AFTER THE STORM

I am not refering to a literal storm...but the flurry and hurry of cleaning, organizing, cooking, and anticipation of having the family all here for Thanksgiving. As I have repeated to myself a hundred times..."it didn't get in this condition over night". For the last 11 years we have been going to Texas for the winter. All the extra treasures I would bring home and the duplicate food items from the RV would wind up in the dining room for handy repacking in the RV the next fall as we would prepare to go again. Somewhere along the way, it all got out of hand and there was no place for the extra "stuff". This year we were at least able to utilize the table for the eight of us and it was nice and cozy eating that way. My children, the two grand daughters and Sujan (our daughters guest) were all very gracious accepting that it wasn't perfect yet. I just need to go through some cabinets and weed out items we no longer use and put in the items I want to use. Ahh, the joys of owning too much. This is my public confession of having too much! And my desire to want to have less and and be able to utilize more of what I really want.

The grand daughters were delightful. They loved the pink leotards and tutus that Beth made for them. I provided a new game which kept them occupied for hours. It is the "Princess" "Memory Game and even at their ages, they are able to do the simple version of Memory. They also loved watching (several times) the Disney movie "Cinderella". You can see by their enrapped gaze that they couldn't hardly take their eyes off the childrens classic on theTV.They did try out a couple of dance positions that their "Tia" Beth taught them (I knew those ballet lessons when she was 5 would come in handy). Even Jack the cat wanted to be in the middle of the dance rehersal. The cats tended to be in the middle of everything and no one minded. Sujan was able to observe the three distinct personalities and pronounced Jack as his favorite, even saying IF he could have a cat like Jack, he wouldn't mind.

Our family ate out Weds night before Thanksgiving at a Japanese Steak House and Grill. It was fun sharing the meal and watching the chef do his "grill" tricks. Matti and Emma are mezmerized by the flames. The Thanksgiving meal was enjoyed by all. Beth made a marvelous Cranberry Orange Upside-Down cake. I had two Pumpkin pies (one never would have been enough). On Friday all but Jodi and the girls went to see the latest James Bond movie.

The quiet after the storm is deafining. Everyone has gone back to their homes in Oshkosh, WI. Waco. TX, and Knoxville, TN. Even the cats are missing the extra people around. We were happy that all three cats seemed not to mind having all the noise, converstion, and occasional crying. They seemed to respond to the love from the extra people who would pet and brush them.

We are blessed and I am so Thankful for our family and the provision of our loving God.

CAT UPDATE

Being the owners of three cats (by choice) has its ups and downs. The different personalities are so evident. How can God make them so unique and yet so alike? Makes me wonder about the whole of the human species and how different we each are (looks, personality, feelings, God-given talents and abilities, character, etc ) and yet we are still people and have so much that is alike. I will not presume to be able to list our alikeness or our differences. It just is something to ponder and realize it is all by God's created design for the whole of our lives and world.

Recently, someone mentioned that we (as a whole) tend to see only those things we want to see, that are in our comfort zone, what we are used to and that are in our list of the desireable. We are guilty of turning our nose up at others who are different and don't quite fit into our ideas of everything. We turn our nose up at new experiences and opportunities too. All of this to say, we don't know how GOD is working in us and what blessings HE has prepared for us if we would just be open to something that is new, to people that are different, to experiences that stretch us mentally, physically, emotionally and Spiritually. We must learn to be more flexible and to follow HIS leading and not our own understanding. We MUST be in HIS WORD to gain HIS direction for our lives or we are doomed for failure because we are acting on what we know. My special prayer is that I can make this a reality for myself and my life, that I may proove to be HIS workman and bear fruit for HIS Kingdom for which we all were created.

The card is one I made for my sisters birthday (Nov 12th). My roses were a little farther to the left than I wanted but I honestly didn't have time to make another. Because Gloria likes yellow roses, I colored them a bright yellow and they looked too plain. So I tried to add peachy edges and the marker turned out too orange. I hated the orange, so tried to add some color over and decided it was almost electric looking. Not wanting to give up ( or give in, which is one of my characteristics) I took bleach straight from the bottle on the corner of a paper towel and patted the rose areas. Well, it did take out the orange and almost all the color. It left a soft yellow and after that dried, I took some Stampin Up Watercolor Wonders in yellow, then a soft orange and added some definition to the petals and was much happier sending it off belatedly. The picture may not be the clearest. My digital camera is being repaired and this picture was taken with the new camera which I am not sure I want to keep. It is much smaller than my one I am used to using.

