HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY

It is Wed. again already and time for HODGEPODGE. I really do want to thank Joyce from This side of the Pond for hosting this fun meme.  You can join the others posting HERE.  

1.  The Hodgepodge falls on the last day of February this year, a leap year. How will you spend that extra day?  Nothing too big planned for tomorrow.   I plan on getting the rest of my presents together for Michelle's shower and getting it all wrapped...and running a few errands.

2. What has recently required a leap of faith on your part?  I am trusting the gal at the shop where I went on Monday with some digestive enzymes.  She is CONVINCED that all of my problems are coming from the fact that I have no gallbladder and am not digesting my food completely.  Soo far, it does seem to be helping with the issue I went in there with, HOWEVER, it is creating another...sigh.  She told me to HANG ON and keep going and SOON I will be back to normal (whatever that is, haha) 

3. We're one week into the season of Lent...are you marking these 40 days in some way? Giving something up or adding something extra to normal life? How's it going so far?  I am not really doing anything in particular to observe Lent.  However, I am making a concentrated effort to control my tongue which is coming more from my study of James than because it is Lent.  However, whatever we can do for making our hearts more like His is a good thing.  So far I am doing only OK.  But I am convinced He will give the strength I need to do better and better.

4. When was the last time you sat beside a fire?  We have had a VERY mild winter here and so we have not had a fire since Christmas Day.  

5. Surf and Turf is on the menu. Do you order as is or do you ask for just the surf (lobster), just the turf (steak), or a menu so you can select another option?  I probably would be difficult and ask for the menu.  I don't particularly care for Lobster, and while I love steak I probably shouldn't be eating much of that either.  I would want to order some nice Mahi Mahi, or Salmon.  

6. If you could have any television program back, not in reruns but in new episodes, what program would you choose?   Oh Little House on the Prairie for sure.  Though I realize of course everyone is grown up by now, and Pa has passed away, HOWEVER since we are wishing for the impossible anyway I will just pretend that this is all possible somehow.  ; )

7. They say an elephant never forgets. These days would you say your memory is more like an elephant or a gnat?  Oh I am definitely a gnat.  I find it truly scary sometimes how bad my memory can be.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  I am very excited for Friday.  I have got my check list out and am making quick work of it.  I don't know if we are going to be able to pull off all the kids getting together at the same time what with work schedules etc., but we will come close, and all of her brothers will be here at least one of the days....It was REALLY cold here yesterday,  or I guess I should really cold for California, as we did get down into the low 40's.  I LOVED it.  I would enjoy just a little more of winter than we get.  I imagine all you cold state gals think I don't know what I am talking about, and I imagine you would be right.   Hope you are all having a good week!

3 DAYS AND COUNTING GRANDMA!

EXCITING NEWS!

LOOK WHO'S COMING TO GRANDMAS!!

BIG BLUE EYES!!

Yes, Mel booked their flight and she will be here on Friday!  Soo excited.  Hubby and I purchased a used infant car seat this week-end so that she will not have to drag and check theirs through the airport.  There is a little store by the fabric store I frequent that I have been wanting to check out for a while now that carries used baby items.  What a wonderful idea.  The car seat we got was in PERFECT condition and soo reasonably priced.  There is NEVER a direct flight from Lubbock Texas to here so she will have a lay over in Vegas.  But she did get one with the least amount of travel time she could find, so that was good.  It takes them almost two hours to get the airport out there, so it really is a LONG day of travel for an adult, let alone a baby.  I pray all goes well for her as she is a "little" nervous to do this all on her own with the baby.  I am looking forward to the day when she has done it so often she doesn't think twice, haha.   Even the fact that she is landing at 5:00 in the evening in the heart of Orange County California (can we say MAJOR traffic) is not enough to even slightly dint my enthusiasm.

We had a quiet week-end and I enjoyed every minute.  Friday night we played cards with my parents.  It was fun in spite of the fact us girls LOST again.  However on Sat. morning my poor mom fell as she was coming back up the steps on their front porch after she got the mail.  She landed directly on her face and broke her glasses and banged up her nose and bruised one of her ribs pretty bad.  One of my younger sisters lives 5 minutes from my mom and so she was able to zip right over to help them out.  They took her to hospital for x-rays via ambulance, though my mom tried to fight them on this.  Better safe than sorry.  She has severe osteoporosis and she is usually always soooo careful.  She is sore for sure, but doing pretty good.  We are all thanking God that it wasn't any worse than it was.  My poor mom.  And my poor step dad was soo upset.

Everything about yesterday was such a good day.  Church services were wonderful.  And we went out to lunch afterwards at Pei Wei where I asked for a gluten free menu and they actually had one.  I had a VERY tasty meal.   However, I was NOT feeling well at ALL last night so I am not quite sure what happened.  I am going to go out to this gal who I got to know pretty well by our old house who works in a health food store by where we used to live and see if she can't recommend me something to try.  She has helped me out many times in the past, so hopefully she will have something for me to try.  I am growing weary of this....sigh.

We are suppose to get rain this afternoon, but what a GORGEOUS week-end we had.  Spring is definitely in the air at least our here in sunny California.  I took a few pics of my Azalea bush on my porch that is just covered in blooms...just thought you should see it!!  Have a wonderful day!

Came across this verse this morning and just had to share,..


Psalm 73:26  My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!

HAPPY FRIDAY....

