CoCo's Corner

As I've said before, I have a horrible, nasty, disgusting habit.  I am constantly chewing and picking at my cuticles and around my nails.  It's insane how bad it is.  I was doing research on the subject and found that people who have this horrible habit tend to not do it if they get acrylic nails.  So, for the first time in my life, and only because of my nasty habit, I spent the dollars and got acrylic nails.  So far, I am so busy concentrating on rubbing the nails and getting used to the feel that I have no desire to chew and pick.  I hope it stays that way!!!

Last post and it's reserved for the thing I am the most grateful for, the most thankful for and so happy they are in my life!!! I am so thankful for my little family.  I adore each and every one of you.  You are the thing that keeps me sane, but drives me crazy. You are the thing that I adore.  You are the thing that I appreciate each and every day that I have you in my life.  So - here's to you!!  You are all amazing!!! Theodore!! Crystal and Brandon!!! Randi and Joe!!! KayeLynn!!! Jaja and Rustie!!! DeeDee!!! Aedynn!!! Zachary!!! Chelsea!!! Lydia!!! Gabriel!!! Little Bean yet named!!! You are my world, you are my everything, you are my sanity, you are the thing that makes me continue.  I love each and every one of you!!!

Today I am thankful for education.  I am currently taking pretty much a full load of online courses.  It keeps  me busy, busy, busy!!!  It is giving me options for my future. I have learned a lot - I have about five more lessons in one class and I will be done for the semester.  I have another full load next semester.  At this point, I don't know if I'll ever get to use it - but, I sure hope so.

Thankful for peace, quiet and sleeping in my own bed.

I got a big brother.  I got an amazing big brother.  I am so lucky to have the most amazing big brother.  I love my big brother.  Happy Birthday Big Brother!!!

You never, ever, ever thought you would hear this from me - I am thankful for work!!! I have been off for the last week - and it's been great - but I AM EXHAUSTED!!!!  Saturday, the 17th, I made one of the turkey and stuffings for my big family Thanksgiving.  Then I spent the next few days getting ready for my mother-in-law to arrive and then for Thanksgiving Day.   Then yesterday, up to Idaho Falls and back. I am exhausted - and looking forward to going back to work. Next up - Christmas.

I know this one isn't going to be people's favorite - but, here goes: I am extremely thankful for Christmas music.  Not just Christmas music, but the oldies.  Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald.  Madonna's attempt at Santa Baby ain't got nothing on the smooth and sultry Eartha Kitt.  Burl Ives singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is the only rendition that I believe in.  Nobody but Bing can sing White Christmas and Blue Christmas belongs to Elvis. I won't allow Christmas music to be played until the day after Thanksgiving - however, once Thanksgiving is over, its the only music I listen to (pretty much) until December 26.  On December 26, I don't listen anymore. My favorite singer at Christmas time is Dean Martin.  I love listening to Dean.  It wasn't until today that I realized why.  When I listen to Dean Martin he sounds like my dad did when my dad would sing.  That sweet baritone voice singing so cle...

Today - I am so very thankful for sleep aids. Because Ted's mom is spending the week with us, Ted and I moved to the upstairs guest bedroom.  Ted and I are used to sleeping on a king sized bed and never touching each other as we sleep.  One of the things we have in common is our desire to not have anybody touching us while trying to sleep - neither of us a sleep cuddlers.  We are sleeping in a queen sized bed right now - so less space.  Plus, the upstairs tends to get warmer than the downstairs - and neither of us like sleeping in heat.  Friday morning, I was awakened by the horrible snoring noises and Ted tossing and turning. I ended up going downstairs and watching television for a couple of hours.  I went back to bed when Ted left to go Black Friday shopping. I was so tired yesterday, I took a sleeping pill.  I have had them on hand because of the menopausal problems that makes it difficult for me to sleep.  I slept SOOOOO good.  I sle...

Today I am thankful for memories.  Having spent the last several days with my mother-in-law and time spent with my own mother, I love to hear their memories.  I love to listen to the memories of my children; a lot of time I don't remember anything about what they are talking about. Memories are what make us and I am thankful for them.

My feet hurt, my legs hurt, I'm exhausted.  It's been a full day and I had a full house.  I loved ever second of it, I love every ache and every pain in my body I've been up and moving since 6:00 this morning.  I actually had it pretty easy this Thanksgiving.  I had a lot of things already done.  The house was pretty clean, except I needed to sweep and mop the floor - so I did do a lot of sitting around today. I did have one bump in the road when I found out that the ham and rolls that were expected at the office were not there. I ran and got a couple of hams and some rolls - those kids that had to work today deserved to be fed.  I am so grateful that my BFF Elaine met me there with her roaster pan to warm up the hams. I am so thankful for the family that got to come and join Ted and I for Thanksgiving.  I love that all of my kids were here.  Dinner turned out pretty danged delicious, if I do say so myself.  And dessert was just as good...

