Grains of Sand

I'm kinda a fly by the seat of your pants gal.  I don't plan ahead much, I generally go where the wind takes me.  My husband is the same way.  It sounds rather exciting when I read it, but here is how it affected our Christmas meals. I shopped for our christmas dinner fixings a few days before dinner.  Since I'm always looking for a bargain, I chose turkey for a main course since it was on sale.  We'd have potatoes and broccoli and squash for sides and complete our christmas meal with cupcakes in honor of Jesus' birthday. Christmas eve came upon us and we were all cozy in the house when I realized we needed to eat something for dinner on christmas eve.  Hmmm, looking in the refrigerator there seemed to be nothing worthy of a christmas eve celebration.  I hadn't planned ahead very well.  My husband and I decided to prepare hot dogs on the grill.  :D Contrary to my inclination to go with the wind, I...

For today December 28, 2009 Outside my window.... the sun is shining and a cold wind is blowing. I am thinking..... about family. I am thankful for..... my husband and children. I am wearing..... a fleece pullover and black athletic pants, seems to be the usual Monday fare. I am hearing..... the boys playing a new video game they received for Christmas. I am going..... to write a few thank you notes and send them out with my christmas cards that I haven't mailed yet. :O I am reading..... Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall. I am hoping..... to make a journal entry every day for the rest of the year.  :D I am creating..... a special something for a dear friend... that I will post about in the near future. On my mind..... a neighbor who recently experienced the passing of her mother. From the learning rooms..... Christmas vacation! Noticing that..... my fresh christmas greenery is no longer that fresh. From the kitchen..... oven foods; such as br...

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come and behold Him, born the King of angels, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord! Let us be glad and rejoice today, because He has come.  And let us remember the proclamation of the angel: "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11). ~ from Streams in the Desert

I was playing with the settings on the camera and found that there are a number of different scene modes to choose from.  These scene modes allow vivid shots of the subject under certain conditions such as beach, snow, sunset, nighttime, etc.  There is also a party mode.  Sounds fun!  I decided to take some pictures on "normal" mode and then take the same picture on "party" mode.  Here are the before and after photos. I kinda like party mode.  It seems to bring out the goofiness in the whole family.  Now, if only there was a "brush your teeth" or "eat your dinner" mode.  Or, a "stop whining & complaining" mode!  :D

For today December 21, 2009 Outside my window.... it's cloudy and overcast with some frost nipping at my nose. I am thinking..... about how nice and warm my bed was this morning. I am thankful for..... the beauty of nature. I am wearing..... an Alaska t-shirt with gray pullover fleece, black athletic pants and my holiday socks, (I do love the holiday socks!). I am hearing..... my daughter's beautiful words as she chatters about Dora's Christmas Adventure (there was a time that I was praying about my daughters lack of speech. ;D) I am going..... to try and use my new Sizzix machine. I am reading..... Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall. I am hoping..... the snow which is being forecast for the Christmas holiday doesn't affect those traveling to be with their loved ones. I am creating..... Christmas presents, still. On my mind..... my husband, who is on the recovery side of a lithotripsy. From the learning rooms..... we are reading "J...

My dear child, are you questioning the number of trials in your life?  Remember the vineyard and learn from it.  The gardner stops pruning and trimming the vine or weeding the soil only when he expects nothing more from the vine during that season.  Do you now want me to stop pruning your life?  Shall I leave you alone? ( Excerpt from Streams in the Desert by L.B Cowman )

On Friday we hosted our annual Christmas party with the mini-church group.  Fun was had by all.  There was food and games and white elephant gifts. It has become tradition to do a white elephant gift exchange.  Well, let me tell you, we came away with a plethora of gifts.  You see, when you host a white elephant gift exchange, you need to be prepared to find gifts hidden here and there over the next few days.  Depending on the experience of your guests, it may take many days to find a hidden treasure.  I just recently came across a light bulb candle cleverly hidden near the nativity. Another gift somehow made its way into our spare bedroom and was nestled in between a few pillows. Here I am modeling the mens leather vest that I received. You just never know what you might find during a white elephant gift exchange.  Oh and lest I forget to mention, it is ok and actually expected to re-gift a white elephant.  So, a word of warning to...

For today December 14, 2009 Outside my window.... it's cloudy and overcast with a bit of freezing drizzle falling. (definitely not my favorite kind of weather!) I am thinking..... that I want to be more organized. I am thankful for..... hot showers. I am wearing..... an Old Navy t-shirt with gray pullover fleece, black athletic pants and my santa socks, (oh dear, the only difference from last monday is the santa socks!). I am hearing..... Christmas songs. I am going..... to try organizing all the pictures on the computer today. I am reading..... Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall. I am hoping..... to make more than one blog entry this week. I am creating..... some christmas presents that I'll have to mention later, I know the grandparents read this blog.  :D On my mind..... our first christmas celebration of the season is coming up this weekend. From the learning rooms..... we are reading "Jotham's Journey" for advent and then goi...

For today December 7, 2009 Outside my window.... a dusting of snow fell overnight so the grass looks like a frosted mini-wheat.  More snow is forecast for this week.  Yay!  I always enjoy a white christmas. I am thinking..... of all my blogging friends.  I really enjoy laughing and being uplifted by you all.  Thank you. I am thankful for..... a creative God who can make each snowflake different from the other. I am wearing..... an Old Navy t-shirt with gray pullover fleece, black athletic pants and my sons socks,  (he is growing so very fast). I am hearing..... the furnace running and a dog barking outside. I am going..... to paint christmas ornaments with the kids today. I am reading..... Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall and The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. I am hoping..... that 2010 will bring less challenges and more blessings than 2009 has.  Or, that I will have more perseverance and endurance for the...

You all know how a good word can get me dancing.  Well, how about a little play on the words I use on my blog?  How about a word cloud?  You can make one of your own at Wordle .  The clouds give more prominence to the words that appear more frequently.  http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/1400710/grainsofsandblogwordle