Cousin Visit

Texas cousins in California! Lorie and Henry and myself met up with her cousins for a short but sweet visit! A little shopping, eating and indulgence of chocolate and of course a photog session was the order of the day! What fun memories we made...love you girls!!!



What will you spend your points on!!!

what time is it anyway

the time change irritates me twice a year!! each fall and spring it takes me a week to make all my clocks show the same time!!! ugh!!

"Say your good-byes'

The saying brings a laugh at our house, but today, we say good bye to our faithful friend. The dog who would not die!! She has had a good life...eating whatever she could find, digging out of the yard and blaming the other dog, sleeping on the bed, in her younger days, laying on the hammock!! oh how she loved to stretch out beside you, checking to see if it was worth her while to come downstairs, peeking between the spindles, '...is there a cookie in it for me...' She hasn't been well for sometime and we knew this was coming. Instead of being sad, I'm thinking of all the fun we had! She was the dog with her own mind!!! The dog who did not like to get wet and use the 'dog walk' (mow curb for those of you who might not know) to walk around the yard, veer off to do her business and then back to the dog walk! Yet the snow we had in '99, she loved!!! Running back and forth, looking up into the sky, being surprised by the snow falling on her back as she scooted under the bushes! Scott sharing his cereal with her Fun memories!!! She was a dog well loved (yes, even Duane loved her!) and will sorely be missed! The Black Dog, the Stink Dog, the Stink Beast! Abbster...thanks for being our family dog!!!

In view of God's Mercy

I've been reminded this week, again, about God's incredible Mercy. This post has been rolling around trying to refine itself in my head, but this is all it has come down to, reiterated again by Pastor Eric in church this morning:

In VIEW of God's MERCY...

Love must be sincere
Cling to what is good
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
honor one another ABOVE yourselves
keep your spiritual fervor
serve the Lord
be joyful, patient, faithful, in hope, in affliction in prayer
share with God's people who are in need
practice hospitality.

How I desperately need to remind myself. I think that is why I so love Rom 12. Because, Therefore, in view of God's mercy.....the doctrine in the previous chapters are so important for foundation, but Therefore, gives me renewed gumption. It is like taking a deep pause, a refreshing breath, a motivation to press on, move ahead, keep going....not a list to keep...but a 'why wouldn't I...in view of His great Mercy,' 'you see, at the right time, when I was/am still helpless, Christ died for me...because God has poured out his love into my heart by the Holy Spirit. so I am urged to live a life worthy of the calling I have received, completely humble, and gentle, how difficult that is for me!!! so.....in view of God's mercy!!!

'Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!! How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out!!! Who has know the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To HIM be the glory forever!!!

Bravery!

I have had a million thoughts rambling around my brain. We went to see my sister, Jini, who had a heart transplant last week. It was tough! Seeing her was surreal, attached to monitors and tubes, conscience and yet hard for her to communicate. But seeing her was great! We did talk some what, her muffled soft words, mostly I talked, or our mom. One thing is I remembered as girls growing up, sharing a room together and Jini reciting poems/prose to me. Mostly in the dark, trying to go to sleep. She struggled to mouth the words to ' Little Orphan Annie' and I couldn't even remember anything but the first line and the catch phrase, 'and the goblins will get you...if you don't watch out.' ....so, I came home and dug them out of the desk, from where I had put copies she made me 10 years ago!
So, Jini, this is for you and me, cuz I don't remember the words!!

Little Orphan Annie's come to our house to stay
To wash the cups and saucers, and sweep the crumbs away.
To shew the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth and sweep,
To make the fire and bake the bread; to earn her board and keep.

And all us other chillens, when the supper things is done.
We sit around the kitchen fire and has the mostest fun
A listenen to the witch tales that Annie tells about.

And the goblins will get you...if you don't watch out.

An' once there was a little girl, who'd always laugh and grin;
And make fun of everyone and all her blood and kin.
And once when there was company and old folks was there,
She mocked them and she shocked them
And said she didn't care.

An' just as she kicked up her heels and turned to run and hide,
There were TWO GREAT BIG BLACK THINGS a 'standin by her side.
An' they snatched her through the ceilin' for she know'd what she's about.

And the goblins will get you...if you don't watch out.

An' once there was a little boy who wouldn't say his prayers.
An' when he went to bed one night, away up stairs,
His mammy heard him holler and his daddy heard him bawl...
And when they turned the kivers down, he wasn't there at all.

The seek'd him in the rafters roof, cubby hole and press.
They seek'd him up the chimney flue and everywhere I guess.
But all they ever found was just his pants and round about.

And the goblins will get you...if you don't watch out.

And Little Orphan Annie says, when the blaze is blue,
An' the lamp wicks sputter and the wind goes 'OOOOOOOO...'
Youd' better mind your parents and your teachers fond and dear'
And cherish them's that loves you and dry the orphans tear
And help the poor and needy ones that clusters all about

Or the goblins will get YOU if you don't watch out...

Guitar Hero!

I really like this silly video game!! Goes to show you can teach this old dog a thing or two!!! Well, ooppps, how'd I miss that note...ugh!! wait, wait, WAIT!! but it sure was fun! thanks kids for hanging tuff with this old lady!!!

one might even hear some new/old familar tunes on Pandora if you pan attention...'I recognize the bass in that song...'

Many faces of Christmas 2008

For most people Christmas is full of traditions! In my small immediate family, the tradition was we worked around what my folks did for Christmas. Some times they were out of town, some times the out of town folks came our way, sometimes it was just them and us, but my que as the mom was plan for family time somehow. When my kids were small, my step-dad, Mac, dressed as Santa Claus and came for a visit. They figured out at a pretty early age that he was Grandpa, so they would call him 'Granpa Santa'!! He had for years dressed as Santa for Christmas parties and events, being he made the perfect Santa with a belly like a bowl full of jelly and a nose like a cherry, he even smoked a pipe! Nowadays, he and my mom live in a mobile home park and for the last 3 years we have attended their Christmas dinner, with my step-dad still playing Santa! With his daughter Jan!
With 'Mrs Claus' and granddaughter from Sacramento, Deby
Ahhhh.....Santa, what I really want....


We went back to their place after dinner and enjoyed a very rare occasion, just the two of us and the two of them opening a few small packages! This one is from grandaughter Carissa, a cross stitch about grandparents


Christmas day!!

Daddy Scott and Henry (I know it's in here twice, he's just too cute in his Tonka truck!)


Henry and Momma Lorie

Granddad!!
Can't forget grand dog Buddi!


And the face of 'Yes, of course'!!!





And one more of Henry!!! LOL! (How can I resist!)