Happy Easter, He Has Risen

Happy Veterans Day and Thank You

It's Veterans Day here in the States and I like to make sure I thank all of those who have served and fought for my freedom. ALL. OF. THEM!!

But I also like to honor and thank those of my family and friends who have given me my freedom at the risk of their lives...

John Jensen
Bill Steenburgen
Guy Lile

Kingdom LaBau

Harvey Lemming

Louis Branch

Joseph Busch

John Lill

Gerald Costin

Don Evans III

 

 

I know there are many more.. This year the names escape me.. But these are some of the nearest and dearest to my heart. Some were heroes, some were working soldiers, some were cooks, some were officers, some were not... some fought in wars, some served in peace time, Some have passed on and some still live but ALL of them gave of their time and lives.. so I thank them! From World War II to current day!! I am blessed!

 

Shauni



Happy Easter

Thanking My Veterans

I have what I have, I am what I am because there were those who were willing to die for me. So today I honor the veterans in my life.

John Jensen

Harvey Lemming

Louis Branch

Bill Steenburgen

King LaBau

Tom LaBau

Gerald Costin

John Lill

There are more.. I meet veterans in my every day life but these are my veterans and I am proud of them

Shauni

Happy Father's Day

Oh the Sunday Mornings we shared!! Makes me miss my Dad.. of course he's just in Utah not permanently gone..

For all you father's out there, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!

Merry Christmas to All

A Wonderful Christmas Story

This is not my story to tell, I do not know these people.. I am just hoping that it is true.. BUT.. I found this on Facebook.. and thought it was so very precious and wanted to share this moment..

For all of us who have had crying/sleeping babies when it's time to meet Santa

"My mother and I had braved the mall (on a Saturday in December of all days) in hopes of capturing a picture of my 8 month old son, Kiptyn "meeting" Santa. We stood in line for over 30 minutes waiting for our turn. Of course, 5 mins before our turn to meet Santa, Kiptyn fell asleep!! Part of me thought we should just get out of line & avoid wasting anyone else's time that busy Saturday, but as we went to leave Santa gestured us over. I handed Kiptyn to my Mom & grabbed my camera. I was escorted outside of the fenced area in order to snap my own shots. What happened next will be one of my all time favorite memories of Christmas... Santa grabbed his book & slowly laid back into his oversized chair. He then silently motioned for my Mom to lay Kiptyn on his stomach. Kiptyn stirred for a moment and I thought he'd wake for sure. Santa hushed him & Kiptyn's little arms fell into such a peaceful position. After we finished taking pictures we heard a round of applause from the crowd that had gathered around below & above in the rotunda. I just wish this jolly ol' man could know how truly special he is. I can honestly say that I believe in Santa and the magic of the holiday season again. I'd just like for everyone to see how special the Santa at the Boise Towne Square mall really is. Happy Holidays to all!" from the FB pictures of Sarah Pasley..

Happy Thanksgiving!

Get off the computer! and have a Happy Thanksgiving

Happy 4th of July to All..

For those of you from other countries.. have a blessed day.. think of today as celebrating a friend's birthday.. For my American Friends.. Remember who we are and what we stand for..

Happy Valentine's Day

For those of you with love in your hearts.. have a wonderful Valentine's Day.. Remember you can enjoy a special day even when you don't have a special Valentine.. don't let lack of romance in your life kill the romance in your soul!!

Shauni

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Wishing all you Mom's out there the very best of days...

Happy St Patrick's Day

Now please understand I live in the Chicago suburbs, Chicago is one of the three cities in the US (Boston and New York being the other two) that treats today as a national holiday. We die our river green for pete's sake!!

Then there is the fact that my name is Shaughnessey.. I am morally obligated to celebrate the day..

And of course the fact that I have Irish eyes.. now my mother says I am not Irish.. Fortunately there are two sides of the family tree!

Be safe all!!

The Tournament of Roses Parade

Today is New Year's, in my house it always begins with the viewing of the Rose Parade. As child we would watch it all day long, my father had a fascination of it, as a teenager I was fortunate enough to work on a few floats, what fabulous experience.

When I left California and moved to Chicago I brought this tradition with me, of course having grown up with this parade, I do tend to be a parade snob.. I mean this is an awesome parade, the most amazing floats and the best of the best in marching bands.

My children have always enjoyed watching with me and two of my children have continued the family tradition and worked on a float. Cori once and Frankie twice and Remi hopes to venture West next year to participate. So as you can see we take this parade very seriously.....

What drives me nuts, is those that call it the Rose Bowl Parade.. it is not the Rose Bowl parade.. it came first and the folks at the parade were gracious enough to allow the bowl game to be named after the parade and then to allow them to participate... so if one were to be named after the other it should be the Rose Parade Bowl. Do not ask me why this annoys me but it does. I have been known to yell at newscasters, refuse to watch that broadcast ever again.. write letters to Jay Leno.. no one gets away with this mistake.

I know it is nuts, I mean I have a life, with much more important things to worry about but come every year this is what I watch for.. to see who knows the correct name of the parade. Sometimes even I think I may need help...