Very thankful that my mother-in-law made it here safe and sound.  We've had a fun day together.  Made her breakfast this morning - then we went and did a little shopping.  Lunch and left her in Ted's care while I went to the bank and grocery store.  Went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse after I made a couple of pies.  She enjoyed her meal, but, she had to bring a lot of it home -  because they gave her a couple of ribs before dinner. I am thankful to have her in our home this Thanksgiving - Ted says it's the first time she has visited him in about 30 years.  He was actually a bit nervous about it - I was a lot nervous about it.  It's going to be a good holiday.

I'm having a hard time being thankful today.  I am overwhelmed and undermotivated.  I am trying to get everything into place that I can before Thursday - because Ted's mom will be here tonight.  I still have two bathrooms to clean, sheets to change, floors to sweep and counters to wipe down.  Probably about an hour and a half of work, but, very difficult making myself get up and do it. Well, I guess I can be thankful for the vacation time I had to use and the decision to use it this week.  Because of this, I can be off this entire week while Ted's mom is here and it gives me time to get ready for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Vacation time - paid time off - good thing to be thankful for.

I have an amazing family.  An awesome husband. Wonderful grandchildren. Amazing kids. One of those kids came to me 26 years ago today.  I adore him with all my heart.  He is so sensitive, yet strong. Funny, yet serious, professional and focused.  To those he loves, he loves with every ounce of his being.  I have never known someone who loves so fully. I am thankful every day that I have him in my life.  The bond between this mother and that son is undeniable, unbroken and solid.  I adore him and he reciprocates by letting me know that he loves me. Happy Birthday Baby Boy.  I am thankful every day that I was blessed to have you in my life. LUBBA LUBBA YOU!!!

I am thankful that my children - all of my children - have not irritated the bejeebers out of me by gauging their ears. I find the habit of gauging weird, odd and it makes my throat burn a little bit in the back of it when I see someone with really BIG gauges. I was at the grocery store and they must have a policy against wearing gauges - because I saw two different employees with their ear lobes dangling without the gauge in them.  That makes me a little more nauseated. I am not judgmental against the person - I know that it has nothing to do with person.  They are either good or bad and I know both kind of people with and without gauges.  There is just something about it that gives me the willys. Sure hope my grandkids are like their parents and don't do it.  Cuz I don't want to be weirded out by my grandchildren. :-) Thanks kids!!!!

Today, I am thankful for my amazing and wonderful huge Nay/Loebrick family. Today we had our HUGE family Thanksgiving feast and party.  It was much fun.  I wish everyone could have been there - sadly, there were quite a few who couldn't come.  But, we had a great time.  Here is a countdown of the legacy my mother and father have left this world: MOM AND DAD + FIVE KIDS - FOUR GIRLS AND ONE BOY (I'M THE BABY) + ALL OF THE KIDS HAVE SPOUSES + TWENTY GRANDCHILDREN and THEIR SPOUSES/PARTNERS + 43 GREAT GRANDCHILDREN Waiting for everyone and hanging out Patiently waiting for dinner and coloring Waiting for food!!! Gonna eat soon - I swear!! Almost time to eat Pretty Princess Chelsea Master turkey carvers in action More cooking dinner!! My adorable daughter and her handsome son This was the vision from the clouds on our drive over There is just something very ethereal about it. I am s...

Today I am going to be thankful for work bingo. Every year, the Police Mutual Aid Association hosts a bingo night.  I started going about eight years ago.  The nice thing is, I have come home with my family Thanksgiving turkey every year.  Usually because whoever I am with wins it for me - Crystal, KayeLynn or Ted. This year, Ted won my turkey.  However, he won my Christmas ham, too!!  So excited about that!!

What to be thankful for. What to be grateful for. What to be happy that I have in my life. What to be amazed at that I have attained. I am very thankful, grateful and happy to have the beautiful house that I call home.  Though there are things I would love to change about it - I am not fond of the kitchen set up; though I have a lot of beautiful in my kitchen.  I want to put in laminate wood floors in my living room. But, I have a lovely home, that is perfect for me and my honey.  And for that I am thankful.

Today I am very thankful for those that get me through the day.

