out of the miry clay

Monday, December 12, 2011

daybook! 12/12/2011

FOR TODAY

Monday, December 12, 2011

Outside my window...
the little bit of snow we had is g.o.n.e. ~ toolbar says it's 40F (4C), so that explains that.
Luci has moved into her house!

I am thinking…
I should be done shopping for Christmas gifts... any day now!
It's time to be baking cookies and dipping chocolates!

I am thankful to God …
for victory in Christ Jesus
for today's call from Nancy at Dr. Cook's ~ wow! gratis check-ups?!

I am praying for...
... my mother-in-law's health
… Hiromi in Japan (near the Fukushima nuclear plant)
... the Rettigs & the church in Prague ~ Praising the Lord for a new building and apartment!
… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home
… Amy W., a young wife/mom with cancer
… Sarita & Jeff &family
… the A Family, on furlough from their field of ministry ~ headed back in just a few weeks
… Lea’s dad ~ in the midst of a serious health crisis
… H & A’s marriage
… for direction for our church, for our family
… Laura
… and especially marriages ~ meant to last a lifetime

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

From the learning rooms...
compound nouns; research paper about the American Revolutionary War; geography of North America; The Scarlet Letter; wrapping things up for a Christmas break!

From the kitchen...
lasagna, veggie-beef soup, turkey pot pie, burritos, potato/cheese soup, pizza, dumplings, pepper steak/rice

I am creating...

a tidy desk by getting 'a round tuit'

Really. Don't you believe me?

I am going...
to get a haircut this week {and taking all the DDs too} :D

I am reading...
Revelation & almost finished with Ezekiel
I finally finished Bruchko ~ really enjoyed it after I got going with it!
And I found Miss Read ~ What fun! and thinking of Felicity as I read of round-abouts and switch-backs at the fair on the first of May in Thrush Green.

I am hoping...
we can get in to see the chiropractor this week {and remove the lurking migraine from my head}
[yay ~ Vickie just called, and we're IN! :D]

I am hearing...
clothes tumbling in the rumbling dryer; the Popper spelling out loud

Around the house...
It's a cloudy day so we are enjoying the lights on the Christmas tree

One of my favorite things...
getting the stash of gifts wrapped and out of our bedroom

Pondering these words...

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:11

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Today ~ laundry and desk duties
Tuesday ~ chiropractor {so I should spend the morning sewing and/or baking}
Wednesday ~ haircuts x5, church
Thursday ~ dentist, Azure Standard delivery, first night for Treasures in the Snow on VCY America
Friday ~ Ames for piano, groceries, second night for Treasures in the Snow
Saturday ~ taxi the Cowgirl to a birthday party
Sunday ~ church with Sunday School Christmas program in the evening {take cupcakes & milk}

Here ~~is a~~ are more pictures for thought...

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

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~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

Friday, December 9, 2011

O Tannenbaum

Last Saturday {Dec 3} was a rainy, cold, rainy day – lots of rain! – Did I mention it rained here ALL day?! And we were out for cantata practice, an oil change, and a little shopping. Thankfully, Tim was the driver who got us where we needed to go : ) And it wasn’t buckets of snow. Not ready for that yet.

Sunday afternoon was a better time to visit the very busy Christmas tree patch down the road. By then the rain had changed over to a light dusting of snow.

And the search was on…

{This is central Iowa ~ We grow row crops here!}

Decision Time!

Oh happy day!

After church Sunday night, we brought the tree inside and put the lights on it…

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum,

Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!

{O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, Of all the trees most lovely}

Thursday, December 8, 2011

blog design

This is sort of a public service announcement... or just a random thought to share before I shut the computer off tonight. JulieGrasshopper would call it a Brain Dump. {I say, Look out below!}

About the blog design... I really wanted to find something with red or burgundy for Christmas. The photo I put in the header makes me think January at least. But the word is that our landscape may be a bit more white and much less green/brown when I see it tomorrow. And I love blue and white, so there it is. No fall-ish mums ...or Christmas trees ...or amaryllis.

Just want you to know I'm not skipping Christmas ;-)

I should be throwing a blog party even. Cuz it appears I've hit another milestone with 400+ posts! Wow, so much to say?

In other news, my Window Live Writer is being incredibly naughty this week. Just makes writing posts a bit more challenging, since I've gotten the habit of using Live Writer - and annoying when I have to shut down the computer to do anything else with it. :p {sorry, that sounded whiney - must be past my bedtime!} Anyway, I must have worn it out with my sudden return to frequent posting? ha ha {Tomorrow's Christmas tree post is already waiting in the wings ~ and I ought to add to it since the kids put ornaments on it tonight...} But this afternoon it was locking the whole computer up without even bringing up the program. So, any advice might be helpful {hint, Jodi!} ;-) Or I'll just have to dump the program and try reloading it? But not tonight. I told my kids a while ago I would be sleeping at midnight {not rearranging the ornaments they've hung on the tree}, and I intend to keep my word.

And not blather on for another hour. Good night! :D

odds & ends {of November}

Listed hay for sale on Craigslist… We’ve had just short of a bzillion phone calls for this listing. More than a few from Texas looking for a semi-trailer load.

{November 29} Last day on the farm for these seven critters…

Washed up the flannel only to have disaster hit this piece… It shall become burp rags instead of a blanket.

Cleaned out the candle jars…

Kate tested a new recipe for buns/rolls…

Next up: The Christmas Tree!

Black Friday & Saturday

More from our Thanksgiving weekend…

November 25 ~ After cleaning up the house from our Thanksgiving Day get-together ~ Kate, the Cowgirl, and I headed off to Ames to shop {I needed to buy flannel and groceries; the Cowgirl wanted a new pair of shoes.} We left about 10am. And didn’t come home again until 8:30pm. I took a few cheese sticks and a bag of raw almonds – we subsisted on those and water. {I guess we might have had a few calories still floating in our systems after Thursday’s feasting?} JoAnn Fabrics, JCPenney, Payless Shoes, Christopher & Banks, Walmart – then groceries at Fareway! :o And Van Heusen too. ugh.

Meanwhile the guys worked on yet another retaining wall. And added wood to the pile by the stove. {and Miss Artist apparently took pictures out the window}

The Popper must have had fun playing with the tile {much better than being bored and worn out with shopping} and the Cattleman.

I also put together my “sister” gifts for Saturday’s family Thanksgiving/Christmas Dinner.

Kate stayed up {very late} and made two batches of bread for my “brother” gifts. {Silly girl}

Saturday, November 26 ~ Kate made a mix for Sandcastle Brownies for the grab-bag game.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner and a very tame grab-bag game. Then Nick insisted it was too boring, so we went another round with much more stealing and laughter. Then he let us quit.

We came home with plenty of candy, which was promptly shared… along with leftover rolls and honey butter, crackers and dip. While we {the kids} played Dutch Blitz…