post #297

Here's a heads-up for you.

I wasn't going to wait for "an occasion," but since I saw that I am almost to post number 300... I decided that we will celebrate the big 3-0-0 with a giveaway!  woot woot!

Just in time, Jodi ~ I've added the "SUBSCRIBE" button ~ just for you!

For now, I will only hint that the item I have to share is something I've been raving about for a few months(?)   =)

More details in Post 300!

Meanwhile, have a joyous week of Christmas preparations...

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: 

and the government shall be upon his shoulder: 

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, 

The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

scripture on our wall

 

Okay, I’m going to tell my secret again:  I didn’t stencil our wall with this verse.

It’s a sticker(s) made by Fruitful Vine Creations.  The photo below is from their website which I just found this morning for a friend…

 

I got ours from Vision Forum last year – They again have them on sale for $24 (50%off their normal price?)  But if VF doesn’t have the verse you want, I’d encourage you to look at Fruitful Vine because she has a LOT of designs available AND will do custom work as well!  How FUN!  =)

status update

It's been a GOOD day here!

• yesterday's migraine is in remission (or at lease ignorable?  new word?)
• I survived yet another trip to the maul mall today, where a sweet clerk helped me save $20 instead of just $10 on my purchases
• Christmas letter is written and awaiting final approval
• 70 FREE photo cards arrived this evening from Shutterfly
• envelopes are addressed
• just a few local errands to run tomorrow while Miss Music Box has another violin lesson
• It's 10pm and I'm going to bed!

Good night!  :-)

Giveaway from Mrs. Doug :-)

I only have time for a really quick post, but it's worth your time to check out Mrs. Doug's blog.  And she's celebrating her blog anniversary with a giveaway - actually two gifts!  I enjoy reading her blog too ~ and her comments elsewhere.  Grab a cup of tea, go meet this sweet lady, and leave her a cheery Hello!

Photo from the Mad Baker  :-)  Cute, eh?

daybook December 14

 

 
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Colossians 3:12-15

 

FOR TODAY  

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Outside my window...
I did spy a bit of rosy sunrise earlier, but now the clouds are too thick.  We have flurries in the forecast.  The wind is calm (a notable blessing in Iowa), so the heifers are happily munching their hay. 
 
I am thinking...
… about the unending To Do List I keep in my head… and that I should put some of it on a written Christmas Wish List for my family to see.  ;-)
… about setting a timer to beep at 7:45 tonight so we won’t miss listening to Treasures of the Snow again ~ You all should tune in too!  You can listen online here at 8pm US central time.  The audio drama version is SO good!

I am thankful …
… for answers to prayer
… for a great day-trip to Minneapolis for the Messiah
… for a Good Day at home on Sunday 
… that our three youngest enjoyed a really fun birthday party outing on Saturday before the blizzard hit ~ and that I didn’t need to drive them there!  Thank you, Perrys!
… that Tim was able to make the heat work on Sunday  :-)
... for $20 off my Amazon order last night, courtesy of my swagbucks-"earned" giftcards ~ woot, woot!
 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Colossians 3:16-17

 
I am praying for...
... the Rettigs and the church in Prague 
… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home
… my mom and dad who will spend Christmas in Arizona this year
…  Amber’s dad
… Diane and family
… Grant S., who is doing well on his meds now ~ praying for stability
… Jeremy & Stacy
… the Engles who are traveling via Detroit, or so they have planned
 
From the learning rooms...

We are way “behind” in history, but I’ve decided it’s not worth stressing (plenty of other opportunities in my life for that stuff).  So yesterday, we read in Exodus about God’s provision of quail, manna, and water for his unthankful people.  (I already knew/planned for our reading in the Old Testament to take all year – and then some probably.)   In Story of the Ancient World, we read about the first few judges God sent to deliver his people.  (Where “should” we be according to my schedule?  Finishing with Ancient Greece.  Um, yeah, haven’t opened that guide or Story of Ancient Greece yet.)
The other essential: math….  The Computer Geek is almost finished with Algebra 2!  He will start Geometry in January.  The Cowgirl was working with metric conversion factors yesterday – I saw her taking a test, which means I should grade it, yes? 
Moving on….
 
From the kitchen...
We still need to try Julie’s taquitos, but I think it will be turkey soup in the crockpot tonight.  We had   Miss Music Box made some spicy burritos for us last night.  I am going to buy more store eggs today, so we can get busy with baking Christmas cookies!
 

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24

 
I am creating...
a Christmas letter to go with our cards, which should be arriving any day now.
 
I am going...
to finish this post before my kids arrive at the table for breakfast!
 
I am reading...
Colossians ~ I got stuck here after starting Nancy DeMoss’s 30-day Growing in Gratitude devotional.  So good. 
 