I didn't forget...the cats...Mari still hisses at Jack but not as much as she used to. She had the spot on her eyebrow removed and has recovered. It was cancer and we are praying she never gets another. At $600, it was an expensive "spot removal". Luci has lost a little weight and has an allergy to something, so is on meds and fish oil. Jack is just Jack. He is still very sweet and energetic and playful. He was bugging Luci the other night so I shut the bed room door with him in the kitchen, fell asleep and he was not able to come into the bedroom all night. He has been good since. : ) They occasionally all three sleep on our bed about 2 feet apart for their afternoon nap. So things are looking up for having three cats.

COUNTING DOWN

One of the special times in my life is the anticipation of visiting family. This year we will have 6 adults and two children for our Thanksgiving meal. Beth is coming from Waco for a week. Her boyfriend, Sujan, is coming on Weds from Knoxville, TN and Bill, Jodi and the two grand daughters will be coming from Oshkosh, WI late Tuesday. Our home only has three bedrooms so some adjustments for sleeping will need to be made. Beth said she will camp out in the living room.

We are getting some things cleaned out and cleaned up that needed to be done for some time. Nothing like the pressure of visitors to make an old lady move faster.

My digital camera is in for repairs so we will hope it arrives back in time for the photos on Turkey day and during the week.

May you be blessed on Thanksgiving and all year.

WHITE, WHITE SNOW

Today being November 7th, I awoke to the spectacular image of white all over everything. Our first SNOW (although just a dusting), wet and clinging to branches and blades of grasses like the sugar crystals do to string when you make rock candy. It truly was fabulous to watch. Our temps are still warm enough that the streets and blacktop driveways are not accumulating anything, but all the lawns and roof tops and trees, etc are WHITE. Here are a couple of images in my yard for you to enjoy.

I went to Archivers Scrap Booking and Stamping store after taking the snow pictures. They are having a "Stuff Your Stocking" Extravaganza for 7 weeks, with a free coupon booklet for the first 50 people, and free Make and Take card and tag (mine are pictured here). Of course they want you to buy lots and lots with which to "stuff your stocking". I put my name in for a $250 gift certificate. You can add your name once a day, and there will be a drawing each week for free product of some kind and the gift certificate. So 49 chances to win if I put my name in each day. I know I won't get there everyday. but I'm keeping my fingers crossed and my eyes too, if it will help.LOL! Happy, happy winter! I just love Minnesota!

AUTUMNS JEWELS

As I look out the big picture window on our backyard, I see a myriad of color...from every shade of brown and tan, to brillant yellows, reds, burgundy, orange and a variety of greens still. Of course the ever greens will forever be green, but some other trees and shrubs still have green in their leaves until it is freezing or lower and then they will give up trying to grow. How marvelous God's creation is to study. HE was so clever in His divine design to give us these beautiful "jewels" to enjoy in Autumn. Every season has its "jewels" if we just open our eyes, our hearts and souls to the beauty of His creation. How anyone can believe the lie that we evolved from some kind of mucky rock slime beats me!

I am reminded with every falling leaf ( and believe me...my back yard is covered with them!) that winter is just around the corner here in Minnesota. In fact, we are supposed to have a significant snow fall on Friday. YIKES, so soon! Can't we have autumn a little longer so I can finish my outdoor winter yard prep?

Last weekend the grand daughters and their parents came for 5 days and we went to the Mall of America for Trick or Treating. Talk about marathon walking! Wore this old mamaw's legs out trying to keep up with everyone. Here is a nice picture of them with their mother in the front yard and in their costumes. We even made homemade pizza just their size and they got to decorate their own with pepperoni in a Happy Face on top. Pretty cool activity . They love being in the kitchen.

My big event will be Thanksgiving this year, We will have 4 additional adults and the two grand daughters here for several days, so major cleaning and prep to do over the next 2 1/2 weeks. I hope to do some baking prior and freeze a couple of pies, some pecan tarts, and maybe the green bean casserole too. I want to enjoy the family all together. It doesn't happen often and it is always a blessing. God is so good.

