perfect conditions

One day last week, it snowed. It actually snowed quite a bit for which we were happy because it gave our family from California the experience of the cold, white stuff - watching it, playing in it, sledding on it, and even driving in it. It was our special gift to them... a white Christmas.

While playing outside, I noticed the flakes that fell and landed on us were individual (vs. clumped together) and beautiful. I did what any amateur photographer would do; I went inside, put my macro lens on my camera, grabbed a dark tupperware lid, and headed back outside.

The conditions were perfect. Snow doesn't always fall this way. The flakes were beautiful and well defined and you could see the shape of the crystals with the naked eye. Unfortunately, my camera didn't capture the beauty you could see without the lens, but here's my best.

a special day

God gave us the greatest gift of all, His son, Jesus.
May His love surround you and yours today.

fun in the snow

Yesterday we took some of our visiting family up to the mountains. Being from southern California, they don't get to play in the snow too often. Don's niece, Sarah, who is 4 had never even seen snow. We found a small hill and spent the morning sledding, making snow angels, having snow ball fights, and just having a real fun time.

I took over 300 pictures, but am only including a few here...

Christmas-time

I'm playing along with this meme that Just Mom (Just Mom's Musings) posted last week. Let me know if you play. I'd like to know what your Christmas looks like.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? I'd prefer a coffee drink of some kind. Definitely not Egg Nog.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? When the kids were little, they were unwrapped, but for the past 8 years or so, they've been wrapped.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? We always put a lighted cross on the roof and we change out the bulbs periodically. Right now they're blue. We've had different lighting arrangements on the house over the years. Right now we have white lights over the bushes and some multi-colored trees. Our inside tree has white lights.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the beginning of December.

6. What is your favorite Christmas dish? I have two - cheese potatoes and black cherry jello.

7. Favorite Christmas memory as a child? Childhood... I can't really remember one. But as a teenager, I had a very special Christmas. You can read about it here and here.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't really remember. It seems that I asked my mom the truth, but I don't know what prompted me asking or how old I was.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes. Our tradition has always been that we open one gift on Christmas Eve, but when the kids were younger, we, as parents, got to decide which gifts they could or couldn't open that night.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? With all my favorite ornaments. And I have a very beautiful tree... if I do say so myself =)

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? I enjoy snow when I can watch it fall from inside and don't have to go out into it. I don't like cold temperatures or icy roads.

12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but not very well. I have weak ankles.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? No, there's been too many special gifts.

14. What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you? Remembering the reason for the season.... that we're celebrating the birth of Christ. Being with family. And having the opportunity to give to others in a way you wouldn't at any other time during the year.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Frosted sugar cookies.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Stockings! Buying stocking stuffers all year long and then emptying your stocking on Christmas day with all the goodies that family has sent to you.

17. What tops your tree? A clear plastic (but doesn't look cheap) snowflake.

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Giving... definitely!

19. Candy Canes? Nope, at least not the traditional ones. The newer ones that are flavored some other way than peppermint are decent.

20. Favorite Christmas Show? Elf.

21. Saddest Christmas Song? I've always thought most Christmas songs are sad. It doesn't stop me from singing them, though.

22. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night.

it's in the mail... not

...

Recently, I've had this discussion about Christmas cards with a few people. Several of us feel like sending out the annual cards/letters is a dying tradition.

It seems like I receive less each and every year. I wonder if it's because of the fact that most people communicate through the computer nowadays. Writing letters and cards and sending them snail mail is a lost art. The younger generation doesn't even know how to address an envelope, let alone have the desire to write out a letter.

But sending out Christmas cards isn't just for the younger generations. I know a lot of people who aren't on the computer much and yet, their Christmas cards come only every few years, or not at all. Is it the busyness of the season? Is it the stress of having to do them? Is it the cost?

For me, it's definitely the lack of time I feel like I have each year. I used to do them each year but lately it's been every few years. This year the family took a great picture on the beach in California and I was going to write a letter letting friends and family know what we've been up to this past year, but here it is... a week before Christmas and all I have is good intentions. In other words... no cards or letters. And as much as I wanted to get them out, I don't get too upset because I know I keep in touch with a lot of people through Facebook and email.

So I have two questions for this Aloha Friday...

Did you send out Christmas cards this year? and
Do you think sending out cards is a dying tradition?

