Happy Birthday Mom................

Happy Birthday to you Mom.......................... and Grandma. We are running behind on the post as we were running behind on our phone call. The coldness here makes one move slower.

The years have gone by but she still looks the same.

I don't know when the picture of Dad and Mom
was taken but it seems it might have been
before they were married. Also known as Sam and Mary Mobley

Then came the children .............................. now everyone
will know who Joseph takes after................ the dorky

looking one in my Mom's lap. (poor Joseph)

Then came the grandchildren................... 11 of them

plus 2 great-grandchildren.

It would be nice to get an updated picture of the

grandparents and grandchildren. It always seems

when we are together there is someone missing.

Pictures from last week..............

Short time in our "first" snow of the

year.
Every morning now Joseph says - Play

in the snow tomorrow and I say yes. He
says that because one morning he asked
to go out and I said not today but maybe
tomorrow. He doesn't know yet that
tomorrow never comes. (shame on me)













I have tried all morning to download a video of Joseph but it won't come through and we have got to go out for a bit.





Note: Saturday - it worked this time.

Thanksgiving pictures and deer pictures. I'm sorry if the deer pictures offend or gross anyone out. I for one am very grossed out but not offended. I was told once we can't be offended unless we allow ourselves to be offended. Which is true but sometimes I find it hard not to allow it. I also heard if we let another offend us then we make that person an offender. Hhmmm........ I don't want to do that (for then I would be married to an offender)

Six very delicious pies. Two pecans, two pumkins and two buttermilk.

HIS FIRST TIME FOR PIE BAKING


















Joseph put on one of Cuylers shirts to go outside. You have to wear orange if your going to be outside.



Great-Grandma Swonger, Dan and Joseph

Grandma Swonger, Dan and Joseph

The dinner..........................

The kill...............................

Randy with his buck





Dan with his doe...................... sorry I didn't get
out there before it was skinned. YUCK!!!

Here are a couple pictures of Joseph's new John Deere tractors.
Grandma Swonger saw them on sale at Farm Fleet or Fleet Farm or what ever the store is called up there. I can't even remember what the ones around here are called. See what happens when two brothers don't get along and go their seperate ways. They have the same store but two similar names. (that is the story I heard as to why different names) Any way back to the tractors that were on sale......................... We went out on Friday to get these................. yes I know, that is "Black Friday" and yes there was a mob there and yes, as soon as we got of there we went straight home.

It is cold here...............

Okay, so I couldn't think of a better title......................... but it is cold. It makes me feel like it is going to be a long winter. If I was a bird I would fly south........... way south.

We spent Thanksgiving up at Randy's and most of the family was there for Thanksgiving day. Nice to see Grandma Swonger (great to Joseph) there and Dan's aunts Mary and Martha. Dan did get to go hunting and he did get some venison. I asked him if he slept any out in his stand because when he sits down he takes a nap. (not intending to) He said he did, so guess he is lucky that he got the shot he did since he said didn't see very many deer. So now, with the venison gift we got earlier (someone heard that Dan might not get to go hunting) and now this poor deer, we have a freezer full to live on while Dan is off work. If anyone knows of a venison recipe book or good recipes................ please............. I beg................... let me know!!!!!!!!!

Monday (before Thanksgiving) was Dan's first day back to work after being off from his heart cath and back. I didn't allow him to stay the whole day because after going to the doc I had to have a procedure done which he came home for and then stayed home with me on Tuesday. The good that came out of it is Dan bake six pies for me that I was going to bake for Thanksgiving. In between the pies he took Joseph outside to play in the snow for a few minutes. It ended up being a very short time because it was all his back could handle. I did slip down the stairs, in my pj's, and get a few pictures. I will post them and shut up now.

Forgot...........

Joseph use to say "This little piggy went to Home Depot, this little piggy went to Menards, this little piggy went to Neus, this little piggy stayed home and this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home" His Daddy taught him that one. Friday I heard a new version from Joseph that neither Dan or I taught him............. "This little piggy went to the doctor, this little piggy went to the hospital, this little piggy went to the chiro, this little piggy stayed home and this little piggy went wee wee wee all the way home" Guess the past month has made quite an impression on him.

