Fun With Uncle Sam

I do not take these precious times for granted.

Akiane Kramarik Documentary

I just found this really interesting and thought you might as well.

It's a Bit Breezy!

 Yesterday, after work, I stopped by Walmart on my way home. I had a few little things to pick up but what I was most excited about was getting a couple of supplies to make a ribbon/wreath/bow thing for the door of my office. I had an idea of what I wanted to make and I wanted to do it tonight. Inspiration is like that. It needs immediate attention.

The main thing I needed for my craft was something like this...

It was styrofoam. It was lightweight.

I pushed my cart out of the doors at Walmart, a breeze (aka hurricane force winds) came up and the sack with my wreath form went whoooooshing off into the night. I don't know how strong the winds were last night but I know that today's forecast states there may be gusts over 60mph here. Anyway, I chased my foam circe down and stomped on the corner of the sack until I could pick it up. I tucked it into the cart and kept it secure as I made me way to my car. I put that sack into the trunk first and proceeded (I feel like I'm on Judge Judy. People are always "proceeding" on that show.) to set the other sacks into the trunk. 

I thought I had everything under control but the stupid wreath sack rose up out of the trunk like some kind of crazy ghost, gave a flutter wave and took off across the parking lot. I stashed everything else into the trunk, slammed it closed and darted after the wreath. I saw it stuck up under a tire of a truck in the next row. Of course, it turns out it wasn't quite that stuck and off it went again. I wandered through a couple of rows, looking under the vehicles, until I noticed a guy who seemed to be a bit afraid of me. Me! OK, I was acting a bit crazy.

So, I went to my car and drove it slowly up and down the rows, looking for my errant craft item. No luck. I finally realized that I was spending a lot of time looking for that $2 item. It was time to give up and go home. 

I spent the rest of the evening pouting because I couldn't complete my project. Maybe I will try again tonight but I may have to stuff the sack inside my coat or something. 

Is it windy where you are?

Tiny Indoor Snowmen

OK, all you grandpas out there, pay attention. The following photos will show you how a cool grandpa, who doesn't want to go outside, handles that question, "Grandpa, can we make a snowman?" He's pretty creative! Instead of a corncob pipe and a button nose, these snowmen had facial features made out of candy sprinkles. That made this event not only a fun activity but it also served as a little snack.

Gray Day Beauty

We woke up to a 2014 covered in a soft, fluffy frosting.

It is one of those mornings where the sky and the snowy landscape kind of blend together. The sky is still heavy with snow.

In fact, the clouds must be kind of softly bumping together up there as every now and then a poof of snowflakes flutters down with the breeze.

The sun isn't making much of a statement today, starting the year out a bit shy.

At first glance it seems a bit gloomy but wandering outside with my camera really helps me see the beauty all around.

I don't really make New Year's Resolutions much anymore but this morning I did make just one. 

I want to be more intentional about enjoying the gift of vision. 

I want to be able to notice the loveliness more, rather than just rushing by. I want to not only delight in the fantastic colors of sunrises and sunsets, but also the softness of the gray days like today. I want to treasure the vision of faces, from the fresh, expectant newness of a child's soft face, to the faces that display more history in the fine wrinkles. I want to notice the patterns seen in nature, from the beauty of a snowflake to the delicate designs seen in new leaves. 

It occurs to me today that if I am looking more for beauty, I will see less ugliness around me. It is my hope that it will force me to manage my feelings of needing to rush, always wanting to get more accomplished. My hope is that it will center me around a calm column of gratefulness. That may be a lot to expect from the gift of vision but it is just one way of being appreciative of all that I have been given. 

Last Sunset of 2013

On Getting Old

A friend of our's, who turned 90 this year, sent this cartoon with her Christmas card.  It cracked me up! 

In case you can't read it the words are:

I'm getting so old that all my friends in heaven will think I didn't make it.

Recipe for Fun

Take one leftover Christmas box.

Add one young artist equipped with washable markers.

Add one little sister.

