Merry Christmas

To all of my blogging family and friends!

You are a blessing:)

Over the River and Through the Woods...

...To Grammy's House They Come!!


Look who is coming from far, far away for a Christmas time visit!

Yes, it's Miss Sophia Genevieve Grace!!

You've got to get up close to see those beautiful eyes and those wonderful rosy cheeks!

Oh, what fun we will have...we will laugh...

and giggle....

...and clap our hands...

... and clap them some more!...

...and Daddy...

...and Mommy get to come, too!!...

...Sophie will show Grammy what she's been up to lately.

Wait, something's written on her shirt?...

"There's nobody like my Grandma"

awww...thank you Sophie! Sophie's other Grandma lives just half an hour away, so
this will be one fun, almost 2 week visit:)

Grammy can't wait to kiss those cheeks-- Who could resist?;)

photos by Ben and Lisa C.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook is the gracious host here.




For Today... December 14, 2009

Outside my window...About 30 degrees, cloudy, snow covered from our 16.8 inch blizzard last week. Overnight we got a coating of freezing rain over it all and they were saying on the radio earlier that driving and walking is treacherous out there. This gal is staying in today! So glad that Amanda's final is not until 5:00 this evening..

I am thinking...that a week from today Ben, Lisa and little Sophia will be here for lunch and I get to spend some time with that precious little granddaughter! - oh and Ben and Lisa, of course- Can't wait:)

I am thankful for... this time of year when Christmas brings to the limelight God's love for us in sending his Son, so we could go live with Him in eternity. And also the wonderful family gatherings that bind families together and make memories that last a lifetime.
.

From the kitchen... I am smelling the Dunkin Donuts coffee ( my favorite) that Amanda ground and brewed for us.

I am wearing...still in my jammies.

I am hoping...and praying for good weather and safe travel as Ben and Lisa drive from Pittsburgh (9-10 hr. trip) next weekend. They get to stay almost 2 weeks!

I am hearing...Amanda playing guitar from the living room. She's taking a break from studying for finals.

I am remembering...our son, Tim's birthday over the weekend. He turned 25. What an exciting year it has been for him- marrying the love of his life, Brooke.

I am praying...safe travel for all who are traveling on the slick roads today.

Around the house...Still decorating the house, starting some baking and any do-ahead projects that I can do.

On my mind...Amanda and Jonathan as they start their final exams and work on papers due for the end of the semester. Then so happy that they have almost a month off to recoup before next semester. And do you know that next semester is call Spring semester?!! Yay!:)

One of my favorite things... Christmas ornaments made by children and the sweet memories as they are put on the tree each year:)

A few plans for the rest of the week...getting ready for Christmas and all that goes with it!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...*

This what our back yard looked like after 16.8 inches of snow fell overnight last Tuesday and into Wednesday morning. We were literally snowed in all day. The snow plows got to our street around 8:00pm.

This was a very heavy snow. And yes, it was very gray outside that day.

These are days we are thankful for a snow blower.

Everything was closed on Wednesday including many businesses and all non-essential government offices. The University of Wisconsin in Madison canceled classes for the first time in 19 years. You might have seen it on the national news of the 3000 student snowball fight that day- and kids using lunch trays as shields and for sliding down Baskom hill.
Here is a link to our local news about it:)

http://www.channel3000.com/news/21907635/detail.html

Just For Fun!

With all the snow coming in across the Midwest in the next couple of days- I thought I'd share some snowman funnies with you:)
Our forecast includes 9-12 inches by Wednesday evening with blowing and drifting and possible white-out conditions.
So please be careful out there- or if you can, just stay home and have some hot cocoa.

Stay Warm!

Thankful Thursday

Sonya at Truth 4 The Journey has invited us to join her and list of five things for which we are thankful.


1) I am thankful for our Heavenly Father who" leans his ear" (from Psalms) toward us to hear our prayers and requests. I think he might have a crook in his neck from leaning down to hear our prayers during this last week:) Our new little grandson, Elijah was born with fluid in his lungs and had to spend a day and a half in the NICU. Thank you Lord for loving us and hearing our prayers...and that Eli is now home with his family and doing well...

2) I am thankful for all the friends and family who were praying for little Eli and his mommy and daddy. It's a wonderful blessing to be able to put out the word for needed prayer and know that people are praying in unison for a need! Thank you Lord for those who know you and talk to you every day...

