CHANGiNG HATS!

"Grab your coat and get your HAT
Leave your worries on the doorstep
Life can be so sweet
On the sunny side of the street."
-words from a famous song by 
Jimmy M.C. HUGH and Dorothy Fields


"Love your life, do your work, then take your HAT."
-Henry David Thorough


"All your future lies beneath your HAT."
-John Oldham


"Everything changes, nothing remains without change."
-Buddha

Here is BEAU on Friday out on the swings
in his cute WOOLY HAT! 

BEAU playing with SHUFFLE after his play out side! 

Getting ready to CHANGE HATS! 

Here is Beau in the Halloween Ball CAP! 

BEAU on Friday ...
Changing HATS again!
Here he is putting the toy basket on his head,
Notice the little MONKEY landed on his sweater! 

Check out this cute little craft...
Cousin Gwen brought over her little
PIGGIE HEADS in HATS
 to attach to her cute retirement poem,
to use at her CHANGING HATS PARTY! 

Here is Gwen crafting away on Friday. 

BEAU is still in love with balloons,
so loved that we blew up many for cousin GWEN'S party,
with her helium machine.
My Niece Rowen popped by too!

Here is BEAU with his POPPA BRIAN
hanging out together on Friday! 

A very quickly crafted card for GWEN
with a pic taken here on Friday for her
CHANGING HATS party! 

Mariah in my car on our way to
GWEN'S HAT party.
Mariah loved her new hat... with a polar bear on it!
... grin and BEAR it!

GWEN during presentations at her
RETIREMENT party called
"CHANGING HATS!"

My cousin PAT and my UNCLE CARLIE
wearing HATS at GWEN'S Party! 

My cousin BEV, her niece, ELAINE,
MARY PAT, and her husband/ my cousin JOHN
all in HATS...
(my cousins Bev and John are looking sleepy!)

MARIAH Changed HATS
at the party from the POLAR BEAR one
into a cute LADY BUG one on the table!


It has been busy around here once again!
So many activities... so many HATS!

I babysat Beau all day Friday and he was so much fun in and out of the many hats he had on that day!

During that day my cousin Gwen popped by for some help assembling her little party favors for her RETIREMENT PARTY called
"CHANGING HATS."

She recently retired from her job as a social worker and her co-workers from several years threw her a great HAT party!
Not only has Gwen always loved PIGS,
she has always been known for her love of a party and a party hat to go with the theme...
so her little idea to craft "piggies in hats" favors was just way too adorable.

Mariah and I made an appearance at this party and it was obvious just how well thought of GWEN was in her job over the years.
There were more than 60 co-workers in attendance ...and everyone was wearing a HAT!
After a meal and several speeches and a power point presentation they served a cake.
(That cake just couldn't come fast enough for Mariah, hehehe!!!) wink wink!

It was a nice send off for GWEN as she changes HATS and moves on...
HATS OFF to my COUSIN GWEN!

Also in and around the activity I had visits from my brother Brian, and my sister-in-law, Brenda and her daughter, Rowen!
There is never a dull moment it seems...
always lots going on!

From changing hats to more celebrations...

Tomorrow my cousin JOHN,
(Gwen's brother),
will be celebrating a birthday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Him!

Tuesday will be a mix of celebrations...
My husband BRIAN will celebrate his birthday and it will also be the one year
anniversary of my mom's passing.
That day will be a mix of
HALOS and CUPCAKES!

So on that note...
here is my RHYME of the day...

I love to have the grandkids,
they're often changing hats,
And soon it will be Halloween...
a season full of bats!
Many things are changing,
for people and for seasons,
Many people changing hats
for many special reasons.
The fall will soon be winter,
and then it's onto spring.
How fast the time just rolls along,
with every changing thing.
I am always celebrating
one thing or another,
Soon it will be one year, too,
since I lost my mother.
Changing hats, changing seasons,
changing what I do...
I'm glad I have this little blog
to write about it, too!

PURE & FREE!

My "Seize the Day" Calendar says this today...


