Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The one about the candle...

So I found this candle that you twist and it plays Happy Birthday.
This one is actually the second one we have had, the first one wore out and got to the point that it would weeze it's way through the song. Good for laughs but not to sing along to. You need these kind of gadgets in my house...
Amy had cupcakes from me at work-
(sorta like when she got them at school)
All smiles for her cake-
I just liked this shot a lot-a gallery of portraits-the chalkboard-pretty nails to show off the rings Karl got her-dinner and the special plate-
(dinner is tator tot casserole)silly photo by Nick-
and then after everyone left, we went out to the cottage and made cards for the soldiers. What a fun day....

Your best friend

I subscribe to posts from Prov.31 Ministries. Todays was about spouses. Since it was just Valentine's day and our wedding anniversary is approaching-I decided to share it with you.
Is Your Spouse Your Best Friend?

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NAS)

Although I can say today that my husband Scott is my best friend, that hasn't always been the case. When we first were married, I was so close to my twin sister that Scott felt excluded when the three of us were together. Gradually, however, we both learned to develop our friendship with one another.

We reached a big turning point when we left Atlanta, where I had been single and then newly married, and moved to Florida for Scott's new flying career. Living in a new city where we knew few other people, we learned to depend on each other for friendship in a way we hadn't learned before.

Scott now is the one I turn to first just to be my friend, not in the way a girlfriend is a friend, but in a way that only a husband can be. The support that this kind of friendship brings is reflected in Ecclesiastes 4:9: "Two are better than one."

What are some specific ways we can develop a close friendship with our spouse? First, we can take note of what's going on where we each spend a great deal of time, the workplace Has he talked about a stressful project? Has she said how energized she is by a new assignment? Follow up by asking for more details and remember to pray for these situations. This shows your thoughtfulness and support. If she's a full-time homemaker, acknowledge that you know her job never ends and that you appreciate her.

Secondly, a great way to forge bonds of friendship is to share an interest. What do you both like to do? You may need to think about what you did while you were dating. Our friends Tracey and Ron take short trips to the mountains. It's more Tracey's passion than Ron's, but he's learned to enjoy it too. My mom and dad are great cooks and have created some incredible meals together. Scott and I have watched countless basketball games together. If you don't already have a shared hobby or pastime, start trying out some activities. It's easy to let the day-in and day-out responsibilities of life to crowd out time for relaxation and laugher, so you'll have to make the choice to have fun together.

Finally, we need to ask ourselves if we're making friendship with our spouse a priority. Do we save our best energy for developing friendship with our spouse or are we too busy? Sometimes we have to say no to other pursuits so we can have time to protect and nurture the gift of friendship in marriage.

The seeds of friendship we plant today will continue to bloom later in our marriages. We've all seen older couples sitting at restaurant tables, eating their entire meal in complete silence. I don't want to look like those silent couples, and I'm sure you don't either. I want to grow old relishing my friendship with my husband, a friendship forged over years of sharing interests and making each other a priority.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

26 years ago

I was not playing around on a computer...
I was not waiting for someone to come home...
I was not a lady with grey hair...
I did not live in a cute house...
I did have a fantastic husband...
I did have great friends...
I did have trouble sleeping at night...
I did have a great big, huge stomach...
because
I
was
waiting
for
my
first
angel...
Who came into the world on February 17, 1984
we were/are so very lucky....

Had to put a photo that had the opportunity to embarrass my dear Amy-I love this photo. Just look at that little grin-so ready for fun! The next one is her official 1st. birthday shot. She so wasn't a pretty dress kind of girl but that is what we seemed to have her portraits done with.
It has been so much fun being her mommy and now to get to spend time with her almost every week is priceless. Love you to the moon and back...

a Valentine's Day

Valentine's day portrait....
Started the day at New Heights East and heard a great talk about how to pray. We also got to see the "boy" playing...always neat.
Gary's coffee to start the fun-
Then off to Mississippi Ave. in Portland for a sunny stroll through shops-
The plant store had a bunch of different chickens and this one was smart enough to come inside for breakfast-
Photos of us-

Lunch at Mississippi station-
with a BLTA-
and an open faced burger- oh and a half order of french toast (made with bread pudding) to go. Yummy without even warming it up!
oh that guy likes to take my picture-
a bowling ball for the sphere garden-
then home for a nap and movie...fun!!

Friday, February 12, 2010

So much love...

Even the lint on the floor is heart shaped- (sorry for the blurry photo)
oh, and a pretty bag from B & N-
the chalkboard with my new heart banner-thanks Amy!
love notes on the bathroom mirror-
and my own Valentine on a red wall-
have a great weekend everyone-celebrate the ones you love!!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Self Talk

Do you talk to yourself? Most of you probably do...go shopping, pick up some cat food...
Well many, me included, add to the self talk with discouraging words such as; you never, idiot, why don't you? In an effort to curtail this type of talking to myself I picked up this book.
I have read two chapters and there is a lot for me to grasp onto. You have heard the words, "as your mind thinks, so you will be." Precisely what Jennifer is talking about in this book-put better words in your closet to put on. She also has a website (and lots more books). On the reading that corresponds to Chapter 1 there was this story that I thought was amazing. I have copied it directly from her site so be sure to pop over to it!

Horatio_spaffordThe fact that Horatio Spafford could pen the words “it is well with my soul,” is truly amazing when you understand that it was not well with his circumstances. It had not been well for many years.

Horatio Spafford was a successful Chicago Lawyer who had invested heavily in real estate. Yet, because of the Great Chicago Fire in October 1871, the Spaffords lost almost everything they owned. This occurred in the midst of Horatio and his wife, Anna, grieving the death of their son whom they lost earlier that year.


Two years later, in1873, Horatio’s friend, D.L. Moody, was holding evangelistic crusades in England. Spafford felt that his family needed a break from the sadness, and he decided to take his family on a holiday in Europe to see their friend. He sent his wife and daughters ahead, and he was to join them as soon as he had wrapped up some business dealings.


Anne_spaffordOn November 21, 1873, while crossing the Atlantic, the ship carrying Spafford’s wife and children was struck by an iron sailing vessel. On that dark day, two hundred and twenty-six people lost their lives, including all four of Spafford's daughters. His wife, Anna, was reportedly found floating unconscious on a piece of the ship’s mast. When she and the remaining survivors arrived in England, she sent a telegram to Horatio containing these profound words--"Saved alone."

Can you imagine his heartbreak? First, the death of his son, then the loss of personal wealth and business, and then the deaths of his remaining children. The human soul can only absorb so much sorrow. It was not well with his circumstances. According to Bertha Spafford (a daughter born later to Horatio and Anna), Spafford boarded a ship to go to England to meet his grief-stricken wife. As he sailed past the place where his daughters had died, he penned the moving words that we now know as “It Is Well With My Soul.”


1. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,

“It is well, it is well with my soul.”


Chorus: It is well (it is well),

With my soul (with my soul),

It is well, it is well with my soul.


2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

(Repeat chorus)


3. My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

(Repeat chorus)


4. And Lord haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

(Repeat chorus)

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Happiness is...

Fixing a great dinner for Gary, Nick and Gabriele. 2 kinds of enchiladas and mexican rice.

Sunday afternoon date on 23rd. Ave and a treat at Moonstruck....


Spending time in my cottage creating valentine crafty...

Sharing my adventures with friends!

Friday, February 5, 2010

the one about the bedroom...

Got your attentions huh??!!
I just wanted to talk a bit about sheets. Do you think much about sheets? Thread count, what they are made of, how do they feel, what color? I had the unfortunate experience of putting my foot through the ones on our bed. Guess we liked them too much, too long. So off to Costco I went for a replacement set. Choices, choices, choices...because of my psoriasis, I tend to get a higher thread count so my spots don't get caught. Weird to think of your skin catching threads, but there it is. This set was 500 thread count and sateen so they are extremely smooth. Then I had to pick a color. For some reason they didn't have the colors I would have liked, you know something bright and cheery. Nope, mostly dull and boring-but when I saw this color I thought of chocolate and what it would be like to sleep in a chocolate bar. Soothing, yummy, almost like heaven and when I went to bed last night it was all those things. I love crisp,new sheets...

Oh and I would be remiss if I didn't show off the shiner Gary had last week. I told him to come up with a good story...something along the lines of defending my honor would be good. But truth be told-he walked into the edge of the bedroom door. Seems he opened it and it bounced back just as he was propelling forward and ouch! It bled a little which gave him cause to wimper about it but it only got prettier as the days went on. I offered to put eyeshadow on his other eye to match but he declined...

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Cat Betrayed His Girlfriend! Sex! Heat! Rage! Foul language! (ORIGINAL ENGLISH CAPTIONS)

Okay, this is just too funny...
I wonder if this is what Gary hears when I'm pitching a fit!?!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

So much done

My house is smelling scrumptious! After going to the grocery store this morning I came home and put about 4# of pork roast in the crockpot to cook and then in my other crockpot (yep I have 2, well actually 4 if you count the small ones) I put a piece of corned beef...me love me some meat! Meanwhile in the fridge I have about 4# of chicken breasts marinating in the "Chili's" marinade. I found the recipe online, it is so good. I'll grill a couple of those up on my "griddler" for dinner. I will share some of the meat with family but with my food plan being protein strong I go through these pretty quickly.

Then I went out to the computer and did my dad's taxes. Because he spent about $20,ooo on home improvements that were consider energy savers he got a credit of about $1,000. Good return rate is not what the government is known for is it?!

Now since Gary won't be home for dinner tonight, I am off to read one of the books I picked up at the library today. Oh and here is a photo of some of the books I read last month. Been spending a lot of time on that new couch of mine!!
thanks for stopping by...