Ready or Not, Here it Comes

2 . 0 . 0 . 9

here it comes! are you ready? are you excited? somehow just the thot of a new year, a fresh beginning gets me all revved up. not sure why, as a couple days into the new year it'll be just like any other day, any other year ... and yet, there is that freshness, that empty white page that beckons me to write something glorious on it, something wonderful. beyond the mundane. the possibilities seem endless when looking at that blank piece of paper called a New Year.

i am a resolutions person. always have been, and probably always will be. again, not sure why as i seldom reach my goals. but i enjoy having them and i think they make me a better person just for striving after something i know i want in my life.

this year as i look ahead, i am resolved to eat better. eat healthy. carve out some healthy b'fast's and lunches for myself.

i'm resolved to workout at the Y. to try a yoga class. to try a pilates class. and to get moving on the treadmill or in the pool: 4x a week.

i'm resolving to continue to declutter. i have been decluttering for 2 years now. a slow process, but a good one. and one i have seen success with.

and i'm resolving to get into the Word. DAILY. a hard one for me, but a necessary one. and i know that God will help me succeed.

how bout you? any resolutions? or are you like my hubby who says if he's going to set a goal, he's not going to wait til Jan 1st!

Word Filled Wed (last wed of 08)

here we are: at the last day of 08 and the last wed of 08. that means its time for our word filled wednesday pic. i love finding just the right picture and verse that go together to share with you. its fun to play around with my paint shop pro 8, yet each time i do it reminds me of what i don't know how to do very much at all and how much i want to learn. (how's that for a run on sentence?)

today the verse is from isaiah. one of my favorite books of the Bible, and a verse that evokes H.O.P.E to me.

Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new. Is 43:18-19

i love the pic of the rainbow i took a couple summers ago too. not only becuz it brings back fond memories of camping with my family, but becuz of what the rainbow represents. an everlasting covenant between God and man, that God will never again destroy the earth with a flood. rainbows are a reminder that the storm is not unending, that a new day will come. that the rains will not last forever.

thanks to amydeanne over at 160 acre woods for hosting this event every week. i could do this til the end of my days ... want more? hop on over to her blog and check out the rest of this weeks blogs.

Word for 2009

i'm pondering on a new word for 2009. for the past several years i have chosen a word to represent the new year, which i wrote about in detail here, some years i hit the mark, and others (like 2008) the word is a bit of a dud. one of my problems is remembering what word i have chosen!!

but this year, i want to try something different, or rather add something to my word. ali over at ali edwards also has been choosing a word for awhile, and she suggests creating a visual to remind you of your word all year long. being a visual person myself, i really like that idea. it can be as simple as just writing it on a piece of paper and taping it on your monitor, or as elaborate as making a scrap page with it, or creating a shadowbox. you choose! but the thing is, then you have something to look at, and remind yourself of what you are aiming for during the year.

here is a snippet of her ideas from her blog:

Now that many of you have chosen a word for the year, what will you do to keep it in mind throughout the year? It can be very simple or complex, a craft/scrapbooking project or a simple reminder in your planner or on your bulletin board. Some sort of visual reminder is a great way to add a bit of focus to your word.

Here's a couple ideas for honoring your word this year:

• Go through some magazines looking for your word or themes/phrases/etc that relate to your word. Cut them out and collage them together as a visual reminder. This could grow and expand throughout the year.
• Commission or locate a piece of jewelry that features your word. I am ordering a necklace with "vitality" from Lisa Leonard. Love this as a daily visual reminder.
• Print out a word card and place it where you will see it everyday (a bathroom mirror or refrigerator or bulletin board are all front and center).
• Start a journal to document thoughts, feelings, experiences you have with your word over the course of the year. This could be a visual journal or just focus on the words. Your journal could be as simple as a Word document on your computer.

she also has a list from last year of all the words that her readers chose for themselves. and she has ALOT of readers. after skimming thru the list i have several that i'm thinking over ... i haven't decided yet, but i do have 2 more days before 2009 is officially here, so i think i'm ok. for now.