"The best things in life are free."
-Author Unknown


"Pure love is a willingness to give without a thought of receiving anything in return."
-Peace Pilgrim Quotes


"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."
-Buddha

Mariah on Tuesday night at the PURE frozen yogurt bar! 

We met up with NICOLE who used to work at  ATHENA.
Mariah always used to make "ASSERT" (dessert) with her there.
We were glad she was FREE to join us there!

PURE DELICIOUS! 

Beau Tuesday night when we came for Mariah...
He had a little smurk to share between bites of cheese!

Mariah yesterday happily crafting in my basement. 

We popped by my friend, Gailene's
and Mariah tried on this cute
Witch hat headband there. 

Here is Mariah with another
Witch hat headband on! 

Here is the kid's menu at Boston Pizza...
Mariah loves to have "BUGS 'N' CHEESE"
 

Mariah sitting on the Main sign in front of the Dance studio
after her lesson yesterday. 

Mariah and her dancing friend, Chloe,
giggling and having fun outside yesterday
after dancing! 

Mariah visiting her great grandparents yesterday after dancing!
They are so good to her, too. Mariah is their first great grandchild.


Today as I thought about a good theme
for my blog, I reviewed what I did
over the last couple days...
and came up with
PURE and FREE!
Tuesday night we picked up Mariah
and met our friend, Nicole
at the PURE frozen yogurt bar
for a yummy dessert.
This is fast becoming one of our
new favorite places to go for a
yummy treat. Mariah thinks it is ice cream,
but it much better and better for her, too!

Mariah is such a little FREE spirit, and she enjoys the chances she gets to be with her grandparents without Beau along, too!

Jana was going to a shoe show in
Edmonton yesterday, so we thought it would help out if we kept Mariah overnight on Tuesday and all day yesterday.
Beau went to his daycare yesterday and then Nels picked the kids up after his work day around 6 yesterday.

As long as I am FREE to help out...
I actually enjoy helping out with the
 grandkids when ever I can.
Mariah is growing up so fast.
She does the full day kindergarten
2 days one week and
3 the next. She is also in the after school program on the days she is at school. She seems to be loving it!


As I have mentioned in previous blogs recently... I am into so many TV programs lately.
It is amazing how much FREE time
I need to keep up with them all!
One of those shows is "The X-Factor".
Tuesday night's episode was very good
as they narrowed the singers
in the running to the top 17.
Mariah and I enjoyed it together.
Yesterday she wanted to watch it again...
she calls the show "The X-FACTORY"! hehehe
so we watched bits of it again 2 more times in and around all the activities we fit into the day.

She did some crafting in the morning and we stopped by my friend, Gailene's, on our way to Boston Pizza for lunch. Gailene came along, too. Mariah had her favorite meal called
BUGS 'N' CHEESE.

In the afternoon Mariah had dancing
and she seems to enjoy the social part
just as much as the actual dancing part!
She has many little friends in her class,
but her and one little girl named Chloe,
 always race outside to sit on the
sign after dancing!

We then went for a little shop at
Dollarama followed by a little stop at
GREAT GRANDMA BLANCHE
and GREAT GRANDPA GREG'S house.
They are always so thrilled when we stop by.

Last night I had some shows on TV
to catch up on ...and I am ever so
thankful for PVR! I am so glad
I have the option to tape the shows
I like and watch them when it is
more convenient and can spin
through the commercials, too!

My sister-in-law, Bev, popped by briefly
last night for a visit as well.

This morning was another gym day for me.
I always feel so good after the gym...
I am lucky I have the FREE time
to go when I wish. Once again
the classes were good.

This afternoon, I helped mom's friend,
Clara, downsize her sewing stuff!.
Clara has always been into sewing and has a big collection of stuff to go with that hobby. However, Clara's eyesight is failing now,
and she will be moving into a care home next month, so has donated her huge sewing collection of fabrics, trims, patterns, etc. to a project here in the city called "Cloth for Kids."

