Saturday, January 26, 2013

SIx Word Saturday

Six Word Saturday


Why not share your six words today.  Click on the button and link your post!

My six words:

Sara Plain And Tall Marathon Today!


Sarah Plain & Tall Trilogy:  Sarah, Plain and Tall / Skylark / Winter's End [VHS]
These were on the Halmark channel today...so I watched all three.  I love these movies!
They were filmed here in Kansas in the Emporia area.  And I think there were some scenes shot in Cowtown, right here in Wichita.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Monday Quiz About Me



Monday Quiz About Me Link

There are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer, and then you have the option to add a fifth question of your own for those who are visiting your blog to answer in the comment section, along with commenting on the four standard questions you answered!


Here are this week's Questions:
1. What was your favorite lunch this past week?
2. Do you shop online?
3. Do you get the "Winter Blues"?
4. Slippers, Socks, Shoes or Bare Feet?
And here's my question for you to answer in my comment section on this post:
5.   (Instead of choosing my own 5th question, I liked this one that a friend posted.)
What do you hope people will say about you after you die?


Here are my answers.
1. My favorite lunch this past week was Italian Noodles.
2. Yes, I do shop online, and I find it very convenient.  It saves a lot of time, and also gasoline.  (:>)
3. Yes, I do get the winter blues...and I look so forward to springtime.  But I know that the Lord has a purpose for every season.
4. I live in Crocs flip flops most of the time.  They are so comfortable!  I like having them in several colors.
And my extra question's answer:
5. I would hope that people would say that I was a good wife, mother, grandma, sister, and friend.  Someone who loved the Lord and tried to be an encouragement to others.

Now why not play along.  Just click on the Monday Quiz About Me Link, and link up your post.  This is a Blog Hop. 


Saturday, January 19, 2013

Six Word Saturday, January 19th, 2013



My Six Words:

Early To Bed Early To Rise!



For years and years I was a night owl.  I would stay up after my family was in bed, and I would do things like organize cupboards, clean house, change furniture around, and decorate.  Sometimes I would read, write letters, or watch tv, or even do laundry, and iron clothes.  I was a momma to three daughters, and my days were busy back then.  I guess I felt like I needed the night times to myself while the house was quiet?!!!  I don't know, but I would often stay up until 1, 2 or 3 AM just piddling around.



In the mornings I would get my hubby off to work, get my kids up, feed them breakfast, hurry them along, and then take them to school, (for awhile they all went to different schools), and then I'd come home to the daily household duties, and they never seemed to end.

I would be a room mother at school, go on field trips with them, and also volunteer to help kids in my youngest daughter's class with reading.   I'd go to garage sales, thrift shops, and estate sales, or work in the yard, move the sprinkers around all day to keep the grass green, go for walks, ride my bike, exercise, shop, run errands, and go to Bible Studies.  I liked to go visit with girlfriends, go to the library, talk to my extended family on the phone, etc., etc.

I kept busy and before I knew it, it was time to pick up my girls after school, (and usually a van load of their friends too, and I'd drop them off at their houses, one by one),  then back home to fix a snack for my girls, and as we sat at the kitchen table, I'd listen to them tell me all about their school day, and what was going on with each of their friends etc. I'd play games with them, watch them do gymnastics, or practice cheers, and I spent time with each of them, and I enjoyed every minute.



I'd fix dinner, clean up dishes, and they'd get baths and showers... then I'd take a bath, put on my p.j.'s, and watch tv with the family.  I'd help with homework when needed, read a book to the youngest one, put her to bed, and make sure the older girls got to bed at a decent hour.  It was a routine that varied at times, but for the most part, I could handle it all, and have energy to spare, even though I stayed up late.  I loved being a busy mom...and I loved my three beautiful girls.



Now a days I am an early to bed, early to rise person.  Not much activity to keep me up late.  My life is so different from those late night times of long ago when I was running a home and taking care of my children..
All of my girls are married adults with kids of their own, and now they have the busy schedules, and my husband and I are retired.

We have 11 grandkids, and we enjoy hearing about their busy lives, and seeing them when we can....which is usually about once a month for family get-togethers to celebrate birthdays.  (And a little more often with the ones who live right here in town.)

 

Our lives are completely different now that my retired hubby and I spend all of our time together.  It is nice to have each others company throughout the day and night.  Sometimes it takes two of us to accomplish the things that formerly we could handle by ourselves, but we call it team work!  (:>)


We love outings with the grandkids.  This picture of John and our youngest grandson was at the zoo.
We can take a little trip on a whim, go to a movie, or just go for a ride, visit an antique mall, etc. or go out to eat.  I no longer have to stretch the food budget as far as it can go to get through the week, and I don't have so many household duties, because my husband helps me with them.

Life has slowed down quite a bit...and yet we do find things to do, and we have activities with church, and family, and friends.  But it is just a much slower pace.  I am not nearly as active as I used to be, and so I have time to be on facebook, or to write, and read blogposts.  My husband and I do daily devotions together and spend time praying for our family and friends, and those in need.  In fact, we pray for many of you!  (:>)

In today's world, I am in bed at 9:00 PM most of the time and asleep by 10, and I get up at 5 or 6.  I am amazed at how our internal clocks get into the rhythm of making us tired, and sleepy by a certain hour, and then waking us up at the same early hour everyday...I don't ever need alarm clocks.  It is amazing how God made our bodies to function like that!  The Bible says..."He giveth his beloved sleep!"  Sleep is necessary, to refresh and rejuvenate us!

As a kid I always heard the saying..."Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise!"...well I'm not sure about all of that...but I do feel like my body does need a regular sleep pattern, and I do feel better because of it.