This is getting harder and harder.  I must be an exceptional ingrate!!!  I am sitting on my couch, thinking "what can I write about today".  I can't force myself to appreciate school today.  I can't make myself be thankful about much of anything right now.  SO - here I go - SQUEEZE my eyes shut, think-think-think-think!!! I am very thankful for my cute little white sporty car.  I love to drive it.  I love to push down the gas on it.  I love to get in it and drive here and drive there.  I like that it gets warm pretty quickly.  I like that it's just fun. I am thankful that I get to drive a sporty and fun, adorable little white car - even though I would much rather have it be green or Vitamin C Orange. :)

Its the twelfth day and I have eighteen to go.  Its pretty bad that I have no clue what to be thankful for.  I have some things set aside in my mind to be thankful for later - so don't y'all be second guessing me. I'm not senile and wondering why I don't have anything to be grateful for.  So I'm going simple: I am grateful that I am able to sit, unwind, do homework, do nothing, eat dinner, throw the dishes in the dishwasher, watch television and actually have a moment in the day that all I have to do is worry about what I need to do.  I am grateful for me time - even if I am sharing it.  I am grateful that I get to sit on my behind and do what I need and want to do. I am thankful that I have time to just do nothing.

If my daddy were alive, he would be 90 years old.  He passed away in 1995 and when he died he was given full military honors at his burial site.  He was an infantry man who fought in the Pacific in World War II.  He was discharged when his hearing was damaged.  He didn't talk much about his experiences.  He did not want to go to war, he did not like going to war - it was something he and many young men like him did during that time seventy years ago - it was their responsibility   He was from a very strong and silent generation - the generation that built this country. My father-in-law, who passed away this last July, was a veteran of the Korean War.  Another man from that strong and silent generation.  He also did what he felt was his responsibility.  He was sure that the world was going to end because of the nuclear arms that were invented during the previous war - that the super powers would find a way to implode the world. ...

What would my life be if I didn't acknowledge the nerdiest, dorkiest man in the world.  It's his birthday today and it was kind of sucky.  He wouldn't tell you it was - he glories in every minute.  I say it's sucky because there was over a foot of snow on the ground, I have been freezing every second of the day and I have had no desire to do anything but snuggle into anything I can to keep warm. We went out for a bit for lunch - we had to take his rickety, ratty old Jeep Wrangler.  It smells horrible inside and bounces like crazy.  When he applied the brakes, the snow would slide from the roof into the front of the windshield.  At one point, we stopped at an intersection and all of the snow landed in front of the windshield.  It was quite the treat moving from the intersection into a spot where he could get the snow off the front of the windshield.  The only place I was ever warm was this morning in my bed - from the moment I got out of it, I've...

It's been snowing pretty much constant since early this morning.  I drove to work in sleety snow, I drove home in huge snow flakes and slush.  It snowed all night.  It was cold.  It was wet.  I have been freezing all night.  I am thankful for blankets, sweaters, sweatshirts, fluffy socks and warmth.

I literally am going to do it.  I am just going short and sweet.  I am going to tell it like it really is: Yesterday, I had a BUNCH of  leaves in my yard that had fallen from my trees.  I knew I would probably be getting home before dark and a bit early.  I figured I would have to rake them up when I got home, because I knew it was going to start storming tomorrow.  When I got home, my front lawn was clean - and my poor neighbor across the street had all my leaves. NOPE - I didn't even think of going to rake them for her - because the wind is so freaking bad, I knew they would be in someone else's yard tomorrow.  :) I give thanks, only one time ever and will never again, for the wind.  Now I wish it would just go away!!!

I'm done with political.  I'm done with politics.  I'm done with that bull crap - so I am gonna have to find something other than for today.  AHHHH - the heck with it - one more!!! Today I am going to be simple.  I am thankful that this morning that Ted and I - after ignoring the election last night, though on two different sides of the spectrum, could come to the joint conclusion that 42 years is much too long to serve in the Senate.  Time to go Orrin!!!  You better not be lying that you aren't running again!!

Most everyone on Facebook is grateful for the ability to vote.  And I concur.  This is something to be incredibly grateful for. I want to take this further, though.  There are many countries where democracies are status quo; Canada, France, England, many other European - places all over the globe..  Wonderful places to live and breathe. The US is an amazing place - something for everyone.  If you want to live in the warmth, you can.  If you want to live where there are four seasons, you can.  If you want to live in the mountains, in the valley, in the dessert, in the plains, in the green, you can.  If you want to live in the city, in the country, you can.  The point is, you have freedom.  You can live and go where you please. In the US we have elections.  We have these elections every two years.  We have local, statewide, national elections.  In the US, we sometimes take that right and that responsibility for granted...

Politics were always fun to me - anyway, the politics of the party I believe in.  It became a bit of a sticky wicket when Ted and I became close.  Ted and I are polar opposites when it comes to politics.  In fact, we joke a bit every election how we are just cancelling each other out.  It became a little less fun to me - because he is very staunch in his beliefs. I and especially my son-in-law Brandon are very staunch in ours (I had a hell of time getting that to be grammatically correct and I know it's still not).  It's actually so bad that I can't say, "I'm right" without Ted snickering and thinking it's funny - I always have to say, "I'm correct" to avoid any discussion about it.  That being said, I have banned any type of political discussion at family dinners, etc.   I even have to tell my mother to stop every once in a while - because I don't want any type of discord or raised voices in my home.  Family and politics don't mix. ...