I loaded up my car to the brim with box loads and box loads and off we went
to drop that off today. This is in a Church
on the west side of the city,
where ladies donate their skills and time to making clothing for kids in the inner city who are less fortunate and have no money.

That was a  PURELY FREEING feeling for sure!

I felt good helping Clara out, and she felt good freeing up more room and downsizing while helping others less fortunate...
such a "win win situation".

I helped her get some groceries next,
and made sure she got back in with that safe and sound to her apartment. I have really bonded with her lately,
and feel good to know
I am helping her out.
She did so much for my mom when mom lived in that apartment block.

Today while I was on the computer,
a little birdie perched on my window sill briefly and watched me...I like to believe that
might have been my mom.
I told Clara about that and
she sure liked that thought!!!
Clara has been another
connection to my mom for me!

MORE Family celebrations continue
till the end of October...
Tomorrow my mother-in-law
is celebrating her 86th Birthday,
so I will be crafting another card for that!

Today I ran into a former dance parent of a student I once taught. It is always nice to see people from my past and recall the fun memories that surround those times...
Truly it is a reminder that
the best things in life are FREE!

So on that note...
here is the rhyme of the day...

The best  things in life are PURE & FREE...
Often the simplest things just please me,
I don't need a lot to make me feel good,
Infact if I helped out where ever I could,
It truly makes me smile from within,
I have a big smile on, infact a big grin!
When I help with others, it helps me out , too,
It makes me feel better, with the things that I do.
So a feeling to me that is all very PURE...
Is often the very easiest cure,
And things such as smiles,
cost nothing, they're FREE!
And FREE is the best
well it sure is to me!

FRiENDS... CAMERA... ACTiON!

"A good snapshot stops a moment from running away."
-Eudora Welty


"Photograph: a picture painted by sun without instruction in art. "
-Ambrose Bierce


"To know someone here or there with whom you can feel there is understanding inspite of the distances or thoughts expressed. - That can make life a garden."
-Goethe


"A friend may be reckoned the masterpiece of nature."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Me with my SILLY "SCOOTER" SISTERFRIENDS! 

And here is the REAL SCOOTER!!!!
We all took the MUPPET QUIZ
about a year and a half ago on FB to find out which
MUPPET character we were most like
and we all came out as SCOOTER!
THUS... our NICKNAMES ever since! 

SCOOTER 1... COLLEEN
SCOOTER 2... ME!
SCOOTER 3... GAILENE
(There is a SCOOTER 4, too, JANET,
but she works during the day and missed our fun yesterday!)
 

SCOOTER 1 and 3 getting the cameras ready for our action! 

Me in my TAP SHOES out on a bench in the field
This is one of my "GO TO" poses always!
 

The CAMERA- SAVVY SCOOTERS talking photo lingo! 

My "TAPPED OUT" old TAP SHOES
sitting by them selves on the bench! 

ME with my TAP shoes ... hanging in a tree! 

GAILENE... having fun with her scarf...
kind of a SCOOTER BABUSHKA! 

COLLEEN... playing PEAK- A- BOO! 

A fun pic of Gailene ! 

Colleen calls this her FUGLY FLOWER!
... oh and that is me with it. 

SCOOTER 1 and 3 enjoying the sunshine on the deck...
oh and Colleen's cats...
PENNY and LEONARD
(Named after characters in the BIG BANG THEROY!)

Colleen and Gailene checking out the pics on one of the cameras! 

My little crafted card for my inlaws ...
who celebrated their 61st Wedding Anniversary yesterday.

"Celebrating the JOYS of two special dears...
Who are sharing the LOVE of 61 years."


Yesterday just after finishing my oatmeal
with this happy heart tip on it...
"HAVE FUN. LAUGHTER IS GOOD MEDICINE."

And while drinking my morning coffee from the white and black polka dot mug that states this inside...
"LIVE. LAUGH. LOVE"

... I received a phone call from my good friend, Gailene, to see if I would like to join her in a trip out to our friend, Colleen's acreage.
She said it would be fun to take the cameras and have a little fun...
so that is exactly what we did!

