January a new beginning 2011

Well, it is Sunday and all is quite here. We had a great Christmas night with my daughter and her husband. The big hit of the night was a Nerf dart gun. Boys and their toys.... he loved it. In fact we all had fun with it, I might just have to put that on my list of things I want. Hope you enjoy the photos of us, we had a blast.
Lacey (my daughter) and her husband got an X-Box from her mother-in-law. I swear if you don't have a video game yet you have to get on of these with no controller. I don't know how it works but it scans you and reads your movements somehow. It is so COOL! I went to her house and bowled. I just can't say how much fun it was... I want one.... bad.... guess I will just have to have more mother daughter time.... at her house, playing.
The next big project for me is to train my bulldog to pull a dog cart that I bought. Right now he hates it. I started today walking with him and I pulled the cart around the driveway so he can get used to the sounds it makes. I stopped and strapped him in for a few moments and got him to take several steps pulling the cart. At least it is a beginning, I plan on working with him a little every day if the weather permits. My goal is to take him to town or somewhere and show off the cart and him... we will see. If and when we make some progress I will post more pictures.
The new year is starting quickly and I have big hopes for this year. I hope we sell our home so we can move on to the next chapter of our lives. Four acres is just to much for us and Joe is not able to do as much as he has in the past. It all gets ahead of me doing inside and outside chores. I still have not found a job and that has put a huge strain on us. We really need to downsize and get rid of this house. I love it here and hate to leave but it is the best thing for both of us. I know where ever we go it will still be home because we are together. Now that I am unemployed we can go anywhere we want. I think that sounds exciting, I have never been anywhere and there are lots of places I want to see. I am ready to move on, just hope the housing market turns around...... for us and a lot of others out there.
Saturday a friend and I went to Wide River Winery in Clinton, Iowa. They had an eagle watch and a wine tasting. If you have never gone there you should, make a little day trip and visit them. I met the owner, Dorothy, and it is a very nice place to sit and sip some samples of wine. I like the dry red wines and they have one called Felony Red. The drive was very interesting as it turns into a little one car at a time road with cliffs on one side and the Mississippi on the other. It reminded me a little of the park in Savanna but when you reach the Winery it is beautiful. It overlooks the Mississippi and I bet in the summer it is breathtaking. I recommend a trip to see them, it is not far, there should be a wine you like, (they have 10 ) and you can finish the trip with shopping in Clinton. Doesn't get much better than that...