Guess who is 5 months today??!  How darling is this little guy?  Grandma is having a hard time over here...It is soo time to see and hold him.  No definite date when he is coming yet, but Grandma is still praying.  : )

CAN'T KEEP HIS FINGERS OUT OF HIS MOUTH, HAHA....NO DOUBT TEETHING,  

The week-end is upon us and I for one and looking forward to it.  Not much is planned and I am happy about that too.  I love events, parties, plans etc. etc., but sometimes it is just soo nice to have NOTHING at all you really have to do.  Not that I can't think of plenty of stuff we SHOULD be doing, but don't know if I am going to even let my head go there this week-end either.  ; )

JUST A CUTE PIC OF JEFFIE!

Bible study was REALLY good yesterday and how I am enjoying getting to know the women better as well.  I am feeling a little guilty with the price of gas is what it is, and it is a LONG trip there and back, but I guess I feel like it is for a good cause and the day is sure to come when I won't be able to do things like this anymore, so I guess I will just enjoy it and not let the enemy steal my joy for now.  Plus my son took me out to lunch afterwards and I got to enjoy that and them for a little while longer as well.  Afterwards I went over to my oldest son's house to drop off a photo of my great grandparents that I have so that Jeffie could complete a project on family history he is working on for school.  This made them his great, great, great grandparents of course.  I helped him get the paper written for that and I enjoyed every minute of it.  It really is one of the big things I miss about not living so close anymore.  I don't get any opportunities to do school work with them, and I truly miss it.  I think I am just a "wish I had been" teacher.  It was almost 6 thirty when I FINALLY got home though and imagine my pleasure to walk into dinner on the table.  Hubby got home a little early and so decided to barbecue the chicken up that I had out.  Put a big smile on my face for sure.  It has been a LONG day as I had left at 7:45 am!  Considering those are the hours hubby usually works EVERY day, it gave me a new appreciation of how tired he must be when he gets home.  My stomach still continues to bother me so I am doing the best I can with my diet changes.  I have found that the smaller the meal, the better I feel.  Think my body is trying to tell me something?  haha  I will be glad to get this all figured out though I am not going to lie.

I did finish up ALL of my sewing projects this morning and I am soo pleased with how they turned out.  The shower is a week from tomorrow so I have next week free for helping my sister Diane out with a few details.  She is coming over here (she lives in the mountains I think I've mentioned) on Friday and we will spend the day making candy and decorating cupcakes.  She has found some DARLING ideas on Pinterest and we are both anxious to give them a whirl.  Plus we will need to pick up food and just organize things a bit as well.  She will spend the night (too far to travel back and forth) and that way we can decorate everything in the morning.  The shower will be at our wonderful club house where we had Jeff's 60th birthday party.  It is soo nice to have access to such a thing.  I am still hoping that Mel comes in on that Friday too so that she can attend the shower as well.  Everyone else is anxious to see them too and this is just the perfect opportunity.  (hint hint if you are reading this Mel).

The weather is gorgeous here again today and I am needing to get out side and give all my plants on the porch a good watering, and hose and clean off some out there as well.  My Azalea bush is blooming soo pretty.  Guess that means I should sign this and get out there.  Oh, there goes my dryer too.  A gal's work is never done is it?  haha   Have a wonderful week-end!

Psalm 34:8  Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!  Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!!

AMEN?  AMEN!

HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY

It's Wednesday (already!) and time for Hodgepodge.  Click HERE to join the others.

1.  February 22 is National be Humble Day...What makes you proud?  What keeps you humble?  Well I will admit I have never heard of be humble day, but it does seem like a good idea.  This is a subject that believe it or not I have given LOTS of thought to.  I think because there is such a difference of thought when it comes to pride and how it seems to be stressed so in our society, and how that goes against what the Lord teaches us in the Bible.  God hates pride.  It is one sin He is very clear about.

Proverbs 11:2  When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.


Proverbs 29:23  A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.


Proverbs 16:18   Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.


1 John 2:16  For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but it of the world.


James 4:6  But He gives more grace.  Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.

I could go on but I will stop as I know this is not really the question here, haha.  I just have thought about how the world teaches you to teach your kids to have "pride" in themselves etc.  I think it can easily be mixed up with self confidence which then can quickly be turned into pride.  But I am getting off track again.  Bottom line, I have been proud of my kids many, many different times in their lives for the choices they've made and the things they have accomplished.  But at the same time, there has been a few times as well that they have kept me very humble, haha.


2.  Where is the catch-all (aka dumping ground) in your house?  Unfortunately we have a couple.  One of them is the kitchen counter, and the other is the desk.  It's just the quickest easiest place to dump almost anything as you come into the house.  We also have tossed a lot of "stuff" into the shed.  It used to be our
garage.  Anything I couldn't figure out what to do with I'd toss out there.


3.  Do you make it a point to visit State/National Parks when you travel or in your own hometown?  What is your favorite?  I guess that not only don't we make it a point or priority, I don't really have a favorite either.  Seems like I should huh?


4.  How would you define honor?  I guess there would be a few ways to describe honor in my opinion, and it would depend upon how you were thinking about it.  I always think about honor as being a special privilege.  A special recognition of some kind.  For instance to graduate from school with "honors" meaning you went beyond and above what you needed to.  Or a "maid of honor" meaning your most treasured and well thought of friend who can always count on to be there for you; "honored" above all your other friends.  But I also think about honor as someone who you respect who does the right thing even when no one is watching,

5.  Angel's food or Devil's food - which cake do you prefer?  This is a tough one because depending on my mood, I love them both.  But....I think I would go with Devil's food.  Chocolate is just plain old hard to beat.