Throw in a dog leash and a dice game because you 

never know when you might need them.

Find a grandpa willing to push and drag the box.

Then relax and enjoy the ride.

Matthew West - Strong Enough

Christmas Day 2013 in Photos

Is there anything cuter than a baby with a baby?

Sam, snuggling Miss Jane, while wearing a new hat.

My husband is such a fun Grandpa.

The girls adore him!

Our son-in-law, Eric.

You can't really tell but he's wearing his new

49er's jacket.

Elise enjoyed carrying the gift bags around as if they were purses.

In this photo she was settled in, waiting for me to give her and her

"purses" a ride on the wheeled kitchen chair.

Maria and Cordelia opening up a special surprise gift. 

It was a box of vintage My Little Ponies from one of 

Maria's friends in Montana (thank-you, Robin!) to Cordelia

That girl loves those My Little Ponies!

Mike has been talking about getting a new mandolin

for some time but always talks himself out of it.

I decided it was time for him to have a new toy!

I received such lovely gifts, but

none more precious than 

memories of these beautiful faces.

I hope your day was memorably sweet as well!

Chinese Food and Church

9 years ago, a few days after Christmas, I went out to coffee with a new friend. She was talking about her nice Christmas Eve Dinner and told me that on their way to their church that night, she saw people sitting by the window at a local Chinese Restaurant. She felt so sad for those people, having to eat out on Christmas Eve. Well, guess what. That was our family! We didn't need pity, though. We were having a lovely time!

I used to cook a big meal for Christmas Eve but when we moved here that became very inconvenient. Our home is quite a ways from our church. We had two services, one before dinner time and one after dinner time. I was having trouble figuring out how to work all that out when we decided to just go down the street to a Chinese Buffet. It made things so easy, we've kept up the tradition. 

Cordy was adorable and charming. Elise felt beautiful and kept showing us her dress. We all enjoyed each other's company. It wasn't perfect, as Ben and Sara weren't there, but it was precious time nevertheless.

Eric and Cordelia

Maria

Cordelia

Elise

Sam

After dinner we went to the church. Eric and I are both on the worship team and Mike has pastor duties so we always go pretty early. The church was full and the feeling was wonderful! The Worship Team sang for a good half hour before the service. 

I love singing! 

I love it when the church is full!

I love seeing people there who are home for Christmas with their families!

The whole evening was wonderful. I felt wrapped in love and tenderness.

After church, it was time for a few photographs. I'll leave you with those...

Playing with the Nativity

I have a lot of Christmas Eve and Christmas photos to process but I wanted to get this one up right away. Nothing says Christmas quite like a little child playing with an old Nativity set. Cordelia was having all the characters talk as she basically retold the story of Jesus' birth.

And by the way, when I offered to wash off her soy chocolate milk moustach she said, "No thanks. I like it."

I hope you all had a lovely day. I sure did!

Happy Day of Forgiveness!

Merry Christmas.

Happy Day of Forgiveness.

Blueberry Oopsy

Late leaving work, rushing

Supper is going to be late

Hurry, Hurry Hurry!

Then this happens...

 Those are blueberries... everywhere!

The entire carton

All around

My check-out lane,

The check-out lane to the left,

The check-out lane to the right.

Oopsy.

Who knew blueberries could bounce

and roll

and roll

and roll>

Squish.

Oopsy again.

Snow Day Contentment

This week-end looked like this outside. I had two getting-stuck-in-the-snow adventures but I don't really want to talk about that. 

Instead, I want to tell you that I enjoyed spending some quality indoor time with fabric, needle and thread. That is one of my favorite things. I felt content.

I can't tell you what I was sewing as it is top secret and it isn't even my secret. I was just doing some finishing work on one of Maria's projects. Don't worry. After Christmas I bet I can get her to tell you more about it on her blog, Little Things are Big. As projects go, this one is pretty sweet! 

What are your favorite things to do on a snowy day?

Make My Heart a Manger

Thanks to my sister-in-law, Sue, for recommending this song to me.