3) I am thankful for the wonderful time we had together on Thanksgiving Day. Thank you Lord for sweet fellowship within our family and that you are the center of that love and closeness...

4) I am thankful for the success that our son Jonathan is having with his college classes this semester. He has done very well on some crucial tests in his major subjects in the past few weeks. Thank you Lord for being with Jonathan in his busy school and work schedules...

5) I am thankful that I got (and a ride with Tim and Brooke:) to go see little Elijah for the first time on Tuesday. He slept through our visit, but that's ok:) Thank your Lord for the blessing to go see this precious new little one in our family...

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook is the gracious host here.




For Today... November 30, 2009

Outside my window... In the 40's with sunshine and clouds. Not bad for the last day of November!

I am thinking...of our son Daniel and DIL Jess and grandson Sam, who are home now with little Elijah Jeffrey, who was born on Saturday!! Kinda of tough weekend with Elijah in NICU with fluid in his lungs after birth. But he was able to come off oxygen yesterday afternoon and join them in his mommy's room last night.

I am thankful for... all of the prayers going up for Elijah and the family for Elijah's breathing problems. What a blessing to just put out the word and have so many praying!

I am also thankful for the wonderful time our family had gathering at Daniel and Jess' home on Thanksgiving. We enjoyed the food and just being together. We skyped with Ben, Lisa and Sophie in Pittsburgh, which was great! Daniel "walked" his laptop around for all the family to talk with them wherever they were sitting:) - so I am also thankful for all the technology in our lives that help us keep connected.

From the kitchen... uh- I don't even know. Most of the leftovers are gone, so I'm thinking hamburgers on the George Foreman grill for dinner:)

I am wearing...sweatshirt and my favorite stretchy pants.

I am hoping...to go visit Elijah (and Sam:)!

I am hearing... the going home traffic outside and the local evening news from the kitchen.

I am remembering...sweet memories of when our babies were born. And knowing the precious moments that Daniel and Jess are having now that they are home with Sam and little Elijah.

I am praying...a prayer of thanksgiving for all the wonderful doctors and NICU nurses who take loving care of these precious little ones everyday in hospitals across the nation. We do have the best in the world.

Around the house...Oh boy... We didn't get the tree up over the weekend, so all the Christmas decorating is yet to come. On Christmas day, all of our family will be here:) There are 15 of us now- including 3 grandkids --woohoo! (Two more grandkids and one more DIL since last year:) So exciting! What blessings!

On my mind...what a wonderful Lord we have! To able to immediately go to Him is such a comfort.! And what a wonderful community of praying believers that surrounds our family!

One of my favorite things... Christmas music playing on the stereo while decorating the house. And I so enjoy opening up the containers of decorations each year and memories of each one.

A few plans for the rest of the week...#1.seeing our new grandson:) #2,3.4,5,6- who cares?!:)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...*

You had to know what pictures I would share today!

May I introduce Sam's little "brover" Elijah Jeffrey.

Surely, two of the most satisfying experiences in life must be those of being a grandchild or a grandparent. ~Donald A. Norberg

(Photos by Daniel C. on his iphone.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are busy getting ready take the turkey on the road to gather on Thanksgiving at our son Daniel and DIL Jess's home this year. Since their baby is due two days after Thanksgiving, the family is taking the meal to their house so we can all be together. Who knows?- we'll see if the little one holds out till then:) Little Sam will be welcoming his new little brother into the world soon!

Our blessings are too many to count. God has blessed us beyond measure with a loving family, good health, warm homes, good food, wonderful church families, and dear friends. We have three new family members so far this year. Back in March, little Sophia was born to Ben and Lisa. In August, Tim married our sweet new DIL Brooke, and three weeks later my sister Melissa married her wonderful husband Jeff.

We'll miss being with Ben, Lisa, and sweet Sophia this week, but look forward to Christmas when they will be here with us. Love you guys!

So as we all look around us and count our blessings, I am also thankful to live in this country whose forefathers made it a priority to stop and give thanks. I hope that you and your family will have a wonderful time together this holiday.

Blessings to you and yours:)

Wordless Wednesday - Progression of a Sunset

"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

Psalm 90:12

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook is the gracious host here.




For Today... November 16, 2009

Outside my window... In the upper 40's with sunshine and clouds. The sunshine makes it a beautiful day.

