Winter doldrums!

The simple truth is that I am completely tired of winter.
Its amazing in the fall when all the leaves have vacated the trees and the grass turns brown, how natural and even exciting the first snowfall can be. I rush to the window to see the tiny white flakes falling from the sky as if I had never seen them before.  Gently blanketing the dormant ground.
Suddenly, I catch my breath in the midst of enjoying the new fallen snow and think, Dear Lord this is going to be here until April!

Fall, that was 6 months ago!

I long for my patio time in the sun.
I miss my patio rest after my morning run.
I miss long walks with my dearest friend Laura.
I miss pool time with friends.
I miss the warmth of the sunshine on my skin.
I miss the smell of fresh cut grass.
I miss iced coffee that feels refreshing.
I miss my bike and the long rides through St. Paul.
I miss being able to walk to my car and not run creating a wind chill.
I miss taking my dog for a walk.
I miss opening my windows!
I miss seeing people driving convertibles with the top down. (although if it hits 50 this will happen!)
I miss grilling, or even just the smell of someone else grilling down the street!
I miss spontaneous bonfires on cool evenings with friends and neighbors.

While I miss all these things I cannot help but think of how spoiled I have
been these last 4 months.

                                      December we were blessed with a free trip to Aruba!!!

           February we took our daughter Kelsey on her graduation gift cruise to the Bahama's

                                  Just last week I was blessed with a trip to Arizona for 5 days.

So I really have nothing at all to complain about and that is not what I am doing here. (OK well maybe that's not entirely true.) I do miss summer and everything warm.
Winter does has its advantages though. As I was blogging this very post I found a huge spider in my downstairs bathroom! It was DOA which makes me wonder if one of us brought it back in our suitcase from our recent travels! AHHH!!
As much as I hate spiders it gave me  fresh hope of Spring as well as a new appreciation for winter and ALL that it lays dormant for 6 months!
Funny how a silly spider can put all my thoughts into perspective. I am thankful for where I live and that I am only 3 hours away from anywhere warm that I want to go for a winter get away.
Holding on to the Hope of Spring but flushing the spider! I will enjoy 31 degrees today from the sunshine stream inside my home!

Life's Deer Moments

As a young girl I was never very fond of the movie Bambi. I felt the sad storyline was a bit on depressing side even as a small child.

But one week of my life I got to catch a glimpse of Bambi's little life!
My brother and his friend were traveling through a what used to be remote part of our city. When they saw the deer on the side of the road. They stopped to see if the mother was near. She was and she must have been hit by a car earlier. The fawn stayed nearby 

  Not knowing what to do but overwhelmed with compassion for this young animal, my brother scooped up the baby and took him home.

What was he going to do? How would this poor deer eat? Where would this poor deer live?

I recall I was feeling a bit under the weather and laying on the couch in the living room, (that lovely red one seen there in the picture!) watching TV very late that night when my brother walked in carrying a deer. A live baby deer in my living room.

It was one of those moments you wonder, is this really happening?  How high is my fever?
I quickly realized this was real and we really did have a fawn in our living room. As the Swanson's do, we had to name this little fellow who would be part of our household indefinitely. 

We named him Kahuna. He was so sweet and so scared. His legs still rather unsteady from being so small.  We fed him from a bottle, I believe we just used baby formula. He was strong and had a darling personality. 

He would walk up to you and suck on your ear lobes. It was so funny. Certainly not something you get to do every day! 

We obviously knew we could not keep him so we ended up giving him to Camp Courage. A camp for people with disabilities. They had a lot of land and agreed to take him in.

What a joy to be a part of a week in Kahuna’s life.

Sometimes the little joy’s in life are over looked, but not this one. This experience made me the compassionate person that I am today when it comes to animals.

Thanks to a little deer named, Kahuna. 

DOG STORIES: Rocky 10

The Rocky Story

Rocky came into my life as a puppy.  Somehow , somewhere one of my brothers acquired him.

He was the cutest little puppy. His little rubber tummy and puppy breath captured my heart from the get go.

He was however a little on the, CHEWY side!

Rocky loved to chew bones, toys, shoes, the couch. Yes, I said the couch.

He took it upon himself one day while part of the family was in Washington DC for a little vacation, to chew apart our couch.

Rocky was a sweet dog but on the day brains were handed out in heaven he was chewing the Throne!

He was basically an idiot. But nevertheless he captured the heart of young Jenni and I just loved him through every mess he made.

Until one spring day when I was a Senior in high school and still taking the bus. Rocky had decided that morning to eat my little sisters blankie. Which was really nothing more than a strand of blanket.