6.  What's the most recent road trip you have taken?  Where did you go and how many hours did you spend in the car?  Do you like to zoom to your destination or leisurely wind your way there with stops along the way?  What is your car snack of choice?  Ok, well my most recent road trip was in September.  We went to my daughter's house in east New Mexico (right almost on the boarder of Texas) when she was having her baby.  It took us around 15 hours.  That particular trip the car couldn't go fast enough to suit me.  I guess as a general rule I want to GET to where ever it is we are going.  I am not much for side trips along the way.  Though you don't have to persuade me much to stop for food.  : )  My snack of choice is probably trail mix.  For some reason though whenever I am on the road, all good eating habits seem to fall by the way side and I am sort of on a free for all.  Candy bars, chips,  ice cream and cookies (don't panic if you are reading this Mel, dad does try to restrain me).

HERE'S WHO IS WAITING FOR ME AT THE END OF THOSE ROAD TRIPS!

7.  Recent headlines told how a preschool child in NC had their packed lunch from home taken away and a school lunch substituted by a school inspector who deemed the homemade lunch unhealthy.  Reportedly the parent was then charged for the school lunch (chicken nugget meal) although an update to the story says the parent was not billed.  The inspector was conducting a routine inspection of the classroom - he/she was not there solely to peek in the lunch boxes.  The packed lunch contained a turkey and cheese sandwich, an apple juice box, a bag of chips, and a banana.  You can read the story HERE.  Your thoughts?  WOW....I guess again I have some mixed thoughts on this and would have to give it a lot more thought before I formed any opinions.  But off the top of my head....I find this VERY disturbing.  How is it that they know what else the child may or may not be eating for breakfast, dinner or snack time that would fill in the requirements for what is necessary for a "good" diet.  Plus, if they can't really make the kid eat it anyway, what is the point?  Just so it is offered I guess?  I first started working at the school I worked at for years when Melody was in KG and it was an all day KG and she ate her lunch there and her lunch aids were MAKING her eat EVERY little thing I put in her lunch.  It got so I was counting the grapes or the carrot sticks I put in her lunch so that there wouldn't be too many.  I was going to go and work there for a few days just to get the feel of what was going on and ending up working there for 6 years.  Sooo now having told you that.  Mel's lunches were healthy and never an issue.  She was just soo afraid she might upset someone she was over sensitive.  However, some of those kids I watched over the years ate such UNHEALTHY  meals that I was truly horrified.  I will never forget the little girl who ate SUGAR sandwiches.  And I mean, bread, butter and lots and lots of sugar.  Some kids NEVER had fruit or veggies of any kind.  Most of them however (if not watched closely) would only eat their twinkies or cupcakes or cookies.  It really was bad.  Sooo I guess maybe some kind of monitoring could be good.  But at the same time, I am not sure I think someone TELLING what your kids is going to eat for lunch (or for anything) is the right thing to do either.   This particular story seems just RIDICULOUS though to me.  Her lunch was fine. Come on since when our chicken nuggets healthy?


8.  Insert your own random thought.  I can't quite decide if this "gluten free" diet is helping or not.  I am not going to lie it is somewhat frustrating me.  But I guess I will press on and give it some more time.  How glad I am to KNOW that the Lord knows just what it is that is bothering me here, and He WILL work it all out in His time....it is wrong to hope it is soon?  (smile)  I am finishing up my sewing projects and I am thinking about maybe doing another.  I will take pictures of my finished projects and when my niece has received them I will share them.  Hope you all are having a good week!

TELLA'S PARTY

Well, everything I have attempted to do today has taken twice the time (or maybe even more) than it should have.  sigh....Why does that always happen when I have so much to do?  My daughter is hopefully (she can't seem to fully commit) to be coming next week, (help me pray she finds the courage to travel alone with the baby) so I am trying to get all my little chores and things out of the way so that ALL of time can be dedicated to playing with Sam next week before the shower on Sat.  I have some sewing to finish up for the shower for my niece, these roots are grey AGAIN, my fingers and toes are a mess, Bible study is on Thursday, I need to do some grocery shopping (and it is turning into a MUCH bigger chore as I look for "gluten free") and I need to work in a day at my mom's.  Think I will make it?  haha....My tummy is doing a "little" better, but I was hoping for a complete recovery by now.  After all it has been a WHOLE week on this diet.  Think I am impatient much? lol  Sat. found us at Donatella's party.  She was starting to come down with something and just wasn't herself, though she did seem to have a wonderful time.  Little Jeffie was sick too so he had to miss the party.   And then Grandma woke up yesterday with a sore throat so I thought I might be joining them, but it is MUCH better (almost gone really) today so maybe all the extra vitamins I take have helped me beat it off.  Too bad they don't work for this stomach.  Does it seem like I am complaining too much?  Sorry.... We did enjoy church yesterday as always.  I put together a little video of the party.  ENJOY.  Remember to click full screen and turn your speakers up.  Oh, and hit escape to get out.

Customize your own free photo slideshow

Hope you all have a good week!

FRIDAY'S RANDOM THOUGHTS

I am going to attempt a QUICK post...think I can do it?  It will be something different for me for sure. (smile)

My week has been busy.  My mom had another little "mini" seizure on Wed. morning.  It actually worked out kind of good (as well as these things can of course) as I was already going over there to take her to see her neurologist for a check up anyway that morning.   They are kind of scary when they happen of course, but really are not very significant.  She just begins talking in jibberish for a few minutes.  The part of the brain that controls your words (both reading and speaking) were affected in her original stroke and so when she has a little seizure it is that same part of her brain that is mis-firing so to be speak.  Within 15 minutes or so she is totally back to normal.  The doc is going to increase her medication for this a little bit and thinks all will be well.  Hopefully (and prayerfully) that will be the case.  Other than that, my mom and I had a good day, though she was especially tired.

