Buy a chicken

I just wanted to encourage everyone that you can purchase a chicken or a goat (or cow, etc) for families in other countries. A chicken is only $35. What a great way to encourage giving this season. Samaritan's Purse has more details: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

Click on "Catalog"

Favorite Movies

My favorite Christmas movie is "It's a Wonderful Life". Hands down. THE best movie ever made. Secondly I like "A Christmas Carol" and thirdly "Felicity's Christmas" (or whatever it's called). I've also heard "Drummer Boy" is good.

New Mixer

I finally came to the conclusion that the only remedy was a new mixer. I researched, and really a Kitchen Aid Artisan is the only possibility. Otherwise you are wasting your money. I found a good deal on Amazon. $200 and $20 off. The same mixer is $300 at BBB. Even with 20% off, this was a better deal. I ordered it on Tuesday afternoon and it was here the next day. I still can't believe it! I love it. It is black and looks so pretty in my kitchen. Now I wonder what I ever did without it. It is so much better than my mother's old one. But it had to be this way. It had to break in order for me to change. I loved it too much. Now I will love this one the same and make new memories with my children baking and cooking. Some day they will buy one in hot pink or purple or lime green. But for now we will enjoy using this wonderful gift God has given us.

Good news

Maybe if I buy new beaters it will continue to work. I turned it on without the beaters and it worked. Makes you wonder....I have a hand mixer in the meantime.

Also, my oven got fixed. The other day Elizabeth opened it to put a pizza inside, and the whole glass piece come off in her hand! She was standing there holding the handle. It was hilarious. Until I realized insulation was exposed in my kitchen. Then I freaked a little. But my trusty, rusty hubby got it back together again. :)

Mixer

My mom's mixer of 33 + years just broke today. She gave it to me many years ago. I'm having a sort of mourning as it encompasses so many memories. I learned to bake with it. I remember standing on a chair with my mom hundreds of times, and baking is now one of my very favorite things to do. Then all the memories with my children. All three of them have stood by my side, ready to push the buttons on cue....Spinning the bowl when it would stop. It has made countless smoothies and bowls and bowls of cakes and cookies. And licking the beaters! Yum! Boo hoo.

Thank you

Thank you all for your comforting words and for praying. Max your prayer especially touched me. Thank you for caring about people you don't even know. That is God's Spirit at work. The entire neighborhood knows of the tragedy and SO MANY are praying. I know God has something in this, so please keep praying. I am going to leave a little card or something on the cross they have placed outside...when I can get the nerve. I just want them to feel surrounded by love.

Please pray

I realize there are tragedies everywhere. Yet when one happens close to home, how do you deal with it? Two days ago a two year old girl was hit by a carpet cleaning van just down the street from us. She didn't make it. A friend's husband is a fire fighter and tried to resuscitate her. Yesterday morning he was having a hard time with the whole thing. The neighbors weren't actually the family, they were the babysitter. So sad. He was leaving. The babysitter and the little girl were unpacking groceries. The mom looked away for a second. Just a second. The man was young. Friends said he was sobbing on the news report. He had no idea. I pass by that house every morning. It is a stone's throw. I saw the carpet cleaning van when we left to run errands. I saw the ambulance when I returned. I never prayed. I always pray. But this time I didn't. It has impacted so many. Co-workers. Friends. Neighbors. We are all feeling the grief. The sadness. A small cross and bear are in the front yard. How do they go on? Please pray for these families that have been so heavily changed. Pray for their recovery. Pray for them to know God's love. Pray for all of us to get through this. It has shaken so many. It is hard not to think of your own. Hard not to over-protect. Hard to offer them to Jesus again and again.

Lately

What have we been up to lately? Well, a bunch of everything it seems. A bunch of school. A bunch of co-op. A bunch of cleaning. A bunch of laundry. A bunch of chores. A bunch of child training. A bunch of AWANA. Just a bunch. I feel like a circus clown trying to keep everything going.

Blaine started school last week. The girls are teaching him so far, but I have to keep my ears peeled to make sure they are doing it the way I would. I don't want him growing up with some complex about math or something. I'm sure I will have many days of teaching him, too; but for now this is working.

The girls are learning about botany. I have learned more than I ever did in my entire growing up years in just two weeks. Maybe I wasn't a good student or didn't read everything. I don't know. But did you know that EVERY tree produces a leaf with a planned structure? The outside edge, the apex, the size, the placement on the stem, the shape? I had no idea. This is ground breaking for me. I thought it was sort of random, with a little bit of similarity. Shame on me! Also, the leaves "FALL" because God cuts off the water supply to the leaf with a little scab. Without water it can no longer make chlorophyll. No chlorophyll means no green color. Hence the leaves turn back to their natural COLOR. Wow! Then they fall off the trees (bc they have no water) allowing the tree to conserve what little water it will receive during the frozen winter months. Leaves have tiny mouths that constantly release water into the air. During the winter they need to stop releasing water, so they 'FALL' off. Wow! Nature is so amazing!!!! God is so amazing!!!

What else? I have been able to exercise for about 7 weeks straight now. The most for this whole year, I believe. CB inspired me with her Pilate's videos. I realized I had some collecting dust, so I pulled them out. I also purchased some yoga videos. I love them all. I can tell I have gotten much stronger. I have also been doing strength training, so I know that is part of it. But I am not able to run/walk every day. My ankle and foot still hurt too much if i do that. But I can mix it up with some biking. That helps.

Dare I say that I have also been trying to eat better? Don't you just hate to say that? It seems as soon as you do you fall flat on your face! Well, fall if I must, I will continue by God's grace. I have prayed this time. Prayed that God would take away the desire for sweets (this could take years) and give me a desire for vegetables. I can't believe it, but I actually ate cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots for breakfast yesterday. How weird is that? But I actually wanted it! That's way weird. But never fear! I shall have my turkey and dressing and pie!

Granny's Christmas

When Granny was young they followed the German tradition of putting the tree in a separate room. They weren't allowed to see it until Christmas Eve. She said they could smell the fresh pine and the fruit when they passed by the closed door. I doubt they had it up for as many days as we do! Then they would all come in and there would be lighted candles on the tree (yikes!). Under the tree would be gifts of fresh fruit and nuts. They were so excited! One year she received a doll, the only Christmas present she ever received. They actually celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve and not on Christmas Day. I never asked her what they did on Christmas.

My Granny also always kept her Christmas tree in a separate more "formal" room (though by American standards it wasn't formal at all, just not used very much). She kept fresh fruit, nuts, and chocolate covered cherries under the tree. Usually she gave us money for Christmas or a package of fresh sausage. Either was fine with me and much enjoyed. We always tried to celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve for her sake.

She had 11 brothers and sisters. Many were much older than her as she was the youngest. In fact by the time I was born, all had passed away except one. He was the only uncle I ever knew and just as kind as my Granny. My Granny's birthday was right before Christmas. She weighed 1 1/2 pounds, slept in a shoe box, and wore doll clothes. My mother still has the shoes to this day. They are not much larger than a penny. She always felt unloved because she knew she had been a burden to her mother as a baby and was really unwanted. The nurse told her mother that she better be glad she had another one because she would take care of her when she was older. Then my Granny would let out her German sigh and cry, "Yah." As she sobbed she would tell of how she was the last one and always took care of "Momma". Everyone else was grown, married, and moved away. Granny and my Popo took care of her and lived with her on her very large farm in Peters. Later they sold the farm and moved to the city. Granny nursed her mother in her elder years through many sleepless nights of asthma. Her mother only wanted her to take care of her, and Granny's presence always brought her peace. My Granny was always appreciative of the many nights her mother nursed her as a baby, and she loved her very much. She never seemed resentful of having to take care of her.

Christmas Traditions

We only have a few as I feel we have kind of floundered in this area, but here are the ones we have...

1) For me, I love setting out the manger scenes and angels in our dining and living room. I can wait on the tree, but this is a must. The kids love looking through the boxes and remembering everything. Usually they help me set everything out.

2) We like to go pick our tree from a tree farm. We visit the same one every year. It takes us a good 1/2 hour to trek through the trees and find the perfect one. After a hay ride, usually some hot chocolate, petting the animals, and jumping from the hay stacks we tie the tree to the car. Then some how we always end up at DQ. :)

3) We have a stocking for Jesus. It usually gets hung with the rest. His name is written on it. Just about every year we remember to put a slip of paper in there with something we want to give Him. It could be a thank you note, it could be a particular area we are struggling with in our hearts, or it could be something we want Him to do in our hearts. Usually I leave them in there, and then it is wonderful to read the next year what we wrote last year. Very fun, and the kids look forward to it so much. This is really more important to me than any of the gifts we buy them.

4) Of course I love visiting the walk of lights in MF. We have also tried the one here in A. and the Bethlehem in B. Any of these will do for me.

5) We drive around at night and look at the decorations.

6) We bake sugar cookies for breakfast. If we don't feel like eating them, then they're ready for later. This kind of takes the place of leaving cookies for Santa.

7) We open presents one at a time. I in particular like this. I'm sure T can shed some light on this one! I can't stand too much going on at once, but most of all it makes it last longer.

8) My Granny used to have a lighted Santa in the window. Every year he was there. She also had a small tree. A couple of years ago I bought a small tree to put upstairs to remind me of her. She always had pieces of fruit under the tree along with different whole nuts. These were the presents she received as a child. Now that I think about it, I might start doing that, too, upstairs.

9) My Aunt used to put a book of Life Saver candies under the tree for me every year. I was the only little one for a while. Then when I had kids she did the same for them.

10) My dad's mother had a tree full of ornaments that she had made from Styrofoam and sequins. I believe they were kits, but I'm not sure. It inspired me to want to make a homemade ornament with the kids every year.

11) And the one the kids look forward to every year is purchasing an ornament of their own. When they are grown they can take them with them. I also purchase one a year, too, so that my tree won't have withdrawl when they are gone! Okay...so it's really so I won't sob violently when they're gone.

12) The kids also like purchasing a nutcracker every year. I'm not sure how long this will last. You can only have so many, but we'll see.

Thank you

Thank you to all for your sweet comments. I feel so loved! I'm not mad at anyone. I'm just trying to do better about letting others know that I need something, but not expecting them to fulfill it. So, I hope I didn't make any of you feel that you MUST comment. But I DO REALLY FEEL LOVED!!! So, thank you!

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1

"I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live." Deuteronomy 30:19

May I say this?

I'm sure not many of you have time to read all the blogs you are dedicated to, and I know posting a reply takes EVEN MORE time. However, it would really mean a lot to me to see a few comments every now and then. It would help me to feel as if what I have to say is important to someone.

I, too, don't have much time to read blogs. I'm picky to only read ones of those I know. Only once in a blue moon do I branch out.

I'm not asking for long replies, just a little, "I read it." would do. I would really feel loved.

If not, I fear I will discontinue blogging. Though we say we don't care if anyone reads it, the truth is that it really isn't much fun if anyone doesn't. I can just as easily write all this in my journal and keep it to myself. I would really prefer that. Somehow that would be easier, but I do this to stretch myself. Hopefully I will become a better writer. But even more so, hopefully I will be better known by those I don't get to see as much as I'd like.

I hope that you all understand. If you are unable to comment due to time restraints, that is fine.

I have only recently learned from a very good blogger friend that commenting is actually expected out there in the blogger world. It is considered a courtesy. I felt so bad as I hadn't been leaving comments, only reading. Since then I have tried to leave comments to the blogs that I read. It leaves sort of a trail for the reader and adds even just a little more meaning to their blog.

Of course I don't expect everyone to comment or anyone for that matter, so please do not feel obligated. I find I usually read one night and comment another. And sometimes I don't comment at all.

And may I say that I really appreciate those that have left comments. You have warmed my soul.

Lovingly,
T

Wall Border

I found a new bedding set for Blaine. I had been showing him sport comforters for a while in catalogs. All of them were met with, "No...I don't like it. I want football." I was trying to keep him well rounded. You know, football, basketball, baseball. But football is on the brain. They had one at Wal-Mart and he flipped out. I was relieved. Finally something. I then got the notion that I'd go ahead and repaint and redo the wall border. They had ONE. Not enough. Unfortunately it was on clearance. That would normally be a great thing, but with his room one would never cut it. I called my mom up and she was able to find one at her Wal-mart, but that still leaves me one short. So....SHOULD ANYONE FIND A WALLPAPER BORDER AT WAL-MART WITH FOOTBALLS, BASKETBALLS, BASEBALLS, AND BLUEJEAN DENIM IN THE BACKGROUND please let me know! There is a thin red and white stripe at the top. I only paid $1.50 for mine, but I am willing to pay up to $10 for it. They have another pattern, but it doesn't match. I would appreciate it wholeheartedly! If you should purchase it and I don't need it, I will still pay you and return it later. My mom is currently searching every Wal-mart where she lives but nothing else has turned up.