Something Different This Year

Every year we send Christmas greetings via a card of some sort, usually with a letter that contains some pics of our family and the usual information of the goings on in our busy lives.  Occasionally we have enclosed a regular picture and one year, took the time to print cards at home using our own photographs.  This year we are bowing to peer pressure and ordering a photo card from Shutterfly. It was easy to 'create' and as not as expensive as I thought it might be.  We managed to get free shipping, so that was a plus :-)  Here's a preview: 

Photo Card

View the entire collection of cards.

In the meantime, I'm working on a Thanksgiving post or as I may call it: A Thankful Giving post :-)

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1.  What creeps you out?

Creepy people. Every once in a while, I'll meet someone, usually a man, who simply gives me the creeps.  I'm always on guard; having had a creepy man bother me when I was little.  Fortunately, my mom was also creeped out by this man and nothing happened.  

Spiders also creep me out.  If they come in the house they are goners!  

2.  What's your least favorite candy?

I love candy!  However, if there is the slightest taste of coconut, it, too is a goner!  

3. Are you a fan of scary movies?  What's the scariest movie you've ever seen?

No!  Not sure of the name of it, but the canopy on the bed came down and smothered the woman!  

4.  What part of life confuses you the most?

Trying to understand why, when given great opportunities, some people just pass them by; choosing a life of degradation or crime instead, dragging their children with them.  

5. Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, poppy...your favorite seed?

Sunflower seeds. Mmmm!    

6. Imagine your life ten years from today...what's changed?

I've gotten grayer, slower, thinner (wishful thinking) but will still be enjoying our adult granddaughter and our teenage granddaughter!  YIKES!  Perhaps there will be another grandchild in there somewhere, as well!  Hopefully, we'll be traveling in the winter to avoid the cold temperatures!

7.  What do you a) love most and b) like least about the Hodgepodge?

I just started up with Hodgepodge last week ... I like everything about it!  There is nothing I dislike ... except that I have to remember when it is Wednesday!  

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I didn't think anything could be worse than waiting these last few weeks for the elections to be OVER; and then came Hurricane Sandy.  My heart aches for those who are suffering so.  

Wednesday Hodgepodge

I'm not sure if I was driven by laziness or fascination, but I have decided to join the Wednesday Hodgepodge Q & A bloggers. Started by Joyce from http://joyce-fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.com/, I first encountered this concept via Mary Ann at http://ajoyfulchaos.blogspot.com/ whom I admire very much, for many reasons. A few other fellow bloggers have joined and I've decided to add to the fun.

Now, sometimes, these Wednesday Hodgepodge entries can be of a serious nature, but most of the time they are lighthearted and can be quite entertaining.  This is my first attempt at answering Joyce's questions and I sure hope I have followed the rules to posting because I really don't like embarrassing myself in public :-)  Here goes:

 

1.  So, do you like beer? 
No, not really... The first sip has a unique flavor that I like but then it's gone. My husband and I chose to not drink alcoholic beverages many years ago, but occasionally he will have a non alcoholic beer and give me the first sip. He's sweet like that!

2.  What's your least favorite repetitive task? 
Hmmmm... I had to think about this one. I really dislike cleaning house in general and perhaps it would be mopping floors.  I always have a good feeling when the kitchen floor is clean, but it just doesn't motivate me to want to mop again and again!

3.  When was the last time you rode a bus?  Where was it headed? 
  Oh, boy! The last time I rode a bus was in my line of work. I substitute for teachers and teacher aides in several school districts, one of which has Pre Kindergarten where the children come in and go home on a school bus.  The aides ride in with the PM class of children since they are the only ones one the bus and each time I sub for the aides, I get to ride the school bus!

4.  What song from your childhood or from your own children's childhood could make a parent's nerves stand on end? 
Our family was one who sang a lot and our children loved to sing their camp songs all the way home from camp.  Camp was 3 hours away......   We used to have to put an end to the song, "Blind Man" even though it had great content, the tune just dragged.  We would even cringe when the young people at church would want to sing it.  Shame on us.  