We call ourselves the
"SCOOTER SISTERFRIENDS"
as mentioned above after doing the muppet quiz on FB and finding out we are all most like the muppet, SCOOTER.
Scooter is the nephew of J.P. Grosse who owned the Theatre where Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy performed in...and he was kind of a "GOFER"...and also co-incidentally looks kind of like a GOPHER!

Well us... SCOOTER- GOPHERS were out in the field just having a great time snapping each other out in the fall colors of Colleens vast yard.
We had many laughs as we tried to capture our fun on all of our cameras. Gailene is taking a course in photography now and Colleen seems very knowledgeable on it as well, while I just put my camera on auto and aim and shoot... with all our cameras and two tripods... we really did capture the fun for sure!

I decided to bring out my TAP SHOES for fun, too and TAP into a few photos with them as well. I actually know the
SCOOTER SISTERFRIENDS
because I taught their kids dancing back in the day when I taught...
and now their kids, AMBER and KELLY,
 are dance teachers...
and it is like one more
CIRCLE in my CIRCLE of life and friends!
(Which I mentioned in my previous blog,
I have so many of!)


We definitely had a fun morning out in the crisp fall air and sunshine!

Later yesterday I crafted a quick little card to drop off at my in-laws for their
61st Wedding Anniversary.
WOW what a milestone to reach that many years of marriage.
I feel blessed to have such great parents-in-law!

Last night was another marathon night of TV... almost like a full time job to keep up with all the shows I am invested into right now!
I have more to watch tonight again, too.

This morning after my
TWO CLASS TWOSDAY at the gym,
I got chatting with a friend, ELLA,
I met earlier on. We often get chatting after classes, so today I suggested going for a coffee. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with her and getting to know more about her. I can see we will go for more coffees in the future as well.
I am always open to welcoming new friends into my big CIRCLE of FRIENDS!

Tonight along with my big TV line up... we are having MARIAH for a sleepover. This will be fun. I get to hang out with her all day tomorrow as well, and get her to her dancing too.
I love my GRAMMIE D bonding when ever I get those chances. I am guessing there will be some more photos for the next blog as well!

Today my niece in Vancouver, EMILY, is 15 and my cousin, Laura's daughter, IRISH in Australia is 4. So many celebrations in October!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

So on that note....
time for some rhyme!

Now with more FREEDOM.
it allows me more FUN!
So that's what I do, and I just have a ton.
And always the pleasures
are doubled with friends,
Infact that's when HAPPINESS
just never ends.
Then add in a CAMERA,
and lots of LAUGHS, too...
And mix in FALL COLORS,
and oh what they'll do.
A big open field way out on a farm,
And then there is just
so much more CHARM!
Hang up some TAP SHOES
right in a tree,
And then get some SCOOTERS
to photograph me!
So much to do
and lots to CELEBRATE,
My life is so special
and always so GREAT!
One big circle of FUN
just leads to some more...
Whether spent with some FRIENDS
or with peeps I adore!
Whether out and about...
or when I'm at the gym,
Whether keeping my weight up...
or trying to get slim...
Whoever I'm with...
I feel LUCKY and BLESSED...
Cuz I feel that my life
is truly the BEST!

So Many CiRCLES!

"Friends, you and me...you brought another friend...and then there were three...we started our group...our circle of friends...and like that our circle of friends... there is no beginning or end."
-Eleanor Roosevelt


"If you love someone, put their name in a circle; because hearts can be broken, but circles never end."
-Author Unknown


"In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us."
-Flora Edwards


"The next best thing to being wise oneself, is to live in a circle of those who are."
-C.S. Lewis

Mariah was so proud to show me the collauge on her kindergarten
classroom wall on Friday when I picked her up.
This shows the little FAMiLY CiRCLE she lives in.
I love that it not only has her family ... but also includes stickers!
She has begun to make many little CiCLES of FRiENDS now at Kindergarten, too.