how bout you? are you choosing a word to represent 2009? want to share what it is? are you creating a visual to remind yourself of your word? if you are, leave me a link. i want to see what you're doing!

and don't worry, once i decide, i'll share my word with you. and the visual i choose to make.

last monday for simple woman's journal 2008 edition

can you believe its the last monday of the year? how time flies. we hear that all the time, but it truly does seem to zoom past. next monday we will be in the early days of 2009, with high hopes for the year. at least i will! there's something fresh and inspiring about a new calendar year for me.

but enough blather. thanks to peggy at the simple woman's daybook
i can share with you my simple monday journal.

FOR TODAY 12/29 ...

Outside my window... rain and melting snow! slush and warmer temps. but i'm ok with that.

I am thinking... about what the New Year holds and what i would like to see accomplished in 2009.

I am thankful for... the pretty snow while it was here, and thankful now that its disappearing.

From the kitchen... using up leftovers: chicken pot pie for tonite. mmm!

I am wearing... my fav jeans, my purple shirt and slippers.

I am creating... some more cards, now b-day, thank you, and congrats themed cards.

I am going... to enjoy this last week of 2008, even while i anticipate a new year.

I am reading... a book on learning the portugese language with my hubby. we find different words and say them to each other every day. he's catching on better than i am. we hope to someday visit brazil.

I am hoping... for a more consistant quiet time in 09, a more balanced life, less stress, more contentment and peace. less anxiety, more quiet reflection with the Lord.

I am hearing... the tv, the sounds of hubby and #1 son up and about for the day.

Around the house... a mtn of laundry to conquer, lots of toys, books and dvd's to round up, Christmas decorations to take down, beds to make, and hugs and kisses to give to my boys.

One of my favorite things... walking along the greenbelt with my family, enjoying the sounds of the river, the smells of the outdoors, the sights of nature in whatever season.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... a little grocery shopping, maybe a haircut, some alone time to write, read and meditate. some play time with #1 son on the Wii, blogging time, maybe even bake some more pumpkin muffins with the leftover pumpkin i have ...

Scripture on which to meditate today ... "Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:18-19



Here is picture thought I am sharing...

this is my hubby and our son, pretty much 11 years ago. #1 son was about a month old and we were still in WA state. as you can see, we did have some snow then too. sweet memories.

the day after ...

got to sleep in this morning--what luxury! and we had a delightful Christmas eve and day. as i anticipated, the Christmas eve service was worshipful. i was able to sit and think, worship and pray. i was able to reflect. it was a good thing.

we came home and had a nice dinner of cornish game hens, rice, beans, and crescent rolls. then hubby suggested we drive around to see the lights on the homes. it was snowing quite heavily when we headed out so we didn't go far, but there were beautiful lights to see.

pumpkin pie and Christmas shows were on the agenda when we returned.

Christmas day we headed over to my brother's home. my sis in law made a scruptious prime rib dinner with horseradish and au jus--mmmm! she is my new bff! my fav dinner in the world. there was also green bean casserole, baked potatoes, "olive garden" type salad, rolls, and stuffed pears with cranberries, pecans and bleu cheese. mmm! delicious.

we finished off the day with going to see bedtime stories. cute, cute movie. LOL funny. great cast, great story. we all enjoyed it.

good times with family, good food, and esp good reflection with the Lord.

how bout you? what was your Christmas like?

2 days ... 1 day ... which is it?

is it really that close to Christmas? we start our festivities on Christmas eve so i don't feel like i have that much time left!

as usual, i didn't get nearly as much done as i wanted to do. taking #1 son shopping this afternoon for a gift. he got a gift card from a fav auntie, so we gotta go spend it. the nice things about that, no gift wrapping!

still haven't figured out my menu. will get to that eventually. still have to figure out what to make for dinner tonite. as you can see, i'm not too motivated right now.

but i am looking forward to going to the Christmas eve service at church. that, to me, is what draws me to the heart of Christmas. worshipping, singing Christmas carols, reading the story of the birth of Christ. as i get older, that becomes much more precious to me.

