At the end of the day...

Well, that's not quite how we are spending this New Year's Eve~ tonight we're garbed in flannel & sweaters, watching the Marx brothers, & enjoying the delicious dinner my darling hubby made while I was at work~ pork loin, roasted veggies, & mashed potatoes, paired with homemade wine & Greek Fortune bread from our kind neighbors.
~~~
I hope you enjoy a blessed and safe celebration~ I can hardly wait to see what the Good Lord has in store for us in the New Year

Image(s) courtesy VintageHolidayCrafts.com

Joy to the World

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love

~
My mother-in-love is home
My children are home
I am in my own home
God is Good

Prayer Request

My mother-in-law was admitted to the hospital today, with severe bronchitis and congestive heart failure~ please hold her up, along with her sons.

Autumn Adventures

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Are you ready for Christmas?

Well, the house is mildly decorated inside & out, the first of the holiday parties has been enjoyed, & I have an idea what I'm going to do to get ready for guests that arrive in less than two weeks~ beyond that, I am not even close to being ready.
Shopping is on board for the next few days~ I need to replace a lamp (Angus, the new cat, got a little too rough & tumble), put some blinds in the craft/guest room (my MIL likes the room dark at night), & look for some inspiration regarding the youngsters & in laws.
Wish me luck!

As if I don't have enough to do...

Amongst my blog wandering over the past few months, I discovered Lucy at Attic 24; her style & life are so very different from my own,~ she's a "hooker"*, a stay-home mother with young children, & lives in a small English village~ but I always feel cheerful after a visit.
She has inspired me so dig out my crochet hooks, sport-weight wool, & some assorted beads to try out her recent tutorials on Christmas decoration~ these are so bright & cheerful, I just couldn't resist giving it a whirl. I figure if they don't work out for me, they can always be gifted!

* someone who crochets

Mama needs a new phone...

Seriously~ my current cellphone is about 5 years old, the battery has trouble holding a charge for more than a day, and the browser is so out-of-data, I can't retrieve my hotmail anymore.
I more than qualify for an upgrade & I would really like to get a smartphone~ web browsing, camera, Qwerty keyboard are the minimum requirements, but my budget is under $100.00.
So I need advice~





Blackberry





or...







iPhone?

Surprise

Mother forwarded an email to us yesterday which contained a very pleasant surprise~ my older brother is making a fly-by visit this weekend!
I haven't seen Bil in about 4 years, since our Christmas trip to New Mexico, though we've passed emails & e-cards since then. He'll only be here Friday through Sunday, so we're planning to get together for dinner on Saturday.
Sam lucked out & has the whole weekend off, but unfortunately Jessica has to work~ I hope she won't be too upset, since she hasn't seen her uncle in quite some time.
We also learned that my in-laws are all going to be in the Bay Area for Christmas~ Chris' Mom will be staying with us, while his brother & family will be with my sister-in-law's relatives. I will be filling in for two vacationing co-workers thru the holidays, so time off for me is out of the question, but Chris was able to take time off to spend with his family. I believe we'll be hosting everyone here on Boxing Day, so I won't miss out on the festivities or the chance to show off my new home!

Ready, set, KNIT!!!

I participated in this project a couple years ago~ very satisfying. This year, they are encouraging people to make scarves (knit or crochet) for their regional Special Olympics event; go to the website & click the "Projects Guidelines" tab~ all the details for each state can be found, & they even list a few free pattern downloads. There's plenty of time~ deadlines generally are for the end of January, since most of the events aren't held until February or March. Of course, you could send scarves to any of the 35 games being held in the US during 2011 (Northern California is held in March & needs at least 1200!)
If you consider yourself as being "non-crafty", there is an area where you can donate to support the Special Olympics with your financial gifts. But you know what? This would be a great opportunity to learn yarn craft~ you know you want to, right?

A Holiday Tradition

Join in the fun!

I'd rather be napping...

I am not a morning person.

Never have been, don’t plan on ever being one.

I really need at least two hours to get going in the morning~ shower, dress, feed the animals, eat breakfast, read the paper, finish my tea, before heading out for the day~ but even then, I don’t feel like all cylinders are firing until about 10:00 am.

Too bad I’m expected to start working at 8:30.

In the past couple months, I’ve been waking up at 5:30 (more commonly known around here as “the butt-crack of dawn”), look at the clock in disgust, & attempt to go back to sleep. A little voice in my head says…

”You could take a walk”

Yeah, right.

But you know what?

After 2 weeks of this nonsense, I did.

Really.

Been getting up & heading out the door by 5:45 am~ not every day, just 3 or 4 mornings a week~ & walking for 35 minutes.

Did you know that the stars are still out at 5:45 am?

Can’t say I’m too fond of it, especially now that it’s gotten cold, but I keep going (unless I talk myself out of it when it’s wet out, or I have to go in early).

Hopefully, I’ll see a difference someday.

But I’ll never be a morning person.

Gifts

This is what we first saw

Figured we would take it out when we moved in

Two weeks later, we found it covered with small, bright green leaves

Decided to leave it & see what would happen

Went on our trip to Washington DC & returned to clouds of white blossoms

Before we knew it,

we were surrounded by glowing red fruit

Bushels of it

Fresh, frozen, canned, gifted

I can hardly wait for next spring

I'm finally feeling it...

“Feeling what?” you may ask.

~Routine

~Settled

~Centered

~Anticipation

~Peace

~Joy

~Home

Six months of change and transition took a toll on me, set me on autopilot in most areas of my life for a long time.

Several things were set aside~ things I enjoy and find fulfillment in doing~ mostly because it took too much energy to even think about.

Now, I am through the proverbial tunnel, back in the light and looking forward to all the good things God has in store for me.

It’s good to be back.