Here is a pic of Jana and Mariah at
Jana's store, SWANK SHOE LOUNGE on Friday
where Jana sells lots of cool footwear to the
CIRCLE of shoe buyers out there!
I love the new photos on the store walls.  

I zoomed in on this sign on their wall at SWANK SHOE LOUNGE,
A great little saying for the CIRCLE of LIFE! 

Here is BEAU with the daycare giver, when I picked him up on Friday.
Beau's little circle of friends is now growing  too! 

Here is Beau laying on his kitchen floor
surrounded by the many circles/polka dots on my socks! 

Sweet little BEAU playing happily in his own little room
on Friday after I got him from daycare.
His big brown eyes are like two big CICLES!

I know I have posted this pic a few times in my blog before
but it seemed appropriate... because not only was this photo taken a year ago yesterday,
October 15th, 2010...
But it is my one and only photo with all of us in it.
My mom, my kids and my grandkids...4 generations of the CIRCLE of LiFE.
This was also the very last photo ever taken of my mom,
she passed away 10 days later. 

This card sort of portrays many CiRCLES for me ...
My love of cards, crafting, tap, polka dots,
Starbucks
and MEMORiES!
(Even the Starbucks symbol is a CIRCULAR shape!)

A CiRCLE kind of memory for me...
One of my tap classes at BSOBAD in the fall of 2007.
A little CiRCLE of TAPPiNESS!!!

Another CiRCLE filled memory for me ...
Working at JAMMEEZ!
so many circles on so many bags.

Not surprising that one of the very many THEMES
I chose for dance exams REVOLVED
AROUND CiRCLES and POLKA DOTS!
Tap Exams 2008.

SPOT the fun in this photo of a CiRCLE of relatives!
This photo was one taken in November of 2008
Here L. to R. are
My cousin GWEN, my AUNTIE BETTY,
 my sister-in-law, ARLEEN, and my cousin, JAN.
We all met to hear my Cousin Jan sing in Winnepeg... such a fun memory!
(All holding polka dot bags I gave them from the JAMMEEZ store!)




Today as I thought about a new THEME for my blog, the thought of CiRCLES came to mind.

Yesterday morning at my
8:30 AM Body Vive class...
I ran into my friend and former boss, LORI, 
from the JAMMEEZ store where 
I used to work for a while .
It got me thinking of all the fun memories I had while working there amongst the many many polka dots...and introducing me to a whole new CiRCLE of friends! It was like working in a little POLKA DOT WORLD!!!

For those of you who do not know of this store, it sold polka dot bags and purses of every size shape and style imaginable along with many fun accessories and ofcourse, ... "JAMMEEZ"!
This store went out of business around this time of year last fall ...October 2010.

Lori, the owner, did that as a side line to her other job of teaching kindergarten. Infact, she even taught Mariah and Beau's dad, NELS, back when he was in kindergarten!
SMALL WORLD!

So this got me thinking of all the circles of friends I have had in the CIRCLE of my LIFE!

When I began to think of it... there are just
SO MANY CIRCLES!

And for those of you who know me,
you know I LOVE a CiRCLE...
because when added together
circles create polka dots!!!!

Anyhow... yesterday I started to chat with a friend on FB, (Arlene), when another friend on FB, (Joan), mentioned she was going to Starbucks for coffee!
I actually met Arlene on FB last year
 and we have become 
good friends and soul mates ever since!
Joan's daughter's danced at my studio, 
years ago, but Joan and I reconnected on FB last summer and have been connecting for meals and coffees ever since!
Joan and I enjoyed a nice visit yesterday over a Starbucks latte!


Later, Brian and I met with friends,
Cal and Julie, for supper.
Which once again got me thinking about all the CIRCLES of friends I know... and all the memories attached to them.
Cal and Julie used to run the little coffee shop, called JAVA ZONE, by my dance studio.... 
which I went to a lot back in the day!
Their daughter Chelsea danced for many years at my studio, as well.

This morning, Brian and I went for our traditional Sunday morning breakfast at Fuddruckers and sat with more friends from yet another CiRCLE!
Dance teacher friend, Joanne and her parents, Brenda and Earl asked us to join them.
We had quite the conversation about how technology is changing the world of communications. It still revolved around my theme of the CIRCLE once again!