I am thinking...that Thanksgiving is getting closer and I need to be ready to have dinner here just in case Sam's new little baby brother arrives a little earlier than expected...I don't know, I just have a feeling:) Otherwise, the family is gathering at Daniel and Jess's and bringing the meal to their house so we can all be together.

I am thankful for... wow- how to I count them all...for this country we live in- it's still the best place on earth! -- For liberty and freedom, for our family and their good health, for our homes... for God's provision. Thank you Lord...

From the kitchen... much grocery shopping needed- so still thinking:) I do have 13 cans of evaporated milk that hubby pulled from the back of a bottom cabinet that I hadn't seen in a few years quite awhile(who can squat down that far?-not this grammy anymore:)...probably bought them to go with the 5 or 6 containers of pumpkin pie spice that my sister found in another cabinet when she was looking for thyme ( oh the puns we had with that one- no thyme, out of thyme, where does the thyme go?,etc:) on a visit when she was here cooking. You know how it is? -- you're at the grocery store before Thanksgiving and can't remember if you have pumpkin pie spice or not, so you get it just in case...?...no?...several years in a row?...no?... Does anybody know the shelf life of a can of evaporated milk?...no expiration dates on them:)...anyway...I still need to get groceries:)

I am wearing...blue stretchy pants and blue sweatshirt and black socks- my comfiest working around the house outfit ever!:)

I am hoping...that I can talk my hubby into seeing the doctor this week about his bronchial cough. He gets it every year and this one is hanging on...ever try to talk a man into going to the doctor?:)

I am hearing... traffic outside starting to get busy for the afternoon...otherwise it's quiet around the house. Hubby has a day today using up banked vacation days that disappear at the end of the year if now used. Fortunately, he is resting because of his cough. And Amanda is napping after a late night studying last night and classes today. So shhhh:)

I am remembering...when we didn't have a vcr (they were fairly new)--and for the kids' birthdays we would rent a vcr and a movie on their birthday. Ask any of our kids what movie was our favorite?--The Apple Dumpling Gang (Disney-rated G)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnS0_UTEayY&NR=1
I am remembering a picture we have of Jonathan (not yet scanned:( when he was about 4 -holding his choice of video up by his little cheek and smiling with excitement (and arm around the dog) for the camera. Jonathan just turned 22:)... sigh...

I am praying... a young blogging friend, Ashley, in Texas who is going through chemo for ovarian cancer and getting ready for more in-depth treatments in the next few weeks-- praying for successful treatments, and for permanent remission. If you would like to meet Ashley and add her to your prayer list, I'm sure that she would appreciate it. She is such a sweet young Christian woman who is trusting in the Lord through this difficult time in her life.

Around the house...Need to go down to the family room and go through things that Amanda purged out the bedroom that she now occupies. Ugh... She's finding that there are some perks to being the last sibling left at home--Your choice of room:)

On my mind...how nice it is have a sidewalk area repaired that hopefully helps heavy rains to flow away from the house instead of in the basement.

One of my favorite things... hearing from our grandkiddos' moms and days about new things they are doing...last week Sam was heard playing his little piano and singing "Amazing Grace" and Sophia is clapping her hands now. And seeing their beautiful little faces on their blogs- technology is great!

A few plans for the rest of the week...getting out to do a little shopping and hopefully a haircut and color- not that I have gray or anything;).

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...*

This is the beautiful sunset that greeted Amanda and I as we neared our destination last week in Illinois. Amanda snapped this through the windshield of the car as we neared Jacksonville.

Have a great week!

Wordless Wednesday - Veterans Day- And Dad's 3rd Year in Heaven...

Mom and Dad on their wedding day- September 8, 1948

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook is the gracious host here.




For Today... November 10, 2009 Good morning!

Outside my window...loving this weather! Sunny and in the 60's today:)

I am thinking... that I can't believe that we are this far into November already. I know it's probably going slow for Jess ;) - but our little grandson is due on the 28th!:) He'll be here before we know it!

I am thankful for... our children raising their babies to love the Lord from an early age. What a blessing!

From the kitchen...we brought "Burgoo" home from Illinois. Bought and frozen for us in September. Burgoo is a soup that is the center of annual community carnivals in central Ill. I'll take a picture of the next batch that we thaw and heat up:)

I am wearing...blue jeans, white shirt, black socks.