At gospel meeting this afternoon Joseph and I sat next to Richard and Barb. Joseph tried to entertain Barb by showing her his book. He would turn the page, then turn it around and hold it up for her to see. On the way home I mention to him that sat next to Barb and Joseph said "That was fun"

Pictures from past while

Family Bikes

Someone asked Dan if he would like some bicycles.......... a his and a hers. I had been saying for sometime I would like to bike ride for exercise. Hhmmmm........ somehow one's words will come back for them.

New Toy

Since Joseph had really done well with all the running to the doctors, hospitals and staying with others while having the test done................. we decided to get him something.

We got him a Thomas the Tank Engine and small train track. Of course there are many more engines, train cars, tracks and other stuff that can be added. It is probably cheaper to buy the huge set than to buy a bunch of little set but...........................

Any way we told him when he starts going potty we would add Annie and Clarabell to Thomas. Needless to say he didn't get excited about it. Maybe he didn't understand................ but I think he did.

Couple of videos of his little train set working. He and Dan used Lego blocks to make a tunnel and some other stuff. Joseph thought that was pretty neat. On the one video he tackled me while I was filming.

Long time.......... no post.............

Yeah, we are still here............. in Wisconsin.................. cold Wisconsin. It's only the 23rd of November and I'm already looking forward to warmer weather. It seems colder this year, it just goes right through me. It is probably no different than last year or the year before that and maybe it has to do with age. They say older folks can't handle the cold..................... I must be almost there.

Most of you would know that Dan isn't having the best time of his life. (yes, I think he feels old too) Before convention he found out he was going to need further heart test done to see the condition his heart was in. He has had a heart murmur since birth but he didn't find out till he went in the military. They told him it was an innocent murmur and when he was getting out they found it had gotten worse due to overexertion during physical training. (that it is why he goes to the VA) He has a mitral valve prolapse where it stays open. His heart is only able to pump 40% of the blood out to his body the rest flows back into the heart. (I think) The mitral valve has two leaflets that, when working correctly, are suppose to come together when closed. Most commonly one of the leaflets will stay open, not go all the way closed. Dan's problem is that both of the leaflets stay open.

On Oct 24th Dan had a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) done where they go down through your throat to look at the heart. This confirmed there was severe leakage and confirmed the need for surgery. Then Nov 7th he had a heart cath done......... good news from that was he didn't have any blockages but it show that he has an enlarged heart and weak.

We are now waiting to here from the VA (in Madison) on the next appointment to talk with the cardiologist and surgeons. Both doctors (first the older one who has been the hospital for 30 years) have suggested he get a second opinion and recommended Mayo. The doctor said they don't feel they have the experience with this type of surgery. (we appreciate their honesty) They don't feel that Dan's valves can be repaired but will have be replaced. The VA does work with the UW hospital there in Madison. (they are connected) So we wait and see...............

The week before Dan had his heart cath done he started having pain in his back and going down his leg. To make a long story short................. he had an MRI done Wednesday which shows he has a (or two) herniated disc and a tear. Doctor sent him to have a cortazone shot and suggested therapy plus gave him pain medicine and muscle relaxers. The Chiro wants him to see a Neuro Surgeon because of the tear.

Seems like everything that can happen is happening to us right now. Maybe I better not say that because I'm sure there is more that can happen.

Happy Birthday Andrea!!!!!!!! (A couple has anniversary)

Happy Birthday Andrea................... let's see, you are now............ (were born in 87 and now we are in 2008, which means.....) 21! Mercy I remember when you turned 16. Everyone is growing up but me.
You are only young once but you can be immature all your life. That fits me!

I have this feeling that I'm spelling Andrea's name wrong. She probably won't read this but her Mom will................... that could be worse.


Happy Anniversary Shauna and Chris! I wish your Aunt Glenda would get busy on her blog so I can see some up to date pictures of your two. We hope to see you all in December.

I can't believe it is already November. I will be glad when tomorrow is over and we know who God has chosen or allowed to be president.

Not much to write today or I should say not much I'm going to write about today.