and took in a Blue Jays game which was an early

birthday present for Wendell.

Once back home we got into a schedule of babysitting Miss Brooke.

She kept us on our toes all summer and made the summer pass by

quickly with lots of love and laughs.

In July Karla and Earl made their announcement.

They found out they were expecting baby #2.

Our next granddaughter will arrive early April 2010.

In September we packed up yet again to hit the road,

this time with Vivian and Shelton.

We headed to Richmond Virginia where we took

in a whole weekend of NASCAR,

2 night races, Pit passes the whole nine yards!

On the way home we spent a day in the White Mountains

in New Hampshire. What a wonderful vacation it was!!

We arrived home and immediately got back into

enjoying our time with Brooke on a daily basis.

The last week of October I was recalled back to work.

Wendell on the other hand had by this time been off work

for almost a month due to back issues which he is still dealing

with, and with no idea when he will be free enough of pain

to return to work, he is currently undergoing physio therapy

and medications to help deal with the pain

at least enough to be comfortable.

We are now into December and counting down to

our 30th anniversary and awaiting Kevin’s arrival home

for a visit. As Shan is unable to come home this trip

Kevin won’t be here for Christmas day but he will be

here until the 23rd which is the next best thing !

Also Brooke will be turning 2 on Christmas day

so we will have her birthday party

while her Uncle Kevin is at home.

And that about wraps up our 2009 .

We are looking forward to 2010 as we have

two very exciting occasions coming.

1)the birth of our 2nd granddaughter

and  2) Kevin and Shan’s Wedding in Sept.

We wish you all a very Happy and Prosperous New Year!!

I think it is a combination of many things,there are so many things that will be “different” this year,

The last Grammy on the Millman side will not be here to celebrate with,  Kevin and Shan won’t be home for the holidays this year, I’m not hosting the annual Christmas get together.

Wendell is off work has been for the last 2 months due to extream back pain. And this year just seems to be so much tighter for money.

However Brooke will be turning 2 this Christmas and she will really enjoy it, she is talking about Ho Ho and that she wants him to bring her books. So Christmas morning should be very exciting in that household, and we will be there for that.

Karla was put off work this past week for stress\medical reasons , her job is so demanding and the hours so excruitiating she just couldn’t do it with this pregnancy and getting up with Brooke in the mornings. after less than a week she is already looking better, more rested.  She goes next Saturday to find out if she’s having another girl or a boy this time.  (I am so sure its a boy).

Yesterday I picked up the stuff I had on lay away for Christmas and brought it home, I also got the decorations up and a little tree, I decided I didn’t want the big tree this year, but was convinced I should have something so I put a small 4 ft tree up.

I’ve been back to work for 5 weeks now, and that is going ok, as always every year there seems to be more and more changes to get used to.  If I were to win the lottery I would not go back

a few weeks ago Brooke Loralee and I went to friendship park for the afternoon, we had a wonderful day and Brooke had a blast running around. She is growing up so fast !

Will try to get on here and post more often.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world thanks for stopping by.

Lets see what have we been up to since last post,, well we went away for a couple weeks, went to Richmond Virginia to a Nascar race actually took in 2 a Friday night race and a Saturday night race, both great races ! Had an awsome time, we spent a day in the white mountains in New Hamshire on the way home. Just had an all round wonderful time.

After getting home we had to do a little more spending,, my washer had quite on me just before we left on our trip so first thing when we got back we had to go shopping and ended up getting a new set, (front load) I love it.. they are great!

Then it was off to get a snowblower for Wendell he needs it his poor ole back just can’t take the shovelling anymore. and while we were at it we figured it was time for a new mattress as well so we bought one of those ones at wal mart that comes in a box, actually pretty decent mattress.

So I better hope I soon get called back to work so I can start paying for all this stuff and our trip ! owie.

Before you know it ,, Christmas is going to be upon us. we’re going really small this year. other than Brooke everyone else is going to be a small item and some of us are not even going to do a gift exchange we’re going to adopt a family and put our money to that instead.

Landlord was in last night we’re going to start getting a few things done around here, painting for one, I’m going to pick out my paint colors later today, and sometime this month he will have a guy come in to do the work we want done, front entry way has to be done (closet and cubboards taken out, ceiling fixed ect) and then we’re bringing the washer and dryer out of the basement.

He’s going to put in a new door. and a few other odds n ends that need to be done.

I did a few centerpieces for my sister (in law) the other day to decorate for her MIL’s birthday party,, here is a shot or two of those.

And of course a few pic’s of our little cutie pie.

Out for a run

Playing with  her friend Gracie

Having a tea party

Helping mommy wash the car and getting sprayed. haha

Getting a drink

swatting the flys for grammy

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods, Thanks for stopping by folks,

After shopping and having lunch we went in search of a hotel for the night and we found one right beside the zoo, wasn’t the ritz by any means but it did the trick for us.

Brooke wanted in the pool and we had promised her she could what we didn’t realize was it was an OUTSIDE pool and the water was FREEZING but she didn’t care she wanted in so in they went, I passed on the dip and took pictures instead. haha

here is one , both mommy and her have the chatters the water is so cold. even while she was laughing in there her teeth were chattering LOL

AFter finally convincing her that they HAD to come out cause it was just too cold we got her dressed and took her outside there was a HUGH backyard and she ran around having a ball until bedtime.

here she is chasing mommy in the yard she had to blow off some steam after sitting basically all day first in the car then the stroller.

hiding behind a tree.

feeding the animals at the zoo she had so much fun the 2nd day at the zoo, and she is such a great little girl to travel with. after our zoo outting she slept all the way home. she was exausted almost 5 hours at the zoo wore her out and she had no nap that day at all.

Giving the pregnant mama dear kisses

and then she got her face painted too.

We had the best weather we could wish for and had an absolute wonderful time.

this morning was a get up and get going morning, I had to get both dogs to the groomers for 9 am . and later today I have a nice foot soak coming up for me

after that I have to finish packing for our trip. We leave on Wednesday morning can’t wait for that !

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Thanks for stopping by !!