Thursday morning I went down to San Diego for women's bible study.  Such a good study!  Larissa is just doing wonderfully with this and I don't know who I am happier for.  Her, because I know she was very apprehensive about this, her hubby who was soo sure that this would be great, or all of us ladies who are going to benefit from it so.  I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the ride down either.  It was just GORGEOUS outside.  We had a pretty good rain the day before and it was clear, crisp and soo just clean looking out.  OH, and all the surrounding mountains (and there are soo many of them) were covered in snow. Just soo pretty.  I turned up my praise music on the radio and sang my way down there.  Good thing no one but the Lord could hear me though.  I did manage to hurry out of there right after lunch with Larissa, Tella, & JD so I did manage to miss the traffic coming home.  I stopped at Trader Joe's on my way home to look for more gluten free products and imagine my delight (you Trader Joe shopper know what I am talking about) when I discovered that their store brand yummy tomato soup is indeed prepared with NO gluten...,YAY!!  I do love a cup of soup with my half sandwich at lunch.  One problem I have discovered however is that while the gluten free breads are quite good, they CRUMBLE terribly after the loaf has been opened.  So my first piece or two is good, but then it is crumble city.  I am keeping it in the refrigerator, but this is somewhat disappointing.  Maybe there is another way around it, but it is somewhat of an issue....sigh.  Other than that it is going OK.  I'd love to report I am feeling 100% but it just isn't the case.  Soo much better though so I think I will press on with this for a while.

Tomorrow is Donatella's birthday party and I am looking forward to that.  I am still working on my baby shower items, and I am pleased how they are turning out.  I have finished my first book in the King's series, and am well into the second.  I have found that I must discipline myself, else I think you'd find me curled up somewhere reading ALL day, haha.  Melody got a iPad for Valentine's Day so we hooked up last night with our Mac computer (hubby's work one, not mine) to try some "face" time.  It was fun but there is still a bug or two we will have to work out. Such as a delay when we were talking, and we got thrown off a few times too.  Mel & I were both in our PJ's and glasses (we were contact lenses during the day) so we were kind of funny for a face chat, haha.  I am kind of afraid that the fact that they live out in the country that their internet connection may not be strong enough for this, but I am remaining optimistic.   She sent me just the cutest video of Sam this morning that just made my whole day.  He was laying on the floor underneath his little mobile of toys cooing and talking and breaking into spontaneous laughing spells.  It was just soo darling.  He was finding something MOST amusing.  He seems to be such a happy baby.  I actually figured out how to copy and share it, so enjoy.....Just two more weeks and she is coming out!!!  YAY!!  I can hardly wait.



And since I figure out how to do it, I just HAD to share the one where he is having applesauce for the first time.  The faces he makes are priceless.  Sorry if this is too many "grandma loving" videos for you, but I just can't resist.  How I love that it is soo easy for me to catch little glimpses into his life like this...



I came across this verse this morning during my devotional time and it just soo blessed me that I decided to share it with you.

Psalm 34:8  Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;  Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Yes, blessed indeed!  Have a wonderful week-end!

HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY

It's time for Hodgepodge Wednesday again....Join the other's who Hodgepodge HERE..

1.  George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson...who would you like to meet and why?  I have always been fascinated with the Civil War time frame and so Abraham Lincoln would be my pick for sure.  

2.  What is your favorite chain restaurant?    I guess I have a few, from fast food to sit down restaurant...let's see...I love Market Broiler, Olive Garden, Outback, and BJ's....and fast foods I like Wahoos, El Pollo Loco, and Carl's Junior.  My favorite of these is Market Broiler, though you wouldn't have to twist my arm much for any of them.

3.  I spied the question on the Bears at Home blog last week, and she gave me permission to steal borrow it.  When you look back at your life, do you imagine you'll think about the goals you failed to meet with regret?  Or will you look at what you did accomplish and say it was good?  Well obviously I hope I will look back and say it was good, and not look back with regret.  BUT....I imagine there might be a little of both.  If I stopped right now and looked back there is much I'd be pleased with.  Many goals I have managed to meet over the years with God's help.  However I STILL haven't met my "goal" weight, (since 2000 anyway) my "goal" of reading the whole Bible cover to cover, and my "goal" of flying off in an airplane without flipping out, haha.  I don't know.  I am probably (imagine that) over thinking this question.  I guess I would say as I have gone through my life my goals or dreams have shifted and changed.  What once was important to me no longer is, and likewise different things now take precedence.  I guess overall I'd say I don't want to live my life with regrets, so I try to think things through as much as I can.  I think I better move on to the next question, haha.  

4.  Grapefruit-take em or leave em?  Given the choice between a grapefruit or an orange, which would you choose?  Would you prefer it served as it, or squeezed into juice?  I would DEFINITELY leave them.  DO NOT care for grapefruit.  Sooo I'd would ALWAYS chose an orange.  And I prefer them as is.  Orange juice is good, and I love it, but it always leaves my tummy a little acidic, and gives me a sugar rush so I leave it alone.  : )

5.  When was the last time you cleaned out a closet?  Is there a closet in your home that currently needs cleaning?  What are you waiting for??... I cleaned out the closet in the spare room here right before Thanksgiving.  I keep all of the grandkids toys in there and it just needed a good going over.  It felt good to get it all organized.  Which of my closets don't need cleaning would be a simpler question.  Even the before mentioned spare room toy closet needs it again...sigh.  And what am I waiting for?  A GOOD question for sure...I have never been a good closet keeper.  Maybe that should be one of my new goals??  Or would I just learn to regret never meeting it?  haha


6.  You get to have lunch with 3 famous people.  Who would you like to see around your table?  WOW...OK, let's see....I think I would love to meet Carrie Underwood, and Tim Tebow, and Merle Streep.  Random I know, haha....I guess the truth is I don't have any real desire to actually meet them, but it might be fun.