 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving

Colossians 4:2

 
I am hoping...
We can make it to church tomorrow night ~ more snow in the forecast tomorrow
 
I am hearing...
Christmas music from the CG’s laptop 
 
Around the house...
I did most of the laundry yesterday.  There are pine needles to sweep from under the tree, a kitchen (and on through the house) floor that needs detailed vacuuming and mopping again, ceiling fans and bath exhaust fans are looking grody too  :-\  And we won’t talk about my “sewing” room in the basement…  (Remember that TO DO List I mentioned?)
 
One of my favorite things...
cloudy days that let us enjoy the lights on the Christmas tree
 
Pondering these words... (from my SIL’s daily email)

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift - thrown away.  Life is not a race. Take it slower.  Hear the music before the song is over.

 
A few plans for the rest of the week:
Today ~ orthodontist appt for oldest two, shopping at Hobby Lobby with all four girls for jewelry beads, etc. (courtesy of Miss MB’s craft budget), and a couple other gift-buying stops
Wednesday ~ We hope to get to church with the frozen gifts still in the back of the van
Thursday ~ piano lessons and groceries
Friday ~ I have an idea  ;-)
Saturday ~ Sunday school program practice
 

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Colossians 4:5

 

Here is a picture for thought...

My facebook friends have enjoyed it anyway  ;-) 

 

 

 Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

travel not advised

 

 

Because of Saturday night’s blizzard, we stayed at home on Sunday…

Some of us slept in  :-)  … before checking the road conditions online and attempting to watch church via live streaming.

Tim worked on the heating system.

The Cattleman worked on an ‘order of service’ for our time of worship together.  Miss Artist was the pianist while we sang Christmas carols and some of the kids read Scripture passages.  Then Tim assigned each of them to find a verse or passage to exposit or story to share.  It was all so good  :-)

 

The Popper shared the birth of Jesus ~

   

 

The Cattleman talked about how salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone (Acts 4:12)~

 

The Cowgirl giggled through the Bible truth and her own example of “Be sure your sin will find you out” ~

 

The Computer Geek had a complete 3-point exposition from Isaiah 43 ~ Miss Autry and our own pastors would have been pleased to see/hear it too.

             

 

Miss Artist talked about “A Good Ending” comparing the lives of Solomon and Paul.

 

Miss Music Box shared her study of light and darkness as they are used in various Bible passages, especially the epistles of John.

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

The rest of the afternoon was spent with various projects (with the Cattleman spending a lot more time finding hymns in all our different hymnbooks and coordination the different page numbers… for an evening worship service) and watching the Packers lose their football game  :-\

Here are the pictures of Saturday’s completed chocolates  :-)

Turtles and Take 5 (or 4 really)

                   

and Lea’s “Five Pound Fudge” ~ Do you suppose that means I will gain five pounds?

  

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

The evening service again included Christmas carols and scripture reading ~ and even special music!

  

(The CG thinks song-leading is hard work!)

 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

We hope the little spruce saplings will survive their winter in the garage,

but I moved the Gerbera daisy and geranium pots into the basement ~

I think they like it there!

 

What did you all do this weekend??

wordless week/month

Wednesday, December 1  (babysitting Ava)
  
















Thursday, December 2
  
                         
               

Friday, December 3  (Chef MusicBox)


Sunday, December 5  (Does this look familiar?)
             
                              
         

       

      

Tuesday, December 7

(prior to their ride to the sale barn)

           

Snipperoosky, Schnoodles, and Freddie

Hopper and Rusty

  


Wednesday, December 8 (Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis ~ for the Messiah!)
   

Thursday, December 9

(Yay! for more firewood from Robb’s Tree Service)

  

Have you ever had a “Take 5” candy bar?? 

  

Pretzel, peanut butter, peanuts, homemade caramel, and chocolate = Yum.

And cream to use up means I must make cherry cream muffins for Christmas/New Year’s breakfast buffets…

When I was i-net surfing looking at candies last month, I saw someone’s homemade turtles… pecan cluster with more of the homemade caramel ~ needs chocolate on top.

(Yes, Mom, there was some caramel left over for actual caramels!)

              
The girls took a LOT of pictures ….
  

Friday, December 10 ~ the last day of autumn in Iowa for 2010 (50 F!)
         
Tim and the Computer Geek working on siding….

(while I was gone with four of the kids all.day.long)

….We finally put ornaments on the tree, and Tim invented some stocking hangers

            

Today ~ Saturday, December 11 ~

the Return of the Iowa Blizzard ~ I don’t mean a Dairy Queen treat

            

…and no photos of what we’ve accomplished in the kitchen today!

(Lots of chocolate and baking)

Or what I am leaving unfinished. 

I guess the soaked oats for my granola will just soak a little longer.

Good night!


(Monday's edit:  I tried to improve the formatting here, and I think it's worse :-\  
Oh well.  Perfectionism isn't all it's cracked up to be.  
But it IS time to finish the forgotten granola!)