Aloha Friday is hosted each week by Kailani of An Island Life.

the twelve days of Christmas

Have you ever wondered about the song The 12 days of Christmas? Kind of a strange song, don't you think? What in the world does leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans and especially that partridge that won't come out of a pear tree have to do with Christmas?

Well, here's the very interesting answer...

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.

Three French hens stood for faith, hope, and love.

The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit - prophesy, serving, teaching, exhortation, contribution, leadership and mercy.

The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.

The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve point of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas carol. And I bet you won't think of this song in the same way the next time you hear it. Pass it on if you wish.

poor don

I just had to share this funny story. Oh, how I wish I had photos to go along with it =)

Last night, after we returned home from the store, where Don bought some replacement bulbs for the lighted cross we put up each Christmas, he announces he's going to go and replace the bulbs. Dani and I were inside while Jake was out running errands.

What Danielle and I didn't know was that right after Don climbed onto the roof with the new bulbs, the ladder blew completely away from where it was standing, thus, stranding Don on the roof. Poor Don.

He says he pounded on the walls and the windows, but he was at the front of the house and we were in the back. After hearing Don's story, we did remember hearing some light pounding but figured it was coming from work that Don was, in our mind, doing. We had no idea that was the communication of a desperate man. Poor Don.

Don, realizing he didn't have his cell phone on him and the pounding wasn't getting our attention, started looking for another way down. The wind that blew the ladder down (narrowly missing one of our cars) was starting to make him shiver. Poor Don.

He thought about jumping (oh, I'm so glad he didn't take that option), but didn't think he would be able to clear the rocks to land on the grass. Poor Don. (It would have been a louder poor Don if he ended up with a broken leg or foot!)

He started trying to get someone's - anyone's - attention. A few cars drove down the street but the first couple didn't see him. But the third car slowed down and the driver rolled down his window... and yelled out, "Merry Christmas!" Evidently, he thought the shivering man on the roof of the house waving his arms frantically in the air was trying to wish him a happy holiday. After he returned the presumed greeting, he drove away. Poor Don.

He yelled at some far away neighbors, but they didn't hear him. He ended up just sitting down in a crook of the house, doing his best to stay warm. Poor Don.

But then he caught the attention of a neighbor that lived a couple houses away. The lady must have realized this poor, freezing man on the roof needed some help. She started making her way over... slowly... using her cane. Poor Don.

Just about the time she gets over to the house, Jake and his girlfriend drive up. The lady slowly made her way back to her home and Jake helped his dad get down from the roof. He and Hollee came in laughing and accusing Dani and me of leaving Don stranded, freezing, on the roof of the house. Don then came in, but he wasn't laughing.

Poor Don. It took him a while to warm up and get to a place where he could look back at his experience and see the humor in it. He claims he's not getting back on the roof, but I bet he will. Someone has to take down the cross. I just think he'll make sure he has his cell phone in his pocket.

are you ready?

...

It's Friday! Where did this week go to? Last weekend I felt ahead of the whole Christmas decorating, shopping, and shipping game. Now? Not so much, and time is running out. Not only am I not where I should be at this point, but more has been added to my list. I now have family coming to spend a week with us. Yikes! On top of all that, I've come down with a cold. I feel like doing absolutely nothing except climbing into bed.

So, let me ask you...

Do you feel ready for Christmas? Are you ahead of the game? Or behind?

Aloha Friday is hosted each week by Kailani over at An Island Life.

before and after

A few weeks ago, we had new granite put into our kitchen. It looks beautiful and we are very pleased with it. I still walk into the kitchen and am taken a back, thinking, "this isn't my kitchen!" But it is, and I'm getting more used to it. The granite is so much easier to clean than the tiles we had before, for which I am very thankful. You can't tell from these pictures, but the granite has a lot of green in it, speckled with black, gray, and light brown (about the color of the cabinets). The sink and faucet are new, too. I'm one lucky girl.

BEFORE...


AFTER...

single minded

...

This week's Aloha Friday question is...

What do you most enjoy or miss about being single?

This past week, Don was up in Winnipeg on business and I was home alone for the week. Don't get me wrong; I love Don, love being married, love having a partner in life, and love having his company each and every day, but I enjoyed spending the week being single. I enjoyed it knowing it was for a short time and that it would end quickly and life would be back to normal within days.

I think what I enjoyed most is just knowing I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. It doesn't make sense because I can pretty well do that already. Maybe it was just because I haven't been single in an awful long time for this amount of time. There was a freedom that I hadn't felt or thought about for over 30 years.

BUT... as much as I liked the freedom, I felt a little lonely and missed the human contact that I'm used to living with. I felt like something was missing all week, and there was something missing... my other half.

I'm glad to have him come home today.

nablopomo... no mo(re)

Well, here we are... the last day of the month. I've made it; posting each day for the entire month of November, as part of NaBloPoMo. I'm actually a little sorry to see it end. Not necessarily writing and posting each day - because that wasn't always easy - but the theme I used all month; sharing some of my favorite Bible verses each day.

When I started the month, I had quite a few "favorite" verses in mind, but ended up having to go hunting through my Bible towards the end of the month. What I came to realize is that there are so many verses that I could have posted as my "favorites," certainly more than 30. It also reconfirmed my unshakable knowledge that God's word is relevant, comforting, full of wisdom, and truly words to live by.

And I've always loved how you can read something one day that you've read before but for some reason, it means something different to you this time or you feel God speaking directly to you. That happens so often. That's why they call the Bible God's living word. I love when that happens.

Anyways, I didn't post any scripture with yesterday's post so here is day 29 and 30 of 30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY.

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
Romans 12:1-2 The Message

"The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made."
Psalm 145:8-9 NIV

dani's 15 minutes of fame

As I alluded to yesterday, our trip home Saturday had a little bit of excitement. I'll just type it out in the order it all happened...

We were at the Los Angeles airport and as our boarding time was approaching, Danielle and I decided to use the restroom. As we approached the monitors that displayed the departure times of flights, we noticed a couple of cameramen with their cameras pointed at the monitors. I then notice a couple also standing there and instantly knew I'd seen them before. They had been on TV but I couldn't remember what show. I tell Danielle and we both rack our brains trying to figure out where we've seen them before. We then realize that there's another couple there (two African American women) and the light bulb goes on - they're a part of the TV show, The Amazing Race.

I go up to the familiar looking guy and ask him if he's a part of The Amazing Race and he tells me all that he can say is that they're in a race. I wish him luck and walk away still not knowing where I know him from. Danielle then asks, "weren't they on Big Brother?" YES!! That's where they're from. Jeff [Schroeder] and Jordan [Lloyd] were fan favorites on last season's popular reality TV show Big Brother, and made it obvious on the show that they had feelings for each other. Jordan was the eventual winner of the season.

Okay... this is pretty big for me. The Amazing Race and a Big Brother connection. I watch both of these shows (yes, I like reality TV). I tell Danielle to take a picture with her iPhone. She doesn't want to do it but hands her phone over to me. So I step forward and take the two best pictures I can without making it seem overly obvious of what I'm doing. We then leave to go share our bit of news with Don and Jake. Before we board our plane, I update my Facebook status with what I thought was pretty exciting and Danielle updated her Twitter with the simple statement, "It never fails. I always see famous people at the LAX airport," along with the picture of Jeff and Jordan (the one I took!).

An hour into the flight, we're told by the pilot that there is a medical emergency on board and we have to make an emergency detour to the Las Vegas airport. Ugh! Although I understood the need to do this, I just wanted to get home. As we deplaned, Danielle turned on her iPhone and found that she had numerous updates/comments to her Twitter - all expressing great excitement over her sighting and photo. By the time we get to Denver, the feedback is at a frenzy level.

I say frenzy level because evidently we (because it really was a joint effort) broke the news to the world that not only had the 16th season of The Amazing Race started (that day, as it turns out), but that Jeff and Jordan were one of the teams. Word traveled fast and now the information that we had and the photo that we took is all over the internet. And not just blogs and forums, but such sites as Entertainment Weekly and other celebrity monitoring sites. Most of them give credit to Danielle as the one who took the picture and even that she broke the story. It's been crazy to see the photo everywhere as well as Danielle's name and account of what we saw.

You can google and find the pics but I'll save you the trouble by posting them here. You can also read Danielle's Twitter posts here.