7.  On a scale of 1 - 10 how would you rate your ability to parallel park?  Oh this is easy....a 1 maybe.  I have just NEVER been able to do it very well.  I have been known to circle the block for a while when that is all that it is available.  Good thing I don't go many places where that is all there is.  Another goal I should set maybe?

LOOKS EASY HUH?

8.  Insert your own random thought here.  Well, we are at that question again where I could just go on and on.  Right now I am researching and reading about going on a gluten free diet.  I "think" it might be the source of some of my tummy issues so I am going to give it a try.  I have not totally thrown in the towel on the doc's help, but so far his suggestion only created a new problem, haha.  We will see.  I am feeling a tid bit overwhelmed upon my research however as it seems like it might be kind of restrictive.  But I am going to remain optimistic, and hopefully I will get some results with it.  The rest of my week is looking pretty busy so I really need to get off of this computer now and get to my sewing.  Hope you all had a WONDERFUL Valentine's Day.  I sure did.

A WEEK-END WRAP UP AND HAPPY VALENTINES/BIRTH DAY!

JUST COULDN'T RESIST!

1 John 4:16  And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Hope you all had a good week-end...ours was VERY full and busy, but good.  On Friday night we went to my parents and played our card game.  Us girls put up a good battle, but lost in the end.  Guess that's better than a ruthless beating, right?  haha.  On Sat. hubby and I had a little pre-Valentine's date and went to our favorite restaurant for lunch and then to see the new movie The Vow.  It was really pretty good.   I enjoyed it, and my hubby was a really good sport about it.  Not his usual pick of a movie, but he did say he enjoyed it too.  After that we headed over to my oldest son's house for the move.  Both of my other son's met us there as well.  Now you have to know that it was pouring down rain.  We have had days and days of warm, sunny weather but suddenly it was cold and raining.  Doesn't it just figure?  But the move went really well nonetheless.  Now I was not feeling well.  The doc has (or had me ~ I have taken myself off of it) a new pill that was SUPPOSE to be helping my stomach issues that I have been having recently, but all it really accomplished was a need to run to the bathroom every hour or so.  Soo not fun, and soo not what I felt like.  So I sat with my grandson Jeffie most of the time and he read his books to me etc.  How I love and enjoy this little guy.  He is just ALWAYS so unashamedly happy to see me.  When we first got there I stayed in the car because it was raining and I wasn't feeling too perky and they were moving furniture out of the house etc.  I looked up and the next thing I knew here stood little Jeff outside of my car window with his sweatshirt hoodie up trying not to get too wet and saying to me, "Grandma, what are you doing?  I was hoping you would come with Grandpa today!"  Just made my whole day.  And I told him of course, "Jump into this car before you are all wet."  Which of course he did.  And he just started chatting.  Telling me about all the little things he has "been wanting to tell me."  He had me perky in no time.  Later when we got to the new house he pulled out some of his new reading books and went to town reading them to me.  He is just doing sooo well with it all.  I guess he IS 7 years old and all, but he just seems soo young to read soo well.  The house is smaller for sure, but it has a homey warm feeling to it, and I hope it all goes well for them there.  I left early not only because I wasn't feeling well, but because I needed to whip up some Cinnamon Streusel muffins to bring to church the following morning as it was my turn to bring the after church snacks.  Now a few of us share this task at a time, so I only really needed to fix a couple of dozen.   Now I thought about NOT sharing this next fact, but decided oh well, might as well...haha.  I had bought a new muffin pan recently (as I only have one and wanted to put  a couple of pans in the oven at the same time....soo lazy) and when I did,  I bought the REALLY cheep one so as to justify doing so, and as a result of my thrift, I proceeded to burn the bottoms of the muffins in that new pan....sigh.....I then had to make ANOTHER batch in the good pan as I couldn't bring my burnt offerings to church, haha.  Hubby has had no problem eating just the tops off the burnt muffins though.  He told me, "Everyone knows that's the best part anyway Deb."  I was feeling better (at least I was back feeling just the way I did before I took the nasty pill anyway) and the next morning and we headed out to church.  Everything about it was just sooo good.  I am not sure  if I have ever said how much I appreciate being a part of this church.  I have come to love the people and so look forward to it all every week.  After lunch we headed home, did a little grocery shopping, enjoyed our dinner and went to bed kind of early.  A perfect day.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I am looking forward to it as I always do.  Not that we do a whole lot more anymore than what we have already done, but I enjoy it nonetheless.  As a young girl growing up I couldn't wait to get to school and exchange the silly little Valentines' cards we always got, and have our little party complete with sugar cookies and conversation heart candy.  Just simple fun.  As I grew older (junior high and high school years) though I began to dread the day as it always seemed to emphasize the fact that everyone seemed to have a special someone but me.  Girls would proudly carry around ALL DAY giant Teddy Bears, HUGE bouquets of flowers, heart shaped boxes of candy, and even red and pink balloons.  How I longed to be a part of it all.  When I was a senior and FINALLY got my first bouquet of flowers I thought my life would surely now be complete.  But as I recall that bouquet of flowers quickly wilted, and that particular boy ended up becoming a source of real pain for me.  Unfornately that seems to be the case in soo many young romances, and I really wish there wasn't such an emphasis put on "love" at that young age.    I met my hubby 3 years later however, and ALL of my Valentine Day's have been happy ones ever since.  How blessed I know I am.  I try to concentrate on LOVE in general on Valentine's day, rather than on romantic love which is really what the day is all about for many people.  I try to focus on the perfect love that is only available to us through a relationship with a living God.  We love because He first loved us.   I always made a big deal out of it for my kids when they were growing up.  Special cookies, candy, and even little gifts were freely given and enjoyed. No matter how old they got, and as long as they were living in my home.  But in spite of that,  I am very sure they probably all had their own little stories to tell of the years that they longed for that special someone as well.  Now my youngest grand daughter has had the good fortune to be born on this special day! She will always celebrate the day with a special feeling of feeling loved and cared for.  Never will this day go by without being showered with gifts and special treats.  Doesn't get much better I am thinking.  How she blesses us all with her sweet, sunshiny personality and loving heart and ways.  Happy birthday my sweet Donatella Valentina, and may the Lord bless you always and forever!

