Oh, What a Night!

Our daughter-in-law is employed with the school district where the children attend school. Friday was Colonial Day and the fifth graders did all kinds of things the colonists did when they came to America - even down to making candles. We were all set to have a little slumber party at our house with the kids, so on Friday afternoon we went over to pick them up. When Amy drove up and I saw her with this little head covering, I thought she looked a little Amish!

My hat's off to you teachers!

Kate showed Grandpa and me how she

writes and illustrates stories on the computer. 

Kate was invited to her first slumber party with her soccer team, so the one we had planned with her and Jack didn't happen that night. But, Jack came over and we had a fun evening. 

Just as everybody was settling in for a good night's sleep, I had to get up and retrieve something and whoops! ran right into the trampoline with my left shin and right foot. So, just as my left toes have finally healed up, my right toes are now swelling! 

He looked just fine as I tucked him in.

At 3:30 Saturday morning, Jack came running to me crying that his throat was hurting and he was sick. After making a trip with him to hover over the toilet for a bit, I went back to bed with him. Poor little guy was shaking and coughing and running a fever. I thought he might go back to sleep, but he then got sick all over the bed. So sad for that sweet little guy. I carried him to the sofa and held him as he slept for a couple of hours and then decided I needed to take him home. 

We carried a bucket in the car for him (just in case) during the drive to his house and, about halfway there, a warning came on that the tires were low. Dear Lord, oh no! Is there a Discount Tire anywhere around here? Just as I prayed that, I glanced to the side and there was a Discount Tire! As I prayed again to find a way to get to it, I then noticed a Just Brakes and stopped for help. So nice! Those guys were happy to help us out. Thank You, Father. 

Well, sad to say, when we made it to their house, Kate was already home in bed. As it turned out, she had to leave her slumber party due to the very same problem Jack was having. Poor Mama is going to be nursing those sweet kids for several days. 

Friday Foto Friends

Well, just when you think you've got nothing, ... you're proved wrong! Linking today with Deb at Breathing in Grace for Friday Foto Friends. SurPRIZES in today's mail from Deb for being the PRIZE winner in her giveaway.

Sweet stuff!

Thank you, Debbie.

My DH especially liked the food portion!

Today turned out to be quite productive. In addition to household chores, I cooked a pot of beef stew, made cornbread, pumpkin bread, shopped a little, and addressed a big stack of Christmas cards! Woo-hoo! Now, if only I had a few Christmas gifts under my belt. 

Sharing this from my friend Janelle at AlleeOops Photography. 

This fall scene is actually in Texas!

My sisters-in-love.

Susan and RuthAnn taking a stroll in her neighborhood. Susan drove down earlier this week to help her cousin RuthAnn take care of her Dad while her stepmom recovers from surgery. RuthAnn's stepmom is MORE proof that as we get older, we have absolutely no business whatsoever climbing on ladders without some assistance! Susan's Dad fell from a ladder several years ago and was never the same. 

Our Ladies of Grace assignment is to reach out to others. My first reaching out was to our neighbor across the street. We say hello in passing, but don't really know each other. They are a younger couple and both work. So, I baked a pumpkin bread and took it over to just say thanks for being my neighbor.

Kreative Kids!

The Unique Learning and Thinking (gifted) students in Kate's class created their very own games for the "Cardboard Challenge". Here is Kate with her Soccer Board Game, complete with instructions and rewards for the players! 

So proud of this girl!

Wearing his undefeated soccer medal!

And celebrating a report card of all

100's and two 99's.

(The two 99's will keep the boy humble!!)

LOL!

And Brady at 10, is still making all A's

and here he is working his first job.

Sideline soccer ref!

And Jack?

It's his first year and in Kindergarten

the report cards are all about attitude.

He's good and learning to read

and loving it!!!

I believe each one of these kids are gifted and will succeed in life because they have hearts that are tender, minds that are eager to learn, and a spirit of determination!

Praise Him Anyway!

Tuesday morning Ladies of Grace was literally a breath of fresh air today! Our usual routine on Tuesdays is leaders meet at 9:30 to get the room set up ... welcome table, coffee and tea table, offering envelopes, pens and prayer cards on each table and getting the sound system rolling for praise and worship. The last two weeks have been quite frustrating in the music department due to the computer and the screen projecting the words and CD player simply not wanting to cooperate! It's quite frustrating, and sometimes the music stops right in the middle of our praise and worship. However, that doesn't stop us. We continue right on and give God the praise anyway. 