I am hoping...that this beautiful fall weather goes on and on! And for a short, mild winter:) Hey-- I can always hope:)

I am hearing... Fox News on tv from the kitchen, and kids playing across the street.

I am remembering...how good it was to go back home last weekend to visit Mom. It was nice to be there with her on the third anniversary of Dad's going to Heaven. She misses him so much- but time gone by helps. Thank you, Lord, for helping to heal our hearts when we lose loved ones...

I am praying... the families at Fort Hood and around the country affected by the shooting last week.

Around the house... looking to clear out and purge "mom stuff" from the under-the-stairs closed downstairs. It has become a dumping ground and things need to be given away or repurposed.

On my mind...outside projects that we are trying to finish before it gets cold and snowy.

One of my favorite things... my brother, Wayne's sense of humor...just makes me smile to think of him...:) Also, I just watched the video of my sister's wedding and saw again how Wayne stepped in and walked Missy down the aisle (not the original plan), when she was missing our dad and couldn't do it alone. Dad would have been proud - I know I was...such a sweet moment...

A few plans for the rest of the week...still working with apples - plus other projects.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...*

These are Vacation Bible School pins that my mom has collected through the years. These are from years that she has taught the preschoolers or served in the kitchen for VBS. A lot of those early years of VBS lasted for two weeks.


A life long friend of our family (and member of the church) made this beautiful case for Mom to keep them in. Before this was made, Mom pinned them on a styrofoam plate.
Ironically, the same company that supplied the VBS curriculum last summer ( and all previous years) did not offer pins this year.
Mom (at age 81) is now known as the "Cookie Lady" by the kids at VBS:)

What is one of your favorite memories of Vacation Bible School when you were a kid?
In my childhood, the ladies of the church also usually served the cookies on the day that they supplied homemade cookies. Delicious cookies and kool-aid were served outside on the front concrete area of the church-- Or, if it was raining, inside the entry foyer.
My husband has the belief that all VBS cookies must be homemade - because they are at the heart of wonderful childhood VBS memories. Give a child a homemade cookie and teach them about Jesus- that makes sense to me:)

Thankful Thursday

Sonya at Truth 4 The Journey has invited us to join her and list of five things for which we are thankful.


1) I am thankful for this community of Christ-following ladies who know the Lord and pour out their gratitude each week. For the encouragement and inspiration that they give and get in return...Thank you Lord for bringing together those who love you and share that love with others- online and off.

2) I am thankful for our son Jonathan, whose 22nd birthday we celebrated on Tuesday. He is our youngest son- and it's hard to believe he is this old already. So proud of the young man that he is! I am thankful that his diligence in studying has earned him good grades on some very tough tests worth high percentage points in the last month- and now for this short time of less stress for him. Thank you Lord for Jonathan and the blessing that he is to us and those around him.

3) I am thankful for my husband whose hard work is fixing a water run-off problem we have had at the front of our house. Thank you Father for his ingenuity and strength to do jobs around our home. And thank you for this home...

4) I am thankful that Amanda and I are planning a trip to Illinois to visit my mom and siblings this weekend. It will probably be the last trip there before the snow flies and travel gets too unpredictable - along with schedules... Thank you Lord for mom's good health at age 81-- for her constant love for her family. Be close to her as the anniversary of Dad's going to Heaven is this weekend also. And thank you for my brothers and sister and for my BIL and SsIL. Thank you for family - the love, memories and faith that we share.

5) I am thankful for this string of sunny days that we are having throughout this week! The beautiful fall colors along with the sunshine make us just feel better. Thank you Lord for your creation of the earth, and how you set the seasons in motion-- and for it's beauty that inspires us. It's beauty is reflected in art around us and in our hearts as we reflect your love for us.

Wordless Wednesday -Sophie~ Just "beeing" Cute:)

Photos by Ben and Lisa C.

Link up with Heather over at Simply Heather's Blog to share you pics for Wordless Wednesday.

Maxine on Halloween

Ya gotta love Maxine:)
Happy Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday - Then and Now... Still Curious Window Friends

Sam and Tozer last Christmas...

Sam and Tozer two weeks ago...
Photos by Jess C.



Link up with Heather over at Simply Heather's Blog to share you pics for Wordless Wednesday.