It seems like just yesterday I was a child, living a care-free life, and then, BAM!... I was a young adult, then middle age,...and now I am a senior.  Life certainly does seem to zoom by!  I am thankful for every bit of it.  My life has been greatly blessed...and God is so good!  Of course at age 62, I may have quite a few years left to enjoy...so I am not giving up quite yet!  (:>)



How about you?  What is your normal routine?


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Christmas Was Fun...Life Moves On

My Six Words today:  Christmas was fun...Life Moves On!




Click on the button above and add your six words post today!


I haven't blogged in awhile.  It seems like I haven't been motivated lately to take pictures or to post them.  But while I was thinking back on our Christmas fun, I thought I would post a few things and share what is happening in this New Year so far.

I still have my Christmas tree up...and it is already January 10th!  This is nothing new for me...I often leave it up until the middle of January, and I keep enjoying it as long as I can...plugging the lights in every morning and leaving them on until I go to bed.  (I'm lazy yes...but I am still enjoying it!) 





On the Saturday after Christmas we had our family gathering. We had 23 of us together for crockpots full of Beef and Noodles at lunch time with a frozen strawberry side dish, and my girls brought a yummy spinach dip with crusty bread...and also a veggie tray with yummy yogurt dip.  We also had coffee, and brownies, and cherry and pumpkin pies with whipped cream...and munchies like cheese and crackers and chips...and Christmas candies sitting around, so we grazed on the food as we went through the day and evening.

This was a shot of the living room before the house started to fill up with the lively chatter of family.

When everyone arrives,...lots of silliness goes on...especially when my daughter Lynnette goes around snapping pictures!

He who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
(Proverbs 15:15b)



I love having my family around us!  It is such a wonderful blessing!
We head downstairs to our assigned spots where our presents have been placed and we open from the youngest to the oldest!  Grandpa and I get to sit back and take it all in!


We had Uncle Dan with us this year (In the recliner on the right), and two days later he was in ICU with out- of- control blood sugar levels.  But he is out now, and doing better!  I am thanking God that he didn't go into a coma or die...since they told him his blood sugar levels were over 900.  (Isn't that awful?!!!)  I am so glad he recovered.

This is my oldest daughter Lisa and her hubby Brad and their 20 yr. old daughter Bailey.  We squeezed them onto the couch from the wooden chairs behind, so they would be more comfortable! Maybe we need to buy a big sectional or something so more people can fit in.  (But it is fun to snuggle up!)  (:>) 

We make the younger set... sit on the floor!  These gals are 13, 14, 15, and 16.  Look at all of their presents!  It takes us a long time to open everything, but it is fun.

 Here's my baby girl Lonna LaVon.  Isn't her long wavy hair beautiful?  All 3 of my daughters have long, thick, pretty hair!  Mine used to be thick...once upon a time!  (:>)  Not so much since I am getting older! 

I call this one the "Nerf Brothers!"  Our sweet "little" boys who are not so little anymore!  There's my sweet Lonna in the background.  She and Bob look like they are in quiet reflection.

And here are Abigail and Jared, now 19 and 22.  I call them the twins...cuz they do look a lot alike, and they do everything together.    (After gift opening Jared played the piano and Abigail and others sang around the piano, while others played pool!  It was a ton of fun!)

Here's 16 yr. old Caleb sitting by Grandpa.  Gramps asked Caleb to read the Christmas story to us from the book of Luke.  He did a great job and we reflected on the true meaning of Christmas.

We can always count on Kyle and Lynnette for some humor and fun!  Lynnette takes the pictures for us...and I love that!  (Abigail probably took this one, since Lynnette is in it!)

A view from the stairs.  This was when Caleb was reading, and everyone was quiet and listening to the story of our Saviors birth!  Then we discussed it, and added our thoughts, and amazements... over the precious birth of our Lord!  What a loving God to send His son into the world to later die for us...and make a way for us to be forgiven of our sins!  Hallelujah!
,
Here are some of "my boys" visiting with each other upstairs. Kyle, Brad, and 17 yr. old grandson William..  Having raised three girls, I had to wait for sons-in-law and grandsons to get "my boys"!!!  I love them all so much.

Since the New Year began, the kids are back in school, and the guys are back to work.  Our daughter Lonna is interviewing for a couple of jobs...one on Friday, and then another on Monday.  Please pray that she will do well on the interviews and that she will get the one that God wants for her.  (Thanks!)

We have had some 50 degree days since Christmas, and my husband has even gone golfing a few times in this New Year!  He plans to do a lot more in the coming Spring....Lord willing.  He enjoys it when he is feeling good.

The Kraft family sold their house and have purchased another one since Christmas....since Kyle's work is now in the Kansas City area.


 This is their 100 + yr. old home on 5 acres.  They have lived there 14 years, and they will really hate leaving it behind!

This is their new home in Missouri.  God has new adventures planned for them in their new location!  And John and I look forward to our visits there.  We trust God with their future!  (:>)
They will be moving in the first part of February.  It was built in 2011.

The rest of our family will love going to visit them too, as there are a lot of things to do in the Kansas City area....and we will be missing them so much!  We have all lived close these last several years.  (For a few years our daughter Lisa and her family lived in Manhattan Kansas, but they have lived in our town, a mile away for about 15 years now.)  Yes, we have been blessed.

This is the Plaza in Ks. City!  It is pretty, all lit up at Christmas time at night.

Life is full of changes, and we all go through them at one time or another.  Some are pleasant, and some are not.  I have a good friend in town this week from Arizona, who just lost her brother-in-law, so she is here helping her sister.  Please pray for the Butterfield/Steinbuchel families as they grieve.  And on a brighter note, this same friend, Toni, is going to be a grandma again, and her daughter just announced it!  So as I said, life is full of changes!  (:>)
New life in the New Year...New Adventures!  God is good!

May we all grow closer to our Lord in 2013.

Love, Linda