She is having a party next Sat. to celebrate her 3 precious years on this earth, and this Grandma is looking forward to it.

1 John 4: 11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

HAPPY FRIDAY....

It's already Friday, YAY!!  I am a little behind today but that's OK.  Sometimes I wonder when it will occur to me that "hurrying" is no longer something I have to do.  Some things just die hard.  We are having such warm weather here; almost 80 degrees again today.  I guess I might as well give up on Winter here in So. California.  We just haven't much at all.  Not that we ever really do here, but I haven't even had to use my heavier throw blanket on my couch for TV viewing yet....Actually, if I wasn't wanting some "winter" weather I could really appreciate how gorgeous it is here.  It does cool off just beautifully at night.  In fact clear down in the upper 40's or low 50's.  So the house does get really chilled, and then stays that way even when the sun is heating things up.

I had a small pre-cancerous spot removed yesterday from the bridge of my nose, and so I guess that means I will spend the next week or so with a red, somewhat horrid looking spot.  I am usually not a very vain person.  I try to look my best and all, but I just don't give it much thought.  I regularly color my hair and keep it shaped, get frequent mani's and pedi's, wear some light make-up every day,  and I do try to at least be somewhat fashion conscious, but other than that I call it a wrap.  It is what it is.  But looking in the mirror this morning I thought to myself, "Oh wow, this is NOT going to be a pretty sight at all.  How will I show my face on Sunday at church?"  But as I have dwelt on it during the day today as I went about my chores, the Lord seemed to be drawing to my mind that nothing is ever hidden from Him.  Do we think just because it isn't bright red and sticking out for all to see that nobody notices other little imperfections that we are sporting in our lives?  Our mean spirited at times tongues, our petty jealousies, or our hearts that are selfish and mean spirited.  Think maybe He is telling me to look and care more about what is going on in my heart?!  I'm pretty sure I heard it loud and clear.

I have almost finished the first book in the new series I am reading.  Seriously, I have hardly been able to put it down.  I honestly just can't imagine living in those days.  How hard it must have been to be the wife of a King like Ahaz ,whose heart did NOT belong to God.  Who worshiped idols and offered HUMAN sacrifices to them, and lived a sinful, selfish, indulgent life that went against everything you believed in, who had MANY concubines.  It has been most thought provoking.  How grateful I am to be living in the days and times we are, and for so many of things we take for granted.

We are going to help our oldest son move tomorrow.  It is just around the corner so the trips back and forth should be quick.  I am glad right along with them that the kids won't have to change schools.  I am looking forward to seeing them all tomorrow...I miss them!

I do two devotionals a day.  I have the time in this season of my life, so why not?  I take my time with the one I do in the mornings, but at night I keep it short as I am pretty sleepy when I crawl into bed which is when I do it.  I have found this to be the perfect time to be going through the devotional by Sarah Young called Jesus Calling.  I am sure many of you probably have it.  I LOVE it.  It is like a love letter from Jesus to us.  I wanted to share one that especially touched me this week for those of you who do not have this book.  The underlined part just seemed to jump off the page at me.  How true it is!

Come to Me and rest.  I am all about you, to bless and restore.  Breathe Me in with each breath.  The way just ahead of you is very steep.  Slow down and cling tightly to My hand.  I am teaching you a difficult lesson, learned only by hardship.  Lift up empty hands of faith to receive My precious Presence.  Life, Joy, and Peace flow through this gift.  When your focus turns away from Me, you grasp for other things.  You drop the glowing gift of My Presence as you reach for lifeless ashes.  Return to Me; regain My Presence.....Sarah Young


Matthew 11:28-30  "Come to Me, all of you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.  


I occasionally like to read from the Message as well.  It is a contemporary rendering of the Bible from the original languages, crafted to present its tone, rhythm, events, and ideas in everyday language.  I liked the way they put this particular portion of scripture too.


Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me.  - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.".....the Message


This post was really all over the place I know, haha.  Just thinking aloud I guess.  Hope you all have a wonderful week-end!  I will leave you with this darling pic of Sam and my girl.  How I am missing them both today!

ON THEIR WAY TO A SUPER BOWL PARTY....TOO BAD IT DIDN'T HAVE DIFFERENT RESULTS, HAHA

HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY

Can it possibly be Wednesday already?  It's time for Hodgepodge Wednesday.  You can read the other's who've joined in HERE, or join in yourself, it is really kind of fun.


1.  What is something you are loving right now.  Well, I wasn't going to get involved with this, but I did it anyway....yes, I've joined the others at Pinterest.  What fun I have had.  Though I tried this afternoon to make some "mini" donuts I found on there and had a COMPLETE disaster, haha.  Sometime I wonder how long it will take me to learn (which at 57 should be soon don't ya think?) that while I LOVE things like that, I don't really like doing them.  It was sooo fiddly.  And my donuts looked like flat topped muffins or something.  And the taste?  NO...not that I should have eaten any anyway.  But I was experimenting since it is my turn to bring snacks to church and I wanted something different and fun.  They would have been different all right.  These experiments will make their way to my oldest son's house, and I will stick to my tried and true Cinnamon Streusel Muffins.