We often meet friends Bob and Jacquie there and or Darryl and Gail...
also from different circles of friends!

OH.... my lists and circles are endless... from immediate family  to close friends and neighbours, to dance friends, school friends, kid's friends, grandkids friends, FB friends, friends through jobs, friends of friends, 
etc, etc!!!
The more friends... the bigger the circle... the more circles... the more polka dots!!!

 I posted the picture above of me with my mom, my kids and my grandkids taken in the hospital on OCTOBER 15th, 2010. It is such a cherished photo for me because it holds such a memory of this time and lead up to mom's passing last year. My son, Colin, (who really dislikes being in a photo), was home from Montreal 
visiting us for his first time in nearly 3 years.
That was a special visit.
He was home for the celebration of his other grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary, but also got his last chance to see my mom,
then too.

This was just one of those memories in the CiRCLE of LiFE
that I will hold so close to my heart forever.

Today we will once again enjoy some of our
FAMiLY CiRCLE.
Brian is making some lasagne for us today.
Jana, Nels, Mariah, Beau and my brother Brian will come over and join us for 
a supper together.

So in the many circles of friends and family I am blessed to be a part of near and far, it reminds me just how many circles there really are in the world and in my own little
CiRCLE of LiFE I revolve around in!


Family celebrations continue...
My in-laws, BLANCHE and GREG,
will celebrate their 
61st Wedding Anniversary tomorrow.


My niece, EMILY, will celebrate her 15th Birthday on Tuesday.


Wishing all of them HAPPINESS as they celebrate their special days and milestones.

... which brings me AROUND
to my poem of the day!

I like circles... because they are round!
And also the connections to so much,
I've found.
In my life, I'm lucky to have so many friends,
So many circles... and so many blends,
The reasons I know them, and I get along,
Makes my life feel like it's
one big round song!
The singing and music are different it seems,
But surely revolve around all of my dreams.
My family circle and circles of friends,
Add verses to my life song
that just never ends.
It's good and it adds some variety, too,
As I go around with all that I do.
So circles are round and they also are fun,
They're like many polka dots, and I have a ton!
I never get tired of things that have dots,
Dots are like circles and they can grow lots.
I'd rather have lots, than not to have any....
I really think one just can not have too many!

PLaNS cAn CHaNGE!

"Things do not change; we change."
-Henry David Thorough


"It is in changing that things find purpose."
-Heraclitus


"Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans."
-John Lennon

MARIAH in one of her mom's dance costumes
on Wednesday watching this adorable little girl
SOPHIA GRACE singing on ELLEN!
I think Ellen discovers great talents on youtube
and makes wonderful CHANGES in people's lives. 

Watching the little
girls on Ellen inspired MARIAH to
DANCE around my family room! 

ELLEN talking with the adorable little girls from
 ESSEX ENGLAND
Sophia Grace and her little cousin Rosie!
They were just TUTU cute! 

MARIAH and her little dancing friend, CHLOE,
sitting on the Main Entrance sign of the Dance Studio
on Wednesday following their dance lesson...
They were also TuTu cute!
Hard to believe how much the weather has
CHANGED since two days ago.

I was treated to a lunch at GRAINFIELDS
yesterday with my mom's friend CLARA. 

This is a wall hanging that is still up in my dining room.
I received this from a dance student, KELLY,
in my final year of teaching.
He popped by yesterday for some musical advice
now that he, too, is a dance teacher.

This is what the little plaque says on the above picture.
Kelly always holds a special spot in my heart as one of the
 VERY MANY DANCERS  I taught over the years!

Just had to share this cute photo of Beau from our
Sunday morning Fuddrucker's outing! 

Jana texted this photo of Beau to me this morning,
do they come any cuter???!!!


Today as I sit down with my vanilla coffee in my red polka dot mug, that says...
"LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT" 
And I have just completed my daily oatmeal which had this
happy heart tip today...
"Never underestimate your capacity for change."