Sorry, had to get it out

New Year's Eve

Just wanted to make sure all of you take special care of yourselves tonight. I know most of us do not know anyone who has ever been injured or killed on such a night but there are those who don't take care. Who don't value their lives or the lives of others.

I have never lost anyone but this is one of my freaky worries. I don't let my kids drive.. I insist on picking them up.. Always an irksome detail for my oldest but I don't care. For me, one night a year isn't too much to ask. This is one of my presents.. deal with it...

Oh well have a great night and be safe...

Let There be Peace on Earth

and Let it begin with me.....

There you have it my Christmas wish and my New Year's Resolution all tied up neatly in one Christmas song..

As the Holiday approaches and all of my failings are brought forth (in my eyes) all I can think of is how to improve the next year. And I find that the best thing I can do is be a better person, have one more smile available when I don't think there is one, offer one more person a bit of help, listen to one more friend when they need to know someone cares... in short just give a little more of me..

Yes there are times when I feel pulled apart, going in to many directions but in the end I have to think about who I want to be.. and honestly I want to be the one who is there for a friend, who is known for her smile and kind words not the psycho lady who always has to be right (giggles which we all know I am)..

So, I am going to offer what peace I can this year.. I think in the end it is all I have to give.

A Sad Day

Last night was a traumatic one, sad to say the laptop died... we will be having a funeral for it soon... feel free to send flowers, heck send a new laptop, I am not proud.. but seriously, until I am able to drag the monster out of storage and get a wireless card for it. I am going to be computer defecient for a while.

I will be able to post my blogs, but my entre card drops are going to go way down... I am still going to visit as many of you as I can but my time on the public computer is limited so I am not sure how many or how often I will be visiting.

So if I don't see you before hand... Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!!! and a Happy New Year.

Shauni

Christmas and How Prepared am I?

So I looked at the calendar today and noticed the date.. wow where did the year go? Christmas is a mere week away and i have done nothing.

Every year I promise myself that I am going to take time throughout the year and purchase what is needed or wanted for Christmas and every year I fail. For two reasons, first because I get so darned excited that when I can purchase a gift I give it to them right away and secondly from September through January I am broke. Every year no matter what it seems the second half of the year kills me. I am not sure why and really it doesn't matter because there you have it.

This year will be especially hard, with the astronomical rates I have paid to live in the luxury we are living in, I have been unable to even come up with basic Christmas money. Of course having teenagers basic Christmas is not quite what having toddlers means. I remember one year giving my youngest a notepad and colored pencils and she thought she had it made.. now she wants an ipod and tickets to Wicked..

Oh well life goes on and we will be together.. we will have something to be grateful for and we will be healthy.. so all in all Christmas will be pretty darn good.

The Twelve Days After Christmas

This is one of my absolute favorite spoofs.. and somehow no one ever seems to know it. Enjoy




The first day after Christmas, my true love and I had a fight.
And so I chopped the pear tree down and burned it just for spite.
Then, with a single cartridge, I shot that blasted partridge,
That my true love, my true love gave to me.

The second day after Christmas, I pulled on the old rubber gloves
And very gently wrung the necks of both the turtle doves,
My true love, my true love, my true love gave to me.

The third day after Christmas, my mother caught the croup;
I had to use the three French hens to make some chicken soup.
The four calling birds were a big mistake,
For their language was obsence .
The five gold rings were completely fake
And they turned my fingers gree.

The sixth day after Christmas, the six laying geese wouldn't lay:
I gave the whole darn gaggle to the ASPCA.

On the seventh day what a mess I found:
All seven of the swimming swans had drowned,
My true love, my true love, my true love gave to me.

The eighth day after Christmas, before they could suspect,
I bundled up the . . .
Eight maids a-milking,
Nine pipers piping,
Ten ladies dancing,
'Leven lords a-leaping,
Twelve drummers drumming
(spoken) Well, actually I kept one of the drummers(girls)
Well, actually I kept one of the maids a-milking(boys)

And sent them back collect.
I wrote my true love, "We are through, love"
And I said in so many words,
"Furthermore your Christmas gifts were for the birds!"
(echo of "four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves
and a partridge in a pear tree."

Happy Thanksgiving

i started to write a list of all the things i am thankful for and all that appeared was a list of names.. because so many people do not want their names bandied about the internet I took them down..

What I can say.. is if you are my family you are on it.. if you have played a part in helping me to become a better person you are on it.. if you have played a part in making my life just a little bit better you are on it.. if you have challenged me and made me rethink my attitude you are on it.. if you were nice to my children you are on it.. if you were mean to my children because they needed you to be you were on it..

Thank You one and all.... I am truly blessed

Thank You

I know it is late, I have just been running a bit behind today. But late or not it needs to be said.

Thank You

John Jenson
Bill Steenburgen
Clifford Lile
Harvey Lemming
Lou Branch
King Labau
Jerry Stich
Joesph Busch
John Lill
Fred Mohr
Michael Lill
David Lill
John C Lill
Philip Judy
Al Henry
Tim Gillum

I know there are many more.. but these are the veterans who have touched my life.. so I thank them