HOW YUMMY DO THESE LOOK....NOW IF MINE WILL ONLY JUST LOOK LIKE THIS, I WILL BE A HAPPY CAMPER!

2.  Paris, Venice, New York, and Rome are considered 4 of the most romantic cities in the world.  Which one would you most like to visit?  Well, not being much of a traveler, I don't think I will ever actually venture out to any of these places...HOWEVER, if I were, I would definitely chose Paris.  I would LOVE to see it really.  

SOO ROMANTIC!

3.  Are you a romantic?  Only a hopeless one....sigh.  

4.  What is your favorite love story made for the Big Screen?  Oh goodness there are soo many of them....how could I chose....I LOVE Sense and Sensibility, Titanic, The Notebook, Gone with the Wind, Sleepless in Seattle, While you were Sleeping, One Fine Day, You've Got Mail....I could go on trust me, haha.  But I guess my VERY favorite is Sense and Sensibility.

5.  Everyone loves Pooh Bear and Friends.  What character are you most like?  Click HERE for help in answering this question.  Well, according to this quiz, I am Kanga, haha...







6.  What is the best chocolate something you have ever eaten?  Well again, there are soo many.  But probably one of the very best I have ever had is the Chocolate Strawberry Euphoria that is served at the Candlelight Pavilion in Claremont, Ca where we have gone numerous times to their dinner theater.  It is a warm, fudgy brownie with nuts, covered with hot fudge, strawberries, whip cream (real of course) and a little vanilla ice cream.  Oh my goodness...soo good.  We split one every time we go.

7.  Share a favorite quote about love.  One of my all time favorite verses in the Bible about love is found in Song of Solomon.....6:3  I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine.   Doesn't get much better I am thinking. However, I do love the line that Edward says to Marianne in Sense and Sensibility too..."My heart is and always will be, yours."    LOVE IT. 

8.  Insert your own random thought here....I have always loved a book that takes a real life situation and fictionalizes it.  There are a few Christian authors who do this REALLY well in my opinion.  One of them is Francine Rivers.  But I have discovered a new one.  Her name is Lynn Austin.  She has written a series of books (there are 5 of them) called Chronicles of the King.  I am half way through the first one called God's and Kings and can hardly put it down.  It is the story of King Hezekiah, heir to throne of King David.  When his evil father plots to sacrifice him, Hezekiah's mother, Abijah, searches frantically for a way to save him.  Only two men can help her, and neither of them seems trustworthy.  In a time and place engulfed by violence, treachery, and infidelity to Yahweh, Abijah and her son must discover the one true Source of strength if they are to save themselves and their country. So far I have found this book to be very accurate in it's interpretation of the scriptures.       

Hope you are all having a wonderful week!

HAPPY MONDAY!

Good morning!  Hope you all had a restful, enjoyable week-end!  I am sipping HOT tea, (smile) and listening to my new washer and dryer whir, (haven't stopped appreciating those yet) and am planning out in my head my day.  I am hoping to get to the grocery store this morning (right after I finish here) and this afternoon I want to start working on some baby nighties and blankets that I am wanting to make for my nieces coming baby.  I probably won't post any pics of finished items until after her "sprinkle" in early March, as she occasionally reads this I think and wouldn't want to ruin any surprises.  But I really got some DARLING fabric.  Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE fabric?  haha  It has been a lifelong (it seems) love of mine.  I love the smell of fabric, the feel of it, and the imaginations it brings.  I am always thinking, "now what could I make out of this?"  I use to drive my kids wild with it I think.  My son even used a story of having to go to the fabric store in his message a couple of weeks ago, haha.

Our week-end was a good one.  We spent Sat. morning on some necessary chores, and Sat. afternoon visiting with the birthday boy Cody.  I FORGOT my camera after carefully charging the battery, so there are no new pics afterall.  But he really enjoyed his gift, and we enjoyed him.  We came home and barbecued some yummy fish and watched a movie starring Sissy Spacek.  I don't remember the name of it now, but it was really pretty good.  She was soo young in it.  Sunday found us at church and then lunching and visiting with them.  We watched the super bowl and were disappointed that the Patriots lost.  They really just did not play their usual game.  Oh well, I guess there is always next year.  James and Larissa went back to church around 5:45 for a prayer service and we kept the kids.  They are really always soo good for us.  Grandma enjoyed every minute.

Many things go on in all of our lives I am very sure that are just soo hard.  Sickness, death, money issues, rebellions and the list could just go on and on.  I am not one to talk about alot of these issues in my own life here on this blog, but I of course deal with all of these things everyday.  Our lives here on this earth are FAR from perfect, and our struggles will go on until the Lord calls us home.  But as I have been studying James, I am really working at looking at these trials in a different way.  He allows these things in my life for very specific purposes, and IF (the big question) I let them He really can and does work them for my ultimate good.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

How I love the verse.  Just KNOWING that whatever it is that is happening, He WILL work it our for good!


Romans 8:31  What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  

Evidence that God is for us??  The gift of Jesus Christ. One person plus God makes an unconquerable majority.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

THE CUTEST PATRIOT FAN EVER!

SOME THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK-END

Well here we are to Friday again....this week has flown by.  I honestly can't believe it is February already.