BACK TO CLASS-

NO, I am not back in school in the formal sense although I have been told that I am teachable ( by my Pastor and a few others). No, I am actually helping teach a stamping class. I had the idea for reaching out to the retired people who live in the condo building next door to our church. We have wanted to make contact with them for over a year now and making cards, and other related stamping crafts seems to be a good idea. The two buildings have had their first class (8 ladies from the first building and 13 from the second.

I took a Martha Stewart fir branch punch and punched out 20+ branches per each person. We used these branches to create a wreath, added a red bow and red "Stickels glitter glue berries that sparkle and we stamped the little word "JOY". They were quite pleased with the outcome. We also made three tags, one with punched snow flakes, that are glittered and mounted on light blue snow flake paper mounted on white card stock with dimensional adhesives to raise them up. Some stamped "To:" and "From:" in black ink. The other two are two different papers of a holly design mounted on white card stock but have a scalloped red or burgundy circle wih the word "merry" in script. The corners were cut with a punch on the light colored one and left square on the dark one. A little Stickels glitter glue was added to the scalloped circle which is a Stampin Up punch.

I worked three days getting ready for these projects and they WERE well received because they said it was lots of fun and asked for more classes and some asked questions about our church schedule and our craft day twice a month. So we are doing a second class in Dec and probably next year too. The Pastors wife will do the ones when I am gone to WI for a month at-a-time. She has been so helpful providing rulers, pencils, scissors, colored pencils and stamps and some other equipment that was necessary. We are brain storming ideas together for the classes and welcome any suggestions. We are so excited to meet these new neighbors and happy to share something we love with them (stamping), hoping to share the greatest gift of all, our Savior, Jesus.

A quick note about the grand daughters, my favorite topic. I was able to go with son Bill, Jodi and the girls to the Little Farmer pumpkin/apple farm. We arrived mid afternoon, took a hay ride, saw farm animals, played in the hay bale maze and playground (those big tricycles are so much fun for them). As we waited in line for a caramel apple, my son hefted Emma up on his shoulders which is pretty high up there (he is 6' 5"). I took this picture of Emma wearing his hat. The picture of Matti is from her perch on Jodi's shoulders. Every outing with them is a blessing to me. God is so good in all that He provides for us.

November is just around the corner. The leaves have turned and we definitly had frost on our MN pumpkins last night. Thanksgiving is everyday for me and the beginning of my worship. I am so "thankful" for my relationship with such a loving God, my family, and friends. I will claim Him as my Savior until my last breath.

CHANGES-

Wow, how quickly the summer passed and now Sept is just a memory. Bill and I were able to finally sell our RV (barely able to pay off the loan but at least we are free.) I will particularly miss traveling in it each fall, visiting my family in TX on our way down to Mission and back home to Minnesota in the spring. We did that for the last 11 years and made wonderful new frriends along the way. And this winter we will be traveling between MN and WI a month-at-a-time. So a new change in our retirement plan. I dug out my sweaters and heavy coat getting ready for it.

My step-father, Granval Turner, passed away from cancer Sept 7th at home in his own bed. That was his wish and it was a blessing that he went suddenly even though it was expected. He was 91 and would have been 92 Oct 26th. I flew down and spent 2 weeks with my mom just keeping her company. She said the loneliness is the hardest part. She is doing very well and is learning some new skills at 87 years old. She has not paid the bills in their years together so is doing that new job. She doesn't have much family there, but has a big support group of neighbors and aquaintances, so I am not sure what she will decide to do. I pray she will be able to make new friendships and be willing to call the senior center and maybe join in some of their activities. Also I pray that God will protect her and other drivers when she is on the road.

We are in Wisconsin visiting our son, Bill II and his family. We are thankful for the condo so we can be comfortable. They came over Tuesday and had supper with us. The picture is of Emma and Madison in their new "princess" play dresses and "high" heels. They think they really are princesses and are fun to watch as they learn and grow. Emma is 3 1/2 and getting to experience gymnastics and swimming lessons. Madison will be old enough next year (she is only 2 1/2 and is handling the wait pretty well.) Youth is so sweet as we watch the changes happen so quickly.

Guess change is on everyone's adgenda...from lifestyle changes, to the end of life and the beginning and bloom of the young. Someone said "Change is enevitable" and I learned at Weight Watchers 10 years ago "If nothing changes, nothing changes!" What king of changes are in your future?