Spring Break!

Well, kids, I have the next whole week off from school.

Yup, it's Spring break!

My main project this week will be to make a crib-sized quilt for Daughter #2 and SIL'S first baby, aka,

MY FIRST GRANDBABY!

I mean, how hard can it be?

I always think that when I start a quilt.  

And then it ends up taking at least 5 times as long as I think it will.

Does that ever happen to you?

Anyway, I think I'll use a pile of fat quarters for the top 

and some of that darling monkey fabric for the bottom.

If all goes well, I will even have pictures of at least part of the process.

That's a big if.

The last quilt I made was for Daughter #1's wedding, nearly 8 years ago.

It's like riding a bicycle, right?

How hard can it be?

*quaking in my boots*

Oh, and speaking of projects!

My DH has been refinishing a changing table for them, too.

It's the same one we got nearly 32 years ago.

Wow, that thing has seen a lot of ...

well, you know.

Will post pics of that, too.

I'm linking with a new-to me, at least-blog hop today.
Jen @ What's on my mind is our hostess for

Thanks, Jen, for hosting us.

And now for Meet Me On Monday.

I just love this blog hop cuz I get to visit so many of you.

After reading your MMOM post, I peruse some of your older posts
and will often comment on those rather than the MMOM post.

I'm so impressed by the way you face life, meet challenges, 

and walk with God.

Thank you for sharing lives with me!

And thank you to Java, @ Never Growing Old, for being our faithful hostess!

Click on her link to add your post and join the fun.

1.  What jewelry do you wear 24/7?

I wear my wedding ring.  Here's the 411 on it:    The first Saturday in May, 1978, was Kentucky Derby Day, about 7 weeks before our wedding.  I remember because DH-fiance at the time-had promised we'd go out shopping for wedding rings that day.  What I didn't know was that we had to watch the Derby first.   Once I finally pried him away from the tv, We went window shopping at several jewelers in our small town. What we saw was too traditional, so we went to the local hippie hangout artisan market.  We met Bob, [this is the truth!] President of the **** County "Make Marijuana Legal" committee, who worked with us to refine our ideas for the rings.  You can see mine here.   We've never seen other rings that even closely resemble ours.  

2.  Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?

You're kidding, right?

Holy smokes, how does one shovel get it into one's mouth, if one cuts it??

3.  How many siblings do you have?

I have one little brother.  You can find out how I feel about him here.

4.  Were you named after anyone?

No.  My Mom said that because she never liked her nicknames, she named me so that I wouldn't have any.

'Course my baby, the DH, calls me Kitten.  Love that!

5.  Coke or Pepsi?

If I drink pop at all, which is about once every 6 months, it is full-on Coke.

Can't stand the diet stuff.  blechhhhhh!

On another, totally unrelated note:

www.bakerella.com

Many of you are familiar with Bakerella, inventor/queen of Cake Pops.  

She has been in the hospital and is waiting to find out if her Mom will be a good kidney donor for her.  Please keep her in your prayers.

www.bakerella.com

God bless your week!

Love,

My Mom

Her children arise and call her blessed.

Proverbs 31:28

Here's my Mom on her 80th birthday, November 11, 2007

She is surrounded by our 3 children and their spouses.

Dad couldn't be there 'cuz he'd been in heaven for 5 years and 3 days.

They were married for 52 years.

Mom had quadruple bi-pass surgery in early October that year.

She has had diabetes for 15 years, been a widow for 8.

We'd planned a big shindig

-that's "party" for those who don't know-

for Mom's 80th birthday:

"What a lady!  Margaret's 80!"

When Mom was sure she'd be strong enough to party-hardy,

family members and friends came from

Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, and California

to celebrate with us.

We reserved Mom's favorite restaurant

PJ's Abby,

and the management graciously allowed 30 of us

to sing one of Mom's favorite hymns,

Be Still My Soul

before they opened.

Rarely has one who shunned the spotlight all her life 

been more, well, in the spotlight!

And deservedly so.

For:

She [was] a wife of noble character...

Her husband [had] full confidence in her

and [lacked] nothing of value.

She [brought] him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

She...[worked] with eager hands.

She [got] up while it [was] still dark;

She [provided] food for her family...

She [set] about her work vigorously;

Her arms [were] strong for her tasks.

Her husband [was] respected...

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue...

[She is] a woman who fears the LORD

[and] is to be praised...

[Oh, Lord, this is my prayer for her:]

Give her the reward she has earned

[by Your grace]!

Proverbs 31:10-31

As I mentioned here, Mom has had some new health challenges.

She got depressed when we all left after Christmas.  

Isn't she cute?
She and I enjoyed French toast together the day after Christmas.

She didn't eat properly.

Didn't manage her meds well.

Got an infection.

Landed in the hospital for a week.

Has spent nearly 3 weeks in a skilled nursing facility.

That's where she is at this moment.

And I'm here.  So far away!

I told her the Lord has a job for her to do,

lives for her to touch, in that place.

She agreed, suggesting she could start with her 94 year-old roommate.

Oh, for grace to have such steadfast faith!

Lord, please lay Your healing hands on my Mommy.  Show her the good works You planned for her to do and make her arms strong, once more, to do them.  May she experience the joy You promise when we walk in Your ways.  And please guide my bro and me to take care of her well and honor her in all we do.  Thank You for the Godly heritage you've given me and all my family.

In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Thank you to all who've prayed for Mom during this time.

God bless you and keep you in His grace always.

Love,

Linking with Scripture & a Snapshot

 

and

Magical Mouse Schoolhouse

and

Renee Swope's

and

Iris @ Grace Alone

Wordless Wednesday

I know it's Thursday, 

but I really want to join the fun at NeverGrowingOld for

to watch my Little Bro

conquer the baked leftover pie crust dough. 

Blessings on your day!

Love,

Taking A Breath

Good morning, dear friends. 

 I've been perusing some of your blog posts and 

enjoying the eye candy of your  lovely tablescapes 

both for Thanksgiving and your amazing Christmas decorations.

But me?

I'm with Jane at Blondie's Journals, 

I need to take a breath and let "normal" reign in my home

for a few days 

before I start the Christmas decorating blitz.

But that's just me.

Except Marty's idea for a front door decoration

is now ensconced in my brain

and I can't wait to copy it!

The fact that she got some of the pieces from 

Dollar Tree is encouraging to me

because that's what my budget calls for this year.

I'll post my take on it later.

These are some items on my agenda for today:

1. Help Mom in California get a replacement for her stolen Social Security card.  She left her purse in a cart at Target yesterday.  Bless my little Bro, who lives close to her, for canceling her credit cards checking accounts, and is taking her to the DMV for a new driver's license!
2. Return several pairs of shoes to Zappo's.  Oh, how I wanted those RED satin flats and animal print flats to fit my bunion-infested footies!  Not a chance, fancy pants.
3. Meet the DH at the bank to settle some business there at 12:30.
4. Get the porkchops out for supper.  Even though I'd planned to make this last Wednesday night, it didn't happen.  I'd spent the entire day prepping for Thanksgiving and was too tired to cook.  Hurray for the teriyaki place near our home!
5. I get to have my hair cut by the talented woman who's been my hairdresser for five years.  It's the one luxury I just haven't been able to give up in our season of season of financial concerns.
6. Wash, fold, and put away several loads of laundry.

Rain-washed Zen garden on my front porch

What are you up to today?  

Diving into decorating your home?

Puttin' up the tree?

Running errands?

Taking a breath?

For me, part of taking a breath from holiday prep is 

calling to mind the precious moments that happened in our family over Thanksgiving.  

Storing them in my heart like the treasures they are.   

I'm asking God to guide me through my list with a 

thoughtful, thankful, gentle, and quiet attitude.

But Mary treasured up all these things 

and pondered them in her heart.

Luke 2:19

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment...

Instead, it should be that of your inner self,

 the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, 

which is of great worth in God's sight.

1 Peter 3:3-4

Welcome To Making Friends Monday Blog Hop 11/29 hosted by Living on Love and Cents,  The Thrifty Things,  Reviewed By Mom , and  Coupons are Great.
The rules are super simple but VERY important! 

1. Follow the Making Friends Monday  Hosts (Listed as # 1-4) They WILL follow you Back! You MUST LEAVE A COMMENT so we can follow you back!

2. Grab our Making Friends Monday button and include it in a post on your blog.

3. Link up to THAT post.

4. Start hopping and remember following back is appreciated!

Help spread the word and get more followers:
-Put the same linky list code on your blog and you'll have the exact same list!
- Your blog visitors can add their blog to your list and it will show up on all lists!
**Don't forget to follow the rules so you have a chance to be the "Spotlight Blog of the Week"!

If you have any giveaways ending THIS WEEK go link up HERE. Take a minute to enter some too!

  It will be fun getting acquainted with this crowd!
Don't forget that you are wonderful!

Love, Karen

I Get To Play With My Dishes-Day #14 of Thanksgiving

It's one of my favorite homemaking tasks:

Playing with my dishes in preparation for a holiday meal.

Does that sound weird?

I don't get to use them very often, 

at least, not all at once.

Nearly all of them have memories for me.
Like the silver chest above.
We bought that service for 12 with money my parents gave us
for Christmas one year.

And the napkins pictured below.

20 years ago, when experiencing the beauty of fall 

was still new to me

-we had moved from San Diego-

I went in my yard and picked up 3 different kinds of leaves,

traced their shapes onto calico 

and sewed the shapes onto napkins.

That was the year we had the DH's great aunt 
and 6 new friends for Thanksgiving.

It was only the 2nd Thanksgiving I'd ever spent apart from my parents and brother.

Our dining room table, pictured here and only 5 years old then, 

accommodated all 12 of us wonderfully well.

I bought this bowl and pan at a beach community the year

-the only year in 32 years-

my Dear Husband forgot our anniversary.

Notice the mountain peaks in this bowl?

It came from Redstone, Colorado, a tiny community in the Rockies,
elevation 6000 feet.

This was my first piece of crystal.  Got it the year my son was born, 1983.

Don't ask me why I thought I needed a divided crystal vegetable bowl.

I must have been sleep-deprived, 
having just had my 3rd baby in 37 months.

This pretty Chantal deep-dish pie pan
is really too big for our needs 
except at holidays.

Oh, and all those post-it notes?  

I label the dishes so I know I have enough dishes 
and so anyone helping in the kitchen

will know what food goes in which dish.


Again, dear reader, I ask,
does that seem weird?

Putting the serving spoons in them ensures that each dish will have

the proper tool once it gets on the table.  
Saves time and confusion those last few minutes

when we're trying to get the meal on the table 

in a timely manner.

I learned to get my serving tools and dishes out 
a few days before a holiday, and to label them

from Emily Barnes about 25 years ago.

Anybody remember Emily Barnes?
What a precious spiritual and practical mentor 
she was to me!


This year I'm going to use these as bread plates.
Aren't they pretty?

This piece, also from Redstone, will be our water pitcher.
We got this the year DH and I rode horses with our friend, 
who lives there, up into the Rockies to 9000 feet.
Our guide cooked for us. 
After dinner we made s'mores by the camp fire.
There was a full moon that night.
It hailed marbles the next morning at 5 a.m.

When it comes time to serve pie, we will use these.

One Thanksgiving, I remember being secretly shocked

that my dear girlfriend wanted to use paper plates to serve the pie!

I thought, "On Thanksgiving?!"

I wish she was coming on Thursday,

but that's not possible.

She died of breast cancer at 42.

So there you have it, folks.
Playing with my dishes is a walk down memory lane for me.
As I lovingly lay them out,
I get to remember holidays 
and special dinners spent with
loved ones.


And for that, I am truly grateful.


Now, don't you dare forget that 
God rejoices over you and me!
Love, Karen


WHOOPEE!  
I found a whole crowd of like-minded bloggers who love to play with their dishes
so I'm linking up with 
The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays 

Take a peak at some of the beautiful tables these girls set!

My Hearing-Day #8 of Thanksgiving

Our ears are often assaulted by loud noises such as 

lawn mowers, blowers, TV, radio, concerts, aerobics class, and hair dryers.
Please, dear ones, protect your hearing with ear plugs
when your environment is clobbering your ear drums.
Mom says I'm preachy.

In my job, I have learned how important hearing is

to peoples' ability to learn to speak 

and to use their communication skills.

One day at a professional development seminar,

the presenter, a Speech Language Pathologist, asked us 

which we would choose, if we had to:

Being blind or losing our hearing.

One by one, my colleagues said they'd choose to lose their hearing.

As they answered, 

I began to make a mental list of things I would never hear again:

my husband and children say, "I love you!"

the Hallelujah Chorus,
Christmas & Easter hymns,
concern or joy in a friend's voice,
the waves on the ocean,
rustling leaves, rain on the roof,
a crackling wood fire,
the Beatles, Beethoven, Bach, and Wagner,
Oklahoma, the King & I,
and my first Grandbaby's voice.

It was my turn.
All eyes were on me.
I told them I'd choose to be blind.

Perhaps I am more keenly aware of how
profoundly hearing loss can impact people.
My Mom and my brother have both worn hearing aids for many years.
Even though the aids have significantly improved their ability
to follow and carry on conversations,
they say it's still a challenge
when there's background noise.

So thank You, Lord, for my hearing.
I'm so thankful that You always hear me.
May I always have ears to hear You.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and His ears are attentive to their cry...
Psalm 34:15
I [Jesus] tell you the truth, whoever hears My word
and believes Him [God] who sent Me has eternal life...
John 5:24
This is the confidence we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything according to His will,
He hears us...
1 John 5:14
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
Let us come before Him with thanksgiving...
Psalm 95:2

Grace to you, my friend.
Love, Karen

My Little Bro-Day #3 of Thanksgiving

 This crazy-haired, mustachioed guy is my baby brother.  He won't ever let me get a decent picture of him.  Soon as he sees my camera aimed at him,

he makes a goofy face.

Like he did here.

[little stinker]

From my sisterly perspective,

 and having a lifetime of personal observations to back me up,

the truth is,

he is a BIG STINKER!

That's what all big sisters think about little brothers.

RIGHT?

But all his

STINKINESS aside,

I am so thankful that he's my brother!

You see,

the truth is,

 my little bro has some wonderful qualities.

A biggie in my book is that he comes to visit us.

For at least 10 of the last 15 years, he has come from SoCal

to the Beautiful Pacific Northwest to celebrate Christmas.

And this summer,

he brought Mom from SoCal in June just 'cuz he knew I been

a-hankerin'

to make him a birthday cake.

He needed to show the nieces and nephews a thing or 2 

about ladder golf, too.

And then, in August, he came again

just 'cuz he knew we'd put him up at

B&K's B&B.

[AKA our guest bedroom]

Yup, that bed was mighty comfy after he rode his motorcycle

all over God's green earth

[the lovely countryside near our home]

all day, every day for 2 weeks.

'Course it didn't hurt that we kept a cold one in the fridge

and enjoyed homemade suppers-almost-every night.

Well, also, he made sure my car got fixed up and painted good and proper

after a little old lady backed into me.

And someone had to visit the local winery for a picnic with us.

Might as well be him!

Then there was the day he helped my dear husband fix the broken window panes in the garage door,

And took a field trip to the nursery with me to get some

organic "get rid of the aphids" type stuff.

Then he took it upon himself to kill said aphids with said stuff.

My little bro and I have been

the keepers of one another's secrets over the years, too.

TRUST

is part of our relationship.

And I'm so grateful for that!

So, little bro, please come back soon!

I love your visits and your cheerful, helpful way.

Actually, you're not such a big stinker.

Truth is,

I love you!

A friend loves at all times and

a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

leave your gift there in front of the altar.

First go and be reconciled to your brother;

then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 5:23-24

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

and to godliness, brotherly kindness;

and to brotherly kindness, love.

2 Peter 1:5-7

Grace, mercy, and peace to you friends!

Love, Karen