So how did my "mug warmer" work for my tea pot?  It didn't work all that well that's how.  : (  The tea was a little warmer than it was without anything at all, but that's about it.  Soo my ever helpful hubby suggested I just make two cups of tea, and put one "mug" on the warmer, covering it with something as well (very critical according to him) while I am busy with my first cup.  So I decided to give that a try this morning.  Well, that my friends worked perfectly.  My second cup of tea this morning was every bit as warm as my first.  I guess that means that two cups is my limit, haha, oh and the necessity of washing two coffee mugs every day.  Both of which are really just fine.  Another problem solved.  : )

Yesterday was the first Bible study in James that Larissa taught.  I was hoping that it would all work out just fine for me to attend as it is at 9:30 am and is clear down in San Diego.  I knew that traffic would be double what it is on Sun. morning, but it remained to be seen just how bad it would be.  Too much, and I would just have to forget about it for now.  BUT!!  as it turned out, I left here only about 20 minutes earlier than we do on Sunday for arrival on time, and it was plenty.  I did hit a little traffic until I got well out of the area, but after that I breezed right along getting there a full 10 minutes before it was to start.  Larissa was just sooo good too!  She was REALLY nervous as this was the first study she has ever taught, but I am so glad now that between James and the Lord they convinced her to give it a shot.  No doubt in my mind that the Lord has prepared her WELL for just such a job.  The study is just going to be what I need right now, and I am really glad it all worked out for me to go.  After the study I went on over to their house and had lunch with Larissa and the two youngest grandkids.  I will admit it was nice to get Donatella to myself (without Grandpa that is) as she is SUCH a Grandpa's girl that whenever he is around, I only get a moment or two or her attention and focus, haha.  I think in the future I won't linger quite as long as I did after lunch though, as I hit a lot more traffic when I got closer to home.   If any of you are interested they are going to tape her teachings and they will be available on the sidebar of my blog by clicking on my picture of my son James.  Once you get on the website just follow the links to the women's ministries.  If you get the chance, give them a listen as I think they will bless you.  Hers won't be quite as long as his are of course, but you will need to allow yourself at least 30 minutes or so.  I guess if ever driving down there is an issue (as is next week right off as I do have a doc appointment on Thursday morning) I can always keep up with the study this way.  The problem is then of course you miss the fellowship with the other ladies, so hopefully that won't happen much.

The Lord has been working on me lately to remember the importance of focusing my mind on Him.  How without that my mind ALWAYS wonders to my problems and then they (the problems) become my focus, and sap my energy with useless efforts to manage or solve them.  I must renew my mind EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Romans 12:2 tells us....

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  

But what exactly does that mean?  I think one of the biggest problems with all of us today is the constant need to access how we "feel" about almost anything.  From "how do I feel today?" to  "How do I feel about my spouse? How do I feel about this job? How do I feel about this preacher or message?", and on and on it goes. And if we don't like the way we feel, then the answer is always the same...change it, get rid of it, do it over again etc.  The problem with living by our feelings, is it will NEVER transform our minds.  Now of course God is never against feelings.  He is a God of powerful and passionate feeling.  Yet feelings are completely insufficient foundations for the Christian life.  The first question we ask ourselves can't be, "How do I feel?  But rather What is true? or What does God Word say?  So, as Christians we cannot think the way the world does.  We cannot live the way the world does.  But instead we must think and live the way Jesus thought and lived.  Which means of course we first have to recognize our need for change, and then KNOW what it is that He would want us to know.  By spending time every day in His Word, and in fellowship with Him, we will renew our minds and change our lives, therefore PROVING what is His perfect will.  (which is to be more like Him).  Sooo, my answer for keeping my mind more focused on Him, more focused on what He wants me to do with my life from day to day etc., is to not be conformed to the world's way of thinking, but to let Him transform my mind and my way of living and thinking to His, by spending more time in fellowship with Him through His Word.  Hope I have made some sense here.  Writing this all down helps me process all He is working on, haha.  He is FAR from done with me.

Today is my grandson Cody's third birthday.  How I love this sweet little guy.  I watched little Cody from the time he was 3 months old until he was around a year or so a couple of days a week while his mama and daddy worked.  I miss it in many ways.  Our bond was soo strong as spending lots of time together always does.  It was hard work especially after he really began moving around, and my arthritic knees really had a hard time keeping up.   But now that I am no longer doing that, and we have moved out of their close area as well, my times are really not very frequent.  Something this grandma wants to change.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY my sweet boy, and may the Lord always keep His hand close on You.  This is the little guy that doesn't seem to want to have much to do with the camera.  Most of my pictures of him are old, but here are a few...

LOOK!  I FIT!  HAHA

GET THIS STUFF OFF OF MY HANDS!

HOW CODY ROLLS!

HE WAS ALMOST LOOKING!

I TOOK THIS PICTURE OF HIM A LONG TIME AGO.  HE WAS SITTING AT THE LITTLE TABLE IN OUR OLD GRANDKID ROOM LOOKING THROUGH HIS BOOKS...HOW I MISS THOSE TIMES....

I am going to make a HUGE effort to get some pics of Cody tomorrow when we go over to their house to celebrate his birthday.  SURELY I can think of something to get him to "smile for the camera!"

I will finish this off with not only good wishes for you to enjoy your week-end, but also the Super Bowl if you are football fans.  The Patriots are Melody's long time favorite team so we will be cheering for them and her over here.  Here are a couple of pics of Sam she sent me today.  I soo love getting little glimpses of him as often as I can.

HOW DARLING IS THIS??

MEL HAD THE CAMERA CLOSE SO SHE COULD GET A CLOSE UP, AND SAM TRIED TO GRAB IT RIGHT OUT OF HER HAND, HAHA

SWEET BABY

MORE PICTURES MOM?  

I am linking up to Spiritual Sunday.  You can join the others who are sharing their thoughts and insights HERE..Take the time and read a few, they will sooo bless you if you do.