On this particular day though, as each one entered the room, the smell of Pine Sol assaulted our nostrils and my singing partner was in tears because of her allergic reaction to that extremely strong odor. Our leader had thoughtfully and meticulously cleaned all the tables and they looked very nice, but nobody could stand to stay in there. 

So we just went outside for prayer and what do you think? We decided we would move everything outdoors and enjoy the beauty of the day we had been given. I had brought my boom box for a back-up to the possibility of the sound system not working. 

What a glorious day it was. Perfection! Sun shining, blue sky, gentle breeze, and mild temperature. We sang, we prayed, and Janice taught on Philippians 2 and servant hood. After the lesson, she asked each leader to take two ladies and pray with them and over them for blessing! What a privilege it was for me to pray for two very dear ladies, Darlene and Marie. 

We won't be meeting next week, but we were left with a homework assignment:

Love your neighbor as yourself! 

Find someone, reach out, make a difference! 

Then come back and tell us all about it! 

The pics someone took are pretty blurry, but I wanted to save them here anyway.

The Grass is Always Greener

I saw this pic on Facebook and it breaks my heart because it happens in the yard next door to us.

It would be wrong for me to rant on Facebook since I wouldn't want to hurt the feelings of the humans who live next door and own the dog. Oh, Buddy is fed and Buddy has a house ... outside ... all the time. Outside is where Buddy lives in loneliness, so each time I carry my Trudy out to go potty, I take treats for Buddy and go visit him. Pat him on the head, scratch him behind his ears, under his chin, and talk to him. He loves it. He craves it. And now when I go outside, he perks up and runs to the fence for a visit. When he was a puppy, he was able to get through the fence and came over here every chance he had. We were constantly calling them to come get the dog. It didn't do any good to put him over the fence because he crawled right back through. Now he's too large.

A couple of days ago, after putting Trudy out, I went to the kitchen, and when I came back to get her I couldn't believe my eyes! Trudy had walked right through the fence. In all the 13 years we have lived here, that is the first time ever! So I faced the dilemma of getting her back. Climbing over the fence wasn't an option I wanted, so I called the neighbors who kindly let me through their house to the back yard. I will spare you all the details of the muck I had to tiptoe around in the back yard and the added complication of Buddy jumping all over me throughout my brief visit and wanting to go with me. He broke through the back door to chase me through their house to the front door leaving some muddy tracks.

Next morning I went to Home Depot to buy a short stretch of some kind of fence to put along ours to keep that from happening again. I chose a plastic 3 x 15 foot fence designed to keep rabbits and other critters out, and we strung it up and tied it to our fence. 

Afterwards I went in the house to put away my tools and then went out to view my handiwork and WHAT? What happened? The fence has disappeared. A peek across the yard revealed Buddy running around the back yard with his new toy. My fence. Ugh!!!! Now what to do?

Blue Monday and other Fun Things

From a friend in Arizona

A photo posted on Facebook

from My Utmost for His Highest

Kudos to the brave son who took both kids tent camping over the week-end. What a great time they had and I am so proud of Jason. He packed it all, cooked it all, and enjoyed the companionship of his children out in the wilderness!

Fun exploring!

Leaving their mark

Daddy did a great job and let Mom off for the weekend! She had a great time too. Camping at home, sleeping till noon, alone time! Win-win all the way!

And a few more from Veterans' Day remembrances.

A proud heritage.

This is Noah standing in front of photos of relatives

and friend who have served and/or still serve our country.

Thanks to our nephew 

and his loving wife

who cheers him on.

Our other goofy nephew with his daughter.

Thank you for your service and

sweet wife for her loving support.

Saturday 9 with Gilligan's Island

Saturday 9: Ballad of Gilligan's Island (1964)

1) This is about the fateful cruise of the S.S. Minnow. If you had a boat, what would christen it?

Years ago, we christened our boat "Bocolima" named for Bob, Connie, Liesl and Max (Liesl and Max were our two miniature dachshunds.)

2) "No phone! No lights! No motorcar! Not a single luxury!" To Sam, those sound more like everyday essentials than luxuries. If you were shipwrecked with the gang, what standard amenity would you miss the most?

The phone! Call for help! (Probably no service though, huh?) 

3) The uncharted isle was in the Pacific, near Hawaii. Have you ever been to our 50th state?

Yes. It was so beautiful. Had a splendiferous time!

Braved a ride in this helicopter

to get a glimpse of these waterfalls

and other sights from above.

(When my eyes were open, that is!)

4) Natalie Schafer, who played Mrs. Howell, refused to divulge her age. Are you honest about how old you are? Or do you fudge it?

Why on earth would you lie about that? It doesn't change a thing.

5) Gilligan's Island featured many dream sequences. (Like the one where Gilligan dozes off and dreams that he's Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk.) Have you had any vivid dreams lately?

I dream very crazy dreams, but they usually dissipate soon after I awaken. Sometimes I write them down. Some have come true. Some have been somewhat allegorical. I know I dream every night and they are much more fun than the dreams I had as a child. 

6) The pilot was filmed in November, 1963, in Honolulu. The cast and crew were actually onset when they learned of President Kennedy's assassination.* Because on location filming was so expensive, they couldn't afford to take any time off. Tell us about a time when you had to work, even though your heart and head weren't in it.

When I worked full time, I worked five days a week (as most of the world does). However, my husband had a 24 on and 48 off schedule so in the summertime, he would take the kids out to the lake on weekdays for water-skiing and swimming. My heart and head and the rest of me wanted to be out there with them. 

7) During the show's run, Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) was the clear fan favorite, receiving twice as many love letters as Ginger (Tina Louise). Have you ever written a fan letter (or posted a fan tweet or Facebook post)?

I did write a letter to Elvis when I was 16, but tore it up. 

8) Sam chose this week's song because it was going through her head, over and over again! Tell us a song that burrows into your head and stays there.

The Lord said to Noah: there's gonna be a floody, floody

The Lord said to Noah: there's gonna be a floody, floody

Get those children out of the muddy, muddy, children of the Lord

So, rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory

Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory

Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory

Children of the Lord

The Lord told Noah to build him an arky, arky

The Lord told Noah to build him an arky, arky

Build it out of gopher barky, barky, children of the Lord

9) Random question: You went to a discount store and got an amazing bargain -- a pair of dress shoes for just $4.99. You go to a formal event and someone compliments you on those great shoes and asks where you got them. Do you tell the truth?

Sure. Why not?

Thanks a lot! Now that arky song is stuck in my head!

Friday Foto Friends

A pretty sky and smooth lake this morning with just a touch of mist rising up.

This time last Friday, we were at the hospital waiting ... waiting ... waiting. And finally, the surgery was over and thankful, so thankful that all went well. DH looks pretty good and had a sort of a smile after. Thanks be to God who has seen us through many things and I know He will continue to in the future. 

Our week has been about recovery and rest and on Tuesday night, I made the decision to NOT watch the TV and apparently, I missed all the good excitement. But my sleep was sweet and I knew that the morning would bring news of a winner and we would deal with that when the time came. It breaks my heart that people cannot accept what has happened. While I sympathize with those who grieve, they are selfish and vindictive in their grief causing pain and trouble to others. May we all work together for the good of everyone and pray for peace in our land and wisdom for our leaders and for our law enforcement officers.

Our weather has been off and on and these periwinkles seemed to spring up out of what a couple of weeks ago was just a pot of dirt. Surprise, surprise! In spite of the heavy rains all week, there apparently was enough sun for this hibiscus to put on a bloom.

My sister sent this news clipping to me of the obituary for the man who was our pastor during my teen years. Count me among the "scores of friends and many thankful children of God who experienced God's love and grace through Pastor George E. Smith." He was a wonderful man who had a heart for teens and I am thankful that he was there for me during those tender times.

The past two weekends we have entrusted our little Trudy to a doggie day care boarding place. It gives me great relief to know that she has become a favorite there and sleeps peacefully in her bed behind the front desk with the manager. Their website has a web cam which enables me to see at any time what Trudy is doing.

credit

Thanks to my Dad, my uncles, cousins, nephews and every person who has served in our military selflessly. I am so proud to know they were and are willing to serve so we might live in freedom and peace.

My Dad

My nephews

With our hearts filled with gratitude and eyes filled with tears, we thank all you brave men and women who sacrificed so much, so that we could have a better life and a country to call home. Thank you so much. Happy Veteran’s day.