5.  The US Presidential election cycle is drawing to a close (can I get an AMEN??), and the third and final debate was held last night...what was the last thing you 'debated about'?
AMEN!!!!!
My husband and just returned home from vacation and I suppose we debated about what time we should leave... actually, neither of us wanted to but we had to.  I really wanted to leave later, but ... he won.

6.  Can a person make too much money?  How much is too much?
No, I don't think a person can make too much money. As long as they are earning it legally and paying their taxes and other bills, it's no one's business how much they make, really.  How they spend it is their business, too, but I would hope those who make too much money, if it were possible, would invest wisely.

7.  Pop-soda-coke-something else...what's it called where you live?
Soda. However, we live very close to the "border" of sorts that separates the Soda from the Pop. I just learned last year that in some areas, all soda is called Coke ... I found that interesting. Good plug for Coca Cola, I suppose, but as a family we prefer Pepsi products.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Random thoughts are tough ... forces me to be somewhat creative and the creative juices have not been flowing, lately.  I wonder if a photo would be acceptable?   :-)   Our vacation was awesome! We spent time with new friends, old friends, great family and even some time alone! Alone (as in just the two of us) on Hilton Head Island, SC was my favorite time alone; very little noise, just enough people to make it friendly, the ocean water was SO warm and in the late afternoon, the pool at the resort was also warm and very inviting.  Here's our sunrise:  

School-day Sillies

A re-post from April 2011 --- I just had to...

Oh, what do you do when the sillies come

and you have to go to school?

Do you pack them in your back pack

or your lunch box to stay cool?

Do you hide them in your pocket

or sneak them in your sock?

Do you disguise them with a shirt and tie

or tape them to the clock?

Don’t let them get away from you

to go running down the hall;

and please make sure they keep their

dirty fingers off the wall.

Perhaps they’ll bring their manners

and you’ll have no need to hide

the sillies just as long as they

behave ‘til you’re outside!

Lessons Learned From Little Ones

I remembered an old lesson during a conversation the other day. Every time my friend tried to talk to an adult, her little one would say, "Mama!" or "Mama?"  My friend had mentioned this phenomenon to me earlier in the week and I simply nodded and remarked that I remembered my own doing it, and there were stories of my sister, too...but what I witnessed was an incredible show! It started with, "Mama!" Then louder, "Mama!!"  Then louder, still, "MAMA!"  Now we yank on Mama's clothing and use the word mama as a question, "Mama?" Louder, "MAMA??"   I could hardly contain myself!  Normally, she is not allowed to interrupt but if you are a mama, then you can picture this scenario. Sometimes you just get used to hearing that word: "mama!" I'm not sure how long she had been saying it but I definitely heard "MAMA" 5 or 6 times and finally, her mama stopped talking, dropped her head down to simply look at her daughter. Daughter didn't realize she now had her mama's undivided attention and continued to yank and call, "MAMA?" There was a slightly audible sigh as my friend gently stroked her daughter's head and quietly called her by name and said, "R------, what?"  "R------ stopped saying, "MAMA?", looked up at her mama and smiled...no clue remained in her pretty little head of what she wanted her mama for :-)  Every nearby mama smiled. It was Mother's Day and each one knew that this mama loved her little one and the little one knew it, too. This is the way it should be.

Today I had another opportunity today to witness mama love but no mama was present. You see, S---- is in pre-kindergarten and when asked what his favorite thing to do was, immediately had an answer "I like to play on the grass outside with my mommy."  He told me all about playing with "Mommy" and drew a nice picture in his journal where I helped him write his sentence. He circled his 'high frequency words', "I", "to", "on", and "the" and I went on to the next child at his table of little friends. Some time later, while sitting on the carpet area of the classroom, waiting for children to settle down, S----, with a happy little face, asked me, "Do you know mommy loves me?"  I could feel my smile spreading from my lips to my cheeks to my eyes and beyond..."Yes, S---- I know Mommy loves you."  He, still grinning from ear to ear, said, "You do?" I nodded my head and he nodded his.  He carries his mommy's love with him to school each day. This is the way it should be.

Thank you, ladies. You know who you are and you are setting such good examples for your children and you are the BEST role models for other mamas/mommies!