Dani is enjoying her 15 minutes of fame. Had we known this was such a big deal, we would have tried to take a few more pictures, not of just Jeff and Jordan, but the other teams as well. It will be fun to watch the next season knowing that we have a connection to it.

six word saturday

...

I am glad to be home!

It's been an eventful day and I'll write about it later (probably Monday), but right now, all I can manage is that it feels good to be home.

Six Word Saturday is hosted each week by Cate of Show My Face.

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"Friends love through all kinds of weather,
and families stick together in all kinds of trouble."
Proverbs 17:17 The Message

home away from home

My time here in California has come to an end. Tomorrow we get on a plane to return home. It always feels good to go home, but we'll also miss the time we spend here. It truly is our home away from home.

The week was a good mixture of visiting with family and enjoying the beach and warm weather. It was also a good balance of being with my family and Don's family. It's not always easy feeling like you're spending quality time with family and still enjoying your vacation.


Today, we ended the week by hanging out with my brother, sister, and their families. We rented bicycles and cruised down the strand on Balboa Island, with million dollar homes on one side and the ocean on the other.


We then ate lunch on the top deck of a restaurant at the end of the pier. What a great place to enjoy a burger and fries and catch up with each other. We said our good byes after walking through the sand to the break wall and watching the boats enter and leave the harbor. It was pretty well the perfect day and I will call on my memories of our time together when our time away from each other has stretched out from days into months.


30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "
Acts 20:35 NIV

gobble, gobble

Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY


"Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks."
1 Timothy 4:4 New Living Translation

wordless wednesday

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:17 NIV

a young beauty...

And four generations later...


30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6 NIV

90 years

Imagine the years you've lived. The things that have happened in the world... presidents come and go, 9-11, wars. Technological advances... the computer, the cell phone, the Ipod. How about emotional experiences you've endured or celebrated... first love, marriage(s), anniversaries, deaths, children - and their lives.

If you think back on your life, there's a lot to reflect upon. A lot of memories. A lot of heartaches and a lot of triumphs. And how old are you? Are you in your 20s? 30s? 40? 50s? 60? 70? 80s? No matter how old you are, a lifetime is a lot to reflect upon.

Imagine if you were 90, or older. That's how old my grandmother turned this weekend. We celebrated those 90 years yesterday with a big party where family and friends, old and new, were there. I tried to imagine what 90 years would feel like stored in my memory box. I really can't. I only have 50 years of memories and 40 years added to that is out of my grasp at the moment.

90 years old! To me, that's amazing. And my grandmother seems the same today as she did 40 years ago. Yes, her body seems to have shrunk a little, she looks a little more frail and her hearing has diminished, but she still has her mind and other capabilities. She walks a little slower with a cane or walker, but she still walks. She's able to take care of herself (and does) and she still has her sense of humor.

She has one daughter, three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren who love her very much. She loves us very much and that has been the example passed down to us. She is a God-fearing woman who has passed her faith down to us. She was a working woman who passed on a good work ethic and what it means to be responsible. She has a legacy that not only has been passed down three generations, but will beyond that.

Happy Birthday (again) Grandma. I love you and thank you for who you are and what you have passed on to me. I look forward to birthday #100 =)

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness."
1 Peter 2:1-3 New Living Translation

a day of celebration

Today we are having a special celebration. We will be celebrating the 90 years my grandmother has lived and loved. I will write more about her and the party tomorrow. Have a blessed day.

"Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.

But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction."
Psalm 1:1-6 New Living Translation

six word saturday

...

Reliving the past through my memories.

I am sitting here in my mother-in-law's home, surrounded by my memories of not only this house but of this city and area where I spent my teenage and young adult years.

Stella's house has not changed much since her son grew up here, met a girl and fell in love, and that girl (me) spent so much time getting to know her future husband and his family. The same pictures are on the wall, the same books on the shelves, even most of the furniture is the same. Stella might feel embarrassed that not much has changed over the 30 plus years, but I find it comforting.

As I drive through the streets, I'm washed with memories of places lived, of friends, of schools, of church... and again, it's comforting, but also a bit distracting. When at home, I don't give these things a second thought. I'm immersed in my own life, the present and the future. But when I'm here, in my old home town, I seem to live most of my moments in the past.