over the next few days, things will be quiet here at challenges. i will be enjoying my family and taking some time to be quiet before our Lord and Savior. enjoy your time with family, friends. eat good food, laugh lots, but most of all, remember the babe in the manger, who grew up to hang on the cross, and then was resurrected by God the Father to take away the sins of the world.

birthday recap

thank you to everyone who sent b-day wishes and greetings my way this week. friday was a wonderful day. one of my requests was to be able to sleep in and hubby accomodated me. he took care of getting #1 son up, dressed and on the bus. then he brought in some juice for me around 9am. aaahhh! wonderful.



we had a leisurely morning, i got to chat with my sis on the phone adn then hubby and i headed out. first stop: tully's coffee for some much needed sugar, caffeine and chocolat. then on to the mall. i wore the wrong shoes for shopping, so we didn't last long there. instead we headed over to the craft warehouse where i picked out several items for my b-day gift.





we had a late lunch at a nearby mexican restaurant. chicken enchilada, and tostada---mmm! finally we went home and lazed around, until #1 son came home. he had a great last day at school and his afterschool program.

that evening we met my brother and sister in law at a local pizza place. josiah signed "pizza" constantly as we waited to be served. hubby and sis in law, who have the strange tastes in the family, went for the pesto, chicken, pine nuts and artichoke hearts pizza, whereas my brother, josiah and i went for the sausage, green peppers, olives and pepperoni all- american taste buds concoction. both were delicious. good conversation was on the menu as we discussed the destruction of capitilism in america and politics.

when we waddled out of the restaurant we returned home to watch tv and wind down. all in all, it was a wonderful b-day in my book. and makes the thot of being another year older a little bit more palatable.

Thankful Thursday

i know i'm not the only one who deals with stress on a daily basis. i think everyone these days does. one of the ways i combat stress, is to look to the eternal God and remember to be thankful for all the good. i remind myself often that this world is temporal, and what lies ahead is eternal. so with that intro, here's my thankful list.

~~~i'm thankful that this world is not my home. that i have a future and a hope that does not include this earth. that someday i'll be with my heavenly father and have a brand new body that doesn't creak, ache, or break down.

~~~i'm thankful that my Lord and Savior not only has taken care of my eternal future, but also takes care of me here in this life.

~~~i'm thankful for my husband, who loves me and has stood beside me nearly 25 years.

~~~i'm thankful for my son, and how he has grown in showing me that he loves me.

~~~i'm thankful for friends. for their care, encouragement, laughter, joy and fun they bring to my life. those who laugh with me and cry with me, who eat chocolate with me and exercise with me, who shop with me, and craft with me. and esp those who listen to me and talk to me.

~~~i'm thankful for the seasons, including the wintertime with the cold air and white stuff on the ground. how pretty it looks up on the hills.

~~~i'm thankful that i have lived long enough to celebrate another b-day tomorrow. that God has kept me safe, (reasonably) healthy, and breathing for His glory and His purposes.

this is just a small part of what i'm thankful for. and i'm glad to be reminded to remember my blessings and share my thankful list with you. i'm glad that iris over at grace alone ... hosts this every thursday, so that the rest of us have a platform to share our hearts and be reminded of how much we have to be thankful for.

Great Quote for Today

life is busy here at challenges with Christmas busyness, finals for the hubby, and my b-day at the end of the week, but i couldn't neglect my readers. so here is a quote i came upon right after the election.


An election is coming. Universal peace is declared, and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry.
George Eliot

my NEW FAV show

did you catch the premiere episode of leverage on TNT a week ago sunday? and then the episode on tues nite?

timothy hutton plays a ex-insurance guy who rounds up these bad guys who become good guys to help people who are getting squeezed somehow or other. its got excitement, humor, a little chemistry and great dialogue.

i think i've found my new favorite show! time will tell ....

what are you watching these days? or waiting for to come back in january?

WARNING: sentimental kid stuff

you've been warned. sentimental, mushy kid stