Happy New Year!

Recently I came across this quote and really like it, so I illustrated it using my Print Master software. I hope it will help you remember that when the storms of life come, to trust the Father to help you "dance in the rain" as you place your trust in Him to do all things well on your behalf. God is Good, no matter what!

In 2008 may you be strengthened in the goodness of His Hand

and steadfast in the trustworthiness of His Grace.

BLESSED NEW YEAR!

Christmas in Iowa

We arrived at Cedar Rapids a day before the predicted snow storm. I just had to step out in the snow in front of our son's house to show you just how deep this snow drift is. And talk about cold...it is 14 degrees here at 4:00 pm. BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Too cold to stay out very long.

This is the front of Todd's & Jenny's house.
Lots of snow which will stay on the ground until spring!

Below view their street and mailbox. The city snow plows come out quickly and push the snow up and off the streets - blocking driveways and piling up snow around the mailboxes. We watched from a window a neighbor blowing snow up in the air and off their driveway with their snow blowers. That's a fast way to move snow! Todd uses is snow shovel and gets his exercise.

Though it is COLD outside, we are warmed by the laughter and chatter of our granddaughter, Abbie. She is so full of energy and life and such the delight of her parents and grandparents!

Christmas Fun

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.

Eventhough they do not have blogs, I tag Theresa, Anna Marie & Warren:)!! You guys can send me an email and I will post it on my blog, hopefully!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Paper – interesting to watch how people open their presents!

2. Real or artificial tree? Always a real tree since forever it seems.

3. When do you put up the tree? Whenever we have a free weekend before Christmas.

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually a day or two after Christmas. I am always ready to get things back in order and in place.

5. Do you like eggnog? Absolutely! Eggnog ice cream is delicious too!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Can't remember, but I do remember getting one of the first Barbie dolls when they came out. I still have it! Since I remember this maybe it was my favorite!

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, several of which are homemade. The nativity is one of the first decorations we put out at Christmas time.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My son in loves and son. I am beginning to think "gift cards" are great gifts!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Really, cannot remember getting a worst Christmas gift.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? In the past I have mailed them, but this year I emailed those who have email addresses and mailed a few to those who do not. Over the last 2 years, the Christmas cards we usually receive has dwindled.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? "It is a Wonderful Life" and," Home Alone"

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I usually start thinking about it a few months before Christmas and jot down a note when I think of a special gift to buy for a specific person. I usually start shopping in October/November online and in stores.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, I have been known to do this.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Homemade fudge, pecan pie, and any of my son in love's (KB) creations or daughter in love's (JM) Chinese cooking.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I like both especially when they sparkle!

17. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? When the kids were young we traveled to grantparents' houses in other states. When they got older we stayed at home. Now that we have grandchildren, we celebrate Christmas on whatever day we can get together - this could include traveling to their houses.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes, only because Meri listed them all out for me! Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Rudolph.

20. What's on the tree top? A blinking star. The wisemen saw the star and followed it to Bethlehem. There they found Jesus Christ the Newborn King!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning, but I usually let the children (grandchildren now) open one present on Christmas Eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Merchants who are afraid to say "Merry Christmas!"

23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme or color? No, most of my decorations are homemade.

24. What do/did you leave for Santa? Really did not do this tradition in our home.

25. What were any traditions you had growing up? Cannot seem to remember any, but have many with our own family and started some new ones with our grandchildren. Setting up the nativity, seeing Christmas lights, reading Luke 2, making gingerbread houses, acting out the Luke 2 in costume, making a birthday cake for Jesus and singing Happy Birthday to Jesus, are some I can remember now.

Not to be out done...

by my niece Meri's doggie pics, I thought I would post one of my own!

Here is Shane stretched out on (now his) Dallas Cowboy pillow taking a snooze! He is such the baby!!


Click HERE to see a couple of more pics of Shane if you have the time!

BTW...ALL sewing Christmas projects are done as of today at 4:30 p.m.! Yip-eeeee!! And 6 days to Christmas even! Double Yip-eee! God is Good!

Taking a Break...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...2 advil and a heating pad applied to my stiff, hurting left shoulder and neck! I have been on a world wind sewing binge! It is good to take a break thus you get another blog post!

I have just 2 more items to cut out and sew up with only two and a half days to do it in. It should be a piece of cake!! At least I hope so.

This will most likely be my last post until after Christmas. We will be in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for Christmas at our son and family's house. It is COLD up there now...they just had an ice storm like we had, BUT the only difference is NOTHING melts until spring!

We look forward to the warmth of being with family and the laughter and chatter of our 28 month old granddaughter, Abbie! Oh what a delight!

We are not looking so forward to their winter weather. We are leaving the Oklahoma temperatures of the 40's and 50's to the Iowa temperatures of the teens to mid 30's! Snow is forecast for Christmas Day!

Here are a few Iowa pics. Baby, it is REALLY COLD outside!

Remember what you see in these pics stays on the ground until spring!

When we arrive back home we will have Christmas with the Bledsoe's and Schubert's. After this I am sure I will have lots of pictures and photoshows to show off! How gracious you are to enjoy our joys!

We do wish you all a very Merry CHRISTmas and Blessed New Year!

Merry Christmas!

JESUS is the Gift

Jesus is the gift that perfectly fits every heart

and it is with His love that all celebration starts.

We rejoice in Him as we remember His birth

and thank God for sending his only Son to earth.

His life led from a manger to a cross on a hill

where He faithfully followed His Father's perfect will.

He freely laid down everything so that we could live,

and there is no greater treasure anyone could give.

Like a scarlet ribbon His love wrapped around the cross

and He offered it to us all at the greatest cost.

So each time that we give we remember what He's done

and honor the perfect Gift--God's one and only Son.

Holley Gerth

For God so loved the world that He gave....

John 3:16

A-Cappellaz

You just got to hear this - Click on 12 Days of Christmas - Enjoy!

Survivors of...

Oklahoma's Biggest Ice Storm of It's History!

Baby it's COLD inside!

Sunday, December 9, 2007 we were hit with an ice storm...a BIG ICE STORM! Yes, we were expecting an ice storm but no where in the magnitude of the one that hit us! Our electricity went out Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. It did not come on again until Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. A lot of folks are still without electricity.

We have so MUCH to be thankful for during this time of "coldship".

Burning firewood in the fireplace kept us warm.

We had just bought a rick of firewood on Saturday!

We were able to keep our tempature at about 64 degrees in our livingroom -that's where our fireplace is!

Not bad since it was in the 20's & 30's outside!

We saved on our gas bill this month!

We saved on our electric bill this month!

Candles lit and placed in our bathroom, kept it nice and cozy!

Since we are campers,

we were able to use our camping stove to cook and our RV refrigerator which are both powered by propane.

Warren and I played lots of card games, and read by flashlight.

We had hot water to take hot showers!

We never lost our sense of humor.

Spent some special time with our grandchildren.

We got more rest than we have had in a while -

went to bed with the chickens and

got up late 'cause it was TOO COLD to get out of bed!

We are so blessed by the many workers who came from all over

to help Oklahoma get the electricity back up and running.

We are so blessed by the prayers and thoughts

of family and friends during this time.

I could go on and on and on....

God is good to see us through.

Click HERE to see a photoshow of this adventure and the goodness of the Lord.

If I Die Before You Wake...

Click: http://www.flashdemo.net/gallery/wake/index.htm to see this powerful video. It is moving and heartwarming. Enjoy and pass it on!

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Up to my Ears...

with Christmas projects! If you don't hear from me for awhile this pic should tell you why! I have several more (did I say several) gift projects to start and complete by the end of next week! I am confident that ALL will get done without too much fuss or rush!

HELP me, Lord!

JESUS...

the only REASON for the Season!

For as long as I can remember, we have put the manger scene up as the first decoration of the Christmas season. This helps us to keep in perspective Who this time of year is all about and Whose birthday we are celebrating!

(As a side note: this is the manger scene that I made about 30 years ago. I bought it at Hobby Lobby. It was unpainted ceramic which I painted and glazed. An heirloom for sure.)

Since the grandchildren have come, we place every person and animal in it's place, but do not put out baby Jesus. Instead, He has been placed in a special gift tin tied up with gold ribbon. Then on Christmas morning, He is the very first gift we open - for He is the very BEST GIFT we could ever receive in our lives!

Sometime during the day we will have a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus!

For the past 4 or 5 years we have ALL taken part (gparents, parents, gchildren) and enacted the Christmas story from Luke 2 - in costume, singing, and action! The gchildren ask me each year are we going to do this again?!

Another special memory maker is making Graham Cracker Gingerbread houses!

I think the gkids have more fun making them, licking their fingers, and scarfing down a piece of candy sprinkle or two, than actually eating their finished creations!

What a wonderful time of year to walk in peace (Jesus is my Peace) and love (God is Love).

Click HERE to enjoy the photoshow of the gkids setting up the manger scene and making their gingerbread houses.

Thanksgiving 2007

I have finally created a photo show of this special event minus the video. (I have still not been able to upload any of my videos, but Nero PhotoShow assures me they are working on this issue:)

What a WONDERFUL family reunion we had! Four generations equaling 33 people were present!

We spent Thanksgiving Day at my mom's house in Flowood, Mississippi. Oh, what GOOD homemade food we all got our fill of! Mom could not make her homemade rolls fast enough for us! MMMMMMMMMM...wish I had some now.

We stayed at my brother and sister-in-love's house (Ingram's Inn) for 3 nights and 4 days. What a blessing this was! All 33 of us fit very comfortably in their house too!

The Birthday Bash for all the 60 and soon to be 60 year olds was a memorable event!

On our way back home we drove to Shreveport to see Mom Meyer who will soon be 90 years young and Warren's brother and family (John, Cindy, & Stacey). We also had the delight to see our nephew, Chris and his wife Alice who live in Boston, Mass. They were down for the holiday.

Click HERE to enjoy the photoshow.