Is this normal? It seems with each trip back here, the more I want to stay in this place of remembering the past, reflecting on who I used to be and the experiences - big and small - that make me who I am today. I don't know if it's normal. I know the kids get tired of hearing about the past and having the different landmarks pointed out. I mostly keep quiet now, but my mind doesn't turn off. I'm reliving the past through my memories.

Six Word Saturday is hosted each week by Cate of Show My Face.

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

pass the potatoes

...
This week's Aloha Friday question is...

What's your favorite dish on the Thanksgiving table?

It's a hard question because there's so much good food at Thanksgiving. For me, it's a black cherry jello salad that is traditional in my family. For some reason, the only time I make it is at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Maybe that's what makes it so special.

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33 NIV

what was i thinking?!

Tonight, at midnight, I will be sitting in a theater with a bunch of Twilight fanatics [which I've been told will include screaming girls] to see New Moon - the second installment of the Twilight series.

I wouldn't call myself a fanatic, but I did enjoy the first movie and that's what lead me to reading the books - well, 2 of the books, so far. I would normally go see this movie during normal viewing hours but we'll be on a plane for California tomorrow and Danielle (with a few friends) wanted to see the movie as soon as it came out. That means tonight at midnight.

As I mentioned, I'll be in California for the next week. I have scheduled posts already and will hopefully be able to get on the internet to write new posts. We'll be spending Thanksgiving with family but the reason for the trip is to attend a special celebration. You'll be able to read about that in a future post. It will be wonderful to see family and to spend a whole week with my kids, near the beach, without any major responsibilities.

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

be encouraged

I'm enjoying flipping through my Bible and finding scripture that I've highlighted, reading it and realizing how much the words mean to me. I've been encouraged each day as I post these verses and I hope you have been, too.

I'm glad I've included the theme of WORDS TO LIVE BY to this month's posts because there's days like today that I have nothing else to write about. =)

**oh, and to answer the question from my previous post of which door is the correct door... it's the one on the right. **

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."
Romans 5:3-5 New Living Translation

which door would you go through?

This was my dilemma today as I had to use the restroom after my wonderful lunch with my son. I really wasn't sure and I didn't want to make the wrong choice. That could be a real embarrassing catastrophe! I had to ask Jake which one was the women's restroom as he had been to this eating establishment before. He laughed and pointed me in the right direction.

The problem is that not everyone is as lucky to be with someone who has personally gone through the same process and either made the right guess or the wrong one. As I sat in my stall, I heard someone come in and wash their hands. I didn't think anything of it until this person gave out a little cough. It was a deep, manly cough. I peeked through the cracks and could only tell that this person was tall and had a masculine build. I realize it could have been a woman but I'm pretty sure it was a man. Thank goodness he (or she) only chose to wash his/her hands.

I've decided that if I ever return to this fun Boulder landmark that served great burgers, I will make sure I don't have to use their restroom. Even though I know which door to go through, it is obvious that not everyone does.


30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Matthew 7:7-8 NIV

the start of a busy week

...
For Today. . .

Outside my window... icy, glistening snow blankets the greenbelt behind my home. Dollops of snow embraced by the tree's branches. But the sun is shining and most of it will disappear before the day ends.

I am thinking... I need to get my daughter's car over to the mechanic... and... how long is it going to take to be fixed because I'm without a car until it is.

I am thankful for... the weekend I had with my kids.

I am wearing... jeans and a sweater.

I am creating... nothing really, but I've started thinking about a Christmas letter.

I am hearing... Good Morning America and the trash truck out front.

I am remembering...being in California a few weeks ago knowing I'll be back there this weekend.

I am going...to California for Thanksgiving and a special celebration (which I'll write more about later).

I am reading... The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

I am hoping... to get everything done this week that I need to.

On my mind...Christmas shopping!

Pondering these words..."If months pass and certain goals still haven't been accomplished, how important could these goals have been to begin with?"

From the kitchen...a different look (and a future post)

Around the house...dog hair... everywhere! This is the time of year when our dog sheds the most and it's a constant battle to keep up with it. This morning, the excess hair is winning.

One of my favorite things...eating Guiliano's sandwiches on the beach - which I'm planning to do this Friday.

From my picture journal...


I took this picture in the California Adventure Disney Park when I was there. I love it because of the sunshine aspect to it. It's my current desktop background.

You can find out more about Simple Woman's Daybook here.

30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY

"Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it."
Proverbs 22:6 NIV