Before the sunrise Waiting for the sun Getting closer There's some sun Coming around Cameron Outpost Suspension bridge in Cameron - not used anymore At the Wukpatki National Monument Some of the ruins - they were built on a precipice More ruins I didn't see the DO NOT ENTER sign until I exited.  OOPS  - but from the footprints I saw, I wasn't the only one :) Meteor Crater Joe helping Lydia look through the telescopes Papa is gonna come down the stairs The Hitt family waiting to go back up the stairs - IT WAS A HOT DAY!! Lydia in the museum - they had a place to show you standing at the bottom of the crater. Aedynn in the crater Papa and I in the crater - Aedynn took the picture Lydia.  She and I colored alot!! Aedynn watching TV Pat Tillman Bridge Another view Papa and I at Hoover Dam

Ted and I took an extended weekend and drove to Phoenix to see Ted's daughter Randi, her husband Joe and to see our grandkiddos Aedynn and Lydia.  We left Thursday night, after Ted got off work and drove to Springdale, Utah.  Springdale is right outside of Zion Park. We got up at 4:00 in the morning on Friday to drive through Zion Park in the dark so we could get to a spot Ted remembered seeing years ago on another drive.  He wanted to hit it at sunrise - like he had before.   I have to say, it was a lovely sight.  We figure it's the very east end of the Grand Canyon, where it just starts to crack open the earth.  We took some beautiful pictures there.  From there, we drove through the Indian reservation.  It's a very vast and barren area.  The houses are long distances from each other. We made our way into Cameron, AZ.  It's a small trading post, hotel and restaurant.  We had breakfast there.  It was a lovely little outpos...

Monster High Girls!! Today I am devoting my thanks to my granddaughter Chelsea.  I am extremely grateful for all of my grandbabies - but, today it's Chelsea's day. Chelsea was born a bright and beautiful Halloween morning.  Her mom didn't want her to share her birthday with the holiday - because Halloween is her mother's very favorite. Today is Chelsea's birthday party and because of her birthdate, it's a Halloween theme.  Actually, Chelsea loves anything Monster High - so that is the theme; but, everyone is invited to come in their costumes.  I'm going in costume - I'm dressing with the theme.  If everything works out ok, I will be Frankie Stein's older cousin or maybe her grandmother - CoCoStein .  I'm very excited. Anyway - back to Chelsea.  What an amazingly smart, adorable, precocious, insane, funny, manipulative, kleptomaniac child.  I added the descriptor kleptomaniac because that's what her mother called her just yesterday. ...

Today, I am thankful for my health. I am a chubby, old lady.  Which means, I am not in the fittest of shapes.  However, I am, for the most part, pretty healthy.  I can get from here to there without the aid of a jazzy.  I can get down on the floor and play with the kids - little harder to get back up.  I love to laugh.  I hate to cry.  I take a few pills in the morning to help me lose weight.  I take a few pills at bedtime to deal with a thyroid issue, a pain in the neck, a cholesterol problem from years of eating too much fat and a pill for the stomach problems I've developed from being a worry wart. I have made a new commitment to my health recently.  I am trying to lose weight (hence the drugs) and I am trying to get back into shape.  Today, I went back to the pool.  I honestly forget how much I absolutely love to work out.  My problem is getting my behind up off the couch and getting the motivation to get...

Facebook and my blog are my sanctuaries.  I appreciate that I have a place to go to see how friends and family are.  I appreciate I have a place to go to write down my thoughts.  Though it's a silly thing to appreciate, I really do.  There are times that just a stolen moment, when I can go just look at my Facebook page is really just the thing to get my head back.  It's just that second that I take to take a breath and regroup my thoughts. I post stupid stuff and silly stuff.  I don't want it too serious.  I try not to complain, though there are times that I do.  I like to see everyone's pictures.  I like to see what people have to say.  It's just a happy place. Today, I saw someone complain or post that "why do people only post in November what they are thankful for? Why not all year?".  Well, guess what, people are rude - and I can guarantee that by the end of this month, people are going to be ornery and start complaining tha...

So - my amazing daughter - who is the sweetest in the land started this.  I see people doing it on Facebook, but, as I say, this is my sanctuary.  This is where I can just say what I want to say.  So, in the spirit of the season, I am going to join her.  She has so many amazing ideas - I don't know where she gets her smarts. On my first day, I want to give thanks to my sister Carol.  Though this post is for yesterday, it's late.  And guess what - it was her birthday yesterday - and I was late wishing her Happy Birthday. I called her today and wished her Happy Birthday and I begged forgiveness for my, yet again, failure to call her on the right day.  She is always so forgiving of my faux pas.  She is an extremely sweet woman and I appreciate that she forgives me every year.  :-)