I have another blogging friend who is a new mama/mommy and I know you would like to read her latest entry. She doesn't have the time to write like she did before her little Mister was born, but she made up for it with this newest one:  http://www.themennobrarian.blogspot.com/2012/05/mommy-style-tongue-in-cheek-look-at-who.html  Thanks for the encouraging words, Monica; you are SO on your way to being one of the best moms!

Self Control and Cookies

I sit here with a package of chocolate chip cookies. This is not good. There are not many left. It was not opened just this morning, but that is small comfort. You see, I am not exercising self control. I should. I've done it before. It's expected of me. It's not like the Lord has not graciously bestowed a measure of it to me ... so what is the problem? Plain and simple. Sin. We are all afflicted and affected by it.

I am so aware of this problem because not only have I read it as part of my Sunday School class (we're in the book of Titus), but it just happened to be where my daily reading has me (Titus 2) and our discipleship class on Sunday nights is now in a new book and we are tearing apart the book of ... you guessed it, Titus! This week it was chapters 2 and 3.

Can God be any more in my face without me actually seeing him face to face? That will happen someday, but hopefully not because of my lack of self control.

Titus 2: 3 - 5 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderersor slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

Now some people would look at this and say, "oh he was talking about more than just food!" True, but I know conviction when I feel it and God was speaking to ME! Yes, I have confessed this and have asked to be forgiven so please pray with me to this end: That I not cave in to delicious food just to delight my palate, but to nourish my body and enjoy the experience. That's a tall order for all of us; you to pray for me and me to practice self control.

Now that I have so many to be accountable to, it may be easier or it may not but I'm now setting a visible example, and though I will be reaping the rewards of a healthier me, I will be a living testimony to my Lord ... and I want it to be a good one!

Peggy Rambles: Spring is in the Air...

...but what happened to winter? I remember last spring. It was an early spring as well, warm, wet and gave way to a summer of the same nature. Summer left us with memories of a hurricane and tropical storm a week apart that flooded our area of NY and suddenly it was autumn. Autumn was refreshingly beautiful and warm but having an early spring made me think we might have an early winter. Areas of the northeast were a bit surprised to have a foot of snow show up in October, but NY was spared. In fact, NY was spared until early December and then it didn't snow again until late in January! (We don't count the snow squalls and lake effect snows since they don't amount to much more than 4 or 5 inches) February came and almost went without much more than a few below 0 nights, when 7 inches arrived on Leap Day ... and melted within the week. March came in like a lamb and we have absolutely no idea how it's going to go out, but we have been enjoying 60 and 70 degree temperatures and it isn't even spring, yet! Spring arrives tomorrow but we've been enjoying it for several weeks, now :-)

The end of winter always brings certain obligatory rituals. We took our "Let's Find Spring" trip to Virginia Beach and we found it right on the beach were the air temp was 75 and the water temp was ... oh ... around 50, but we splashed in it anyway! There's the makings of a bonfire out behind our house; pine limbs from our boundary pine trees, some dead trees from the tree farm and our Christmas tree that has been waiting just over the railing of the back deck where it landed when we gave it the heave ho in January. The wind this winter, though pretty strong was only a bit unkind. Walking around the tree farm today, I found the usual end of winter collection of assorted plastic bags, paper, pieces of flashing torn from our house (again) in the last big wind. I was happy to count out 67 baby trees that made it through the winter. The medium sized trees that were trimmed last summer are looking pretty good and after a good trimming this summer should be ready to sell at Christmas this coming year. The large trees are well beyond our reach as far as trimming goes but they are simply beautiful because of all the care they've had long before our purchase of this land. The flashing will have to be replaced, again.

I went searching for signs of spring in the flower beds. I was surprised that I couldn't find my crocuses. Not one single blade is showing and I don't know why. They are usually the first things awake each spring; followed by daffodils and tulips. I think I found one daffodil and the only other signs of new life are the tiger lillies that grow on the south east side of the house. I guess I'm rushing this a bit but it may have something to do with the 73 degrees today ;-)

Tomorrow will be a repeat of today ... so I need to decide: do I substitute teach or do I stay home and spring clean? This is a tough one. I don't get into the cleaning mood (or mode) very often, so perhaps I should take advantage of this sudden urge of "gotta get those windows clean" and "now that the clothesline is up, what needs airing out?" I'm almost afraid to breathe the words "clean OUT." The basement is calling me and so is the attic over the garage. Before I know it, my cleaning time here at home will be taking 2nd place to clearing time up at Grandview Mini Golf where downed tree limbs and many branches await.

Grandview Mini Golf has been a family project since our oldest son and daughter-in-law took it on a few years ago and passed it on to us at the end of 2009. It's exhausting, it's not a money maker, but it's fun! We love meeting new people and greeting old customers year after year. Last year was a bit difficult, though and then made worse by the likes of "Irene" and "Lee" leaving us a bit weary and wary. This year we will be tightening our belts by opening later in the day instead of raising prices. It seems the price of everything has gone up but not at Grandview Mini Golf!

Speaking of prices, I almost had a heart attack grocery shopping with Bill the other night. Only the two of us and we spent over $100 for about 2 weeks supply of groceries. We splurged on a jar of cashews and 3 frozen pizzas and frozen entrees for my school lunches. We still need to buy milk, butter, veggies, fruit and bread but at a discount grocery store. I'd use coupons but we usually buy store brand items. I'm back to comparison shopping like I did when the kids were little. They thought it was great to visit 3 different grocery stores and a discount "Rock Bottom Prices" store on shopping day... I'll stop here so I don't begin whining.

As a member of the music committee at church, it is my job in the month of March to find people willing to take on "special music" for our Sunday evening service. It's like pulling teeth. Bill and I sang special music for church this past Sunday evening and last week we demonstrated a "Walk Through the Old Testament." It wasn't musical but it was fun! We highly recommend it. www.walkthru.org/ Next week is taken care of by a talented friend and the first week was, too. I I'm so glad I don't have to search for volunteers but for twice a year!

Last week at Bible Club, I had the kids help me make "Trail Mix" or at least a kid version of it with M&M's, pretzels and cereal. They had to share it. It wasn't really tied to their lesson of Jesus walking on the water and I couldn't even use it to make a bridge to the reality of Salvation but they enjoyed the sharing and the eating and that was loads of fun! This week they got to act out Jesus calling the first of his disciples, telling them they could be "fisher's of men." They liked that and were very cooperative which can be difficult since Bible Club occurs after school and the last thing these kids want to be is cooped up in a building when it's sunny and 73 degrees!

I am also a substitute Sunday School teacher and though it did not sit well with another teacher/parent, I am DEFINITELY going to reward my borrowed students next week with candy. This is not a bribe... I am REWARDING them with candy if they can answer questions. Sheesh! Give this sub a break!

I've been subbing a lot at our local elementary schools this year. I really enjoy this and look forward to each day. I'm never sure what to expect because classroom dynamics can change from week to week and I never know when I'm going to get called. My biggest challenge and greatest reward has been working in Kindergarten for a friend who, between her own sickness and then the death of a parent, was out for the better part of 2 weeks. Seventeen boys and six girls and I'm still smiling :-) see? Oh, and these kids are rewarded by NOT having their name placed on the "lose recess" list.

Soon spring break will be here and before you know it, summer! Here's praying that this summer will be warm, not too wet, not too windy but just right for enjoying the great outdoors. I hope to gather my wits about me and maybe get my creative, poetic juices flowing again. If I do you'll be some of the first to know!

Happy Spring, everyone; it arrives tomorrow!

Always Interesting

A blogging friend of mine is always finding interesting things to take pictures of, write about and share with her online friends. Her latest treasure is a book of remedies that Amish have practiced over the years. She does not follow these practices or use their remedies but found the book to be very interesting and thought her readers would, too. She has a VERY interesting blog to read...a VERY interesting story to tell. I would love for you to meet her if you haven't already: http://ajoyfulchaos.blogspot.com/2012/01/giveaway.html Start at the beginning and work your way to the present. Truly a gifted writer and soon to have the first of 3 books published!

Meanwhile, I'm working on my next thought, never mind a book!