...I begin my daily blog!

This week has seen a few CHANGES to my regular weekly schedule, but it is all good.

Wednesday, Jana asked me to take Mariah to her weekly dance lesson. I actually have taken her to 3 out of the six so far this season. I do enjoy that kind of bonding with my grand daughter, so am always happy to take her.
We didn't do our traditional STARBUCKS stop along the way, though! Mariah apparently had already gone to Starbucks that morning... hehehe... I thought we could still go, but she was fine with the one Starbucks trip that day!

Mariah was so inspired by two little girls singing on ELLEN before we headed to the dance studio, that she wanted a costume on and she danced around my family room.I must say those little girls were very inspiring and so entertaining, not to mention talented!

Yesterday I had many plans ... I normally go to the gym  thursday mornings, and had also planned to get to the studio to get some pumpkins and Halloween decor hanging on the bulletin boards before
October slips away on me!
However... my plans for the day had a bit of a shift. Once again it was all good.

I took my mom's friend, Clara to a follow up Dr. appointment for her fractured pelvic bone that she fell and hurt last week. The Dr. was running very behind, so we had a very long wait. Clara offered to treat me to lunch following the appointment, which was so sweet of her.
I know she really appreciates what I have done for her, and really I am so happy to help her, as she was such a big help to my mom always.
Clara no longer drives, and all of her children do not live in the city.

My plans to get studio decorations hanging went by the way side, when I got a call from former dance student...(now dance teacher) KELLY. He was wanting to pop by to get some musical advice. I felt flattered to be able to help him out and loan him a few CDs. Kelly was always one of those dance students that held a special spot in my heart...
I am always so proud of any dance students I have taught who go on to any kind of dance profession. I am happy to know that I have made some kind of impact on the direction they have chosen for their career.

So needless to say there are still no pumpkins on the studio bulletin boards!!!

Today I would have gone to the gym again, but was asked to get Mariah from her kindergarten at noon. Her little class is doing a field trip to the "FRANCES MORRISON LIBRARY" today. Jana said Mariah is pretty proud of the fact she knew her, as a great great Auntie!

In order to get my blog up, I skipped this morning's body flow class... will maybe do two gym classes tomorrow morning !

Later today I will pick up Beau from his day care, too.  Tomorrow afternoon and evening I will babysit both grandkiddies, as well.

It is a good thing I LOVE my GRANDKIDS to pieces... because I do have lots of opportunities to babysit them and bond with them on their journey through their little lives.

Being "GRAMMIE D" is one of the best things that ever happened to me!

I have been enjoying many TV shows,
 lately...I try to tape them all and watch
them when I can fit them into the PLAN!

I was always a big fan of ROSIE O'DONNELL back in the day, and have enjoyed her new show on OWN TV channel. I have taped the new OPRAH'S LIFE LESSONS show, too,
 also on Oprah's new channel OWN TV.

I still LOVE ELLEN DEGENERES, though, she just makes me smile! She has done so much to discover and promote new talents,
 and she is so charming with her
quick sense of fun and wit.

X-Factor also has me hooked. I am wondering if there was a CHANGE of PLAN in that show yesterday, though, as the broadcast was the same one yesterday as the day previous!

Dancing With The Stars is good, too. Although I do think the voting public is not voting in favor of the ones who
DO KNOW HOW TO DANCE!!!!

A show that Brian and I enjoy together is
"THE BIG BANG THEROY"
 It comes on several times a week...
and is a fun little sitcom!

My days do not always go according to plan... but I just go with the flow and see where my day leads me!

And on that thought...
here is my rhyme of the day!

Some days there is just a change of plan,
And I try to follow through the best I can!
CHANGE can very often work out well...
As the things I do instead are just as swell!
Usually I just try to go with the flow...
And follow to see where my day will go.
The changes I have, I really do not mind,
I just take them in my stride,
and see what I can find.
Sometimes CHANGE is as good as a rest,
And doing something different
can be just the best!