While I stood on the corner, waiting for the bus, Dad let rocky outside to go potty.

Rocky, wandered in circles for quite sometime, some are familiar with this process, we call it the poop walk.

Then he was squealing like a pig and my dad went out to see what was the matter. He quickly assessed the situation and realized that Rocky had consumed the BLANKIE STRAND without much chewing involved and was now struggling to……… “eliminate” it!!!! Rocky was frantic. Dad was chasing him, trying to step on the partially “Eliminated” blanket now dragging behind Rocky while Rocky squealed. Dad taking steps forward flopping one foot out in front of him to attempt to catch the blanket strand under his foot to hopefully pull it loose. 

The bus was of course late that day as the 6 of us stood there watching the Rocky and Don Show.

It was quite a sight!

I recall being rather embarrassed as we all disembarked the bus that afternoon after school was over.

As we parted ways one neighbor boy whispered to me quietly, “I hope your dog is ok” and laughed with the others as they walked past my driveway!

Yet another wonderful animal moment brought to you by Hometown Entertainment!

Temporary Technical Difficulty!

In the words of Norwegians everywhere, UF DA!!

Last month I thought it would be fun to change my blog background and design.
DISCLAIMER: This should only be attempted when a professional is there to assist you!

I decided that I want my pictures to be the biggest piece of my blog. Great idea, bad template!

The template that I chose was called Snapshots. It listed all of your posts according to the picture you were telling the story about.



Again, great idea + bad template + Not tech savvy girl = not being able to post since December 28th because I couldn't find the icon to do it and couldn't change it back the original template!
Run on sentence, I know.
I was getting very frustrated as it has been over a month since my last post. I contemplated starting a new blog just to get back on the radar. But my stubborn pride was determined to figure this out. I was in it for the long haul! I even asked my very tech savvy husband just the other day if he could help me and within seconds I took it away because I was determined to figure it out myself.

Well, lo and behold this morning in my devotional it talked about relinquishing control. Trusting that God can do immeasurably more than we ask or even imagine.
Quoting Luke 1:7 FOR NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!

I prayed over my computer and put my hands on my head and prayed for wisdom!
I kid you not, within seconds I realized what I needed to do.
GOD IS GREAT!! DON'T LIMIT HIM TO ONLY BIG THINGS! HE CARES ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS TOO!!
Me and my blog are one again and the pet stories will resume ASAP!

I will be redesigning my blog again but not without a professional next to me to guide and assist.

HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!

Let the pet stories begin!

I decided to begin a new series. I am still unsure as to what to title it. Pet Stories or Things you just can't make up! Perhaps both would be best. 

As I was getting my hair done the other day. I started to tell my hair stylist a story from Thanksgiving years ago. She told me, "Jen, you can't make this stuff up. You need to blog it." 

So at the end of this short series of blogs you can either thank Melissa or blame her! 

Either way, here goes nothing. 

THANKSGIVING DISASTER   

I  was thinking the other day about a very special Thanksgiving several years ago.  

I must have been in high school when this blessed event took place.  

It was the afternoon of Thanksgiving and the meal was beautifully prepared as Mom always did. The fixings were all on the festively decorated table and the turkey was just being uncovered from his aluminum blanket as the family was gathering around the kitchen for a Thanksgiving prayer. 

When all of the sudden I heard it and then I saw it! It was like my mind was capturing it happening in slow motion. With the voices in the background speaking very slowly and drawn out,also in slow motion. I believe the voices were screaming, BEN, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Ben was our families beloved Basset hound.

Charming dog with strands of drool seeping from his jowls almost constantly. 

Ben had decided he wanted to gather with the family near the table and the Turkey. When, as Basset hounds do, he decided it was time to shake his head to relieve himself of his pearly strands of drool. The sound was similar to you grabbing your cheeks and pulling them in and out rapidly. It's a sort of slurping sound . That's what I heard as I watched the drool strands fly in slow motion toward the food table. I wanted to close my eyes because I knew where it was going to land. But I kept watching as it spiraled through the air and landed on the Turkey, the sweet potatoes, the stuffing and smack dab on grandmas rust colored pant suit. 

My initial reaction was to throw up. But I restrained myself and just stood there gagging. I looked across the kitchen and watched my older brother throw his hands in the air as if to say, screw all of this, and walked away!! 

Drool on just about every good thing on our kitchen table as well as Grandma Phillips back. 

Now that I host Thanksgiving and realize all the work that goes into it, it makes me wonder what my poor mom was feeling. All of her hard work literally gone to the dogs.

Of course none of us were laughing on the day this disaster took place but boy do we all get a good giggle out it now. 

More to come.............

Memory Lane For a Short Trip.

Have you ever noticed how one little smell can take you down memory lane at 80mph?

Today it was ornaments on my tree.

The guilty one is Snoopy. This tiny little wooden, hand made ornament sent me down Memory Lane for a long drive today.

The very first thing that came to my mind was the fact that my Grandpa Swanson had made this little dog ornament. It is made from a thin piece of wood and hand painted.

It doesn't seem like much to you but to me its a piece of my Grandpa.

A small reminder of him. The way he would pretend he didn't see you when he was going to sit down and he would gently sit on your lap and immediately bounce back up!!! He was a funny guy, my grandpa! I miss him like crazy whenever I see this darling little ornament.

Then there's the Jenny Ornament. Flooding my mind with memories of many Christmas's past. All wonderful memories.

Mom and Dad made Christmas very special at the Swanson house. Dad was in charge of exterior illumination, which he did VERY WELL!!!

For a few years we used our old playhouse in the front yard and my dad and brothers would build it into Santa's workshop!! A live Santa (my dad or brother Doug) would sometimes sit inside the playhouse behind Plexiglas and cars would drive by and kids would come up to the window of the playhouse to see if their names were on the nice list!! 

I LOOKED EVERY YEAR!!!

I remember our house decorated outside with all red Christmas lights. I loved the glow of the red lights against the white snow. 

Then there was the inside decor! I am sure although I have not confirmed my source, but sure my mother did all the inside decor!

Our Christmas tree was lit with red lights only.

I recall the red glow of the living room from my bedroom doorway!

I suddenly went back to the night I asked Santa to please bring me a Captain and Tenile record  and a hockey stick.

I got up in the middle of the night to see if my wish had come true and I saw the hockey stick in the corner by the front door and the coat closet. With our stockings tacked to the front door, so heavy with a huge apple and orange in the toe, our Lifesaver book and Sixlet filled candy cane hanging from our stockings.  As I looked past the stockings I saw the tag on the hockey stick read: 

TO: JENNI

FROM: SANTA

(mom always wrote it in all caps and in really neat printing) 

I was elated. Went back to bed and tried to sleep!!

Today as I think about the simplicity of that Christmas it made my heart smile. 

It's funny how a little ornament could bring back such a flood of memory.

But I am sure glad it did. 

Mom and Dad made Christmas special every year. From the Elves in the tree to the bells on the door knobs. I remember it like it was yesterday.

Special people make things special for others.

It is the reason I do what I do for my family. 

Not just for Christmas but I try to do it all year round. 

I love my family and I thank God for the amazing memories my parents have created for me out of Love! 

Thanks Mom and Dad! 

Merry Christmas! 

Here's to many more memories! 

GRANDMA AND GRANDPA BETTELLI 

THAT HAS A NICE RING TO IT!

Alex and Jon are going to have a little Bambino!!! Life is so amazing. Our baby in the family, Kelsey will graduate the same month we become G-ma and G-pa!! I am still trying to get used to the G word. Trying it in different ways to see what works! Truth be told though when that little guy/girl says it it won't matter what words they use it will just be precious no matter what!

Hopes and dreams are already on the rise in all of us. Hopes for a healthy  wonderful pregnancy for Alex and a healthy baby to join us in June.

I just can't help myself. Praying, Dreaming and hoping for this little one whose face I have not even seen yet.

But I know he/she will be brilliant and beautiful and have the cutest little voice we could ever hear.

I am so excited I have already bought things for both sexes. 

I ordered the T-shirts we are wearing about 24 hours after Jon and Alex told us the news! 

I want to go buy bedroom furniture and decorations but it's a bit soon. 

I think I might have a problem. Is it possible to be to excited???

I just can't wait to see his/her sweet little face. I wonder if its a boy if it will look like Jon did? He was the most beautiful baby I have ever seen right from the beginning. Or If it will be a girl and be a little blond toe head like our sweet Alex was when she was born. 

Expectation. That is what we wait in now. Anxious expectation. 

I love my life! I love that I am able to be home an enjoy every moment with my kids. Even as they are having kids! I get to be there when they do! I am so excited to be a Grandma. Not excited about that word we gotta think of something spicier.

 Gigi and Papa. 

Maybe G-squared. I need to stop.

Life is exciting!!! I am so proud of my son and daughter-in-love. They are going to be great parents!

Grandma and Grandpa Bettelli. WOW! THAT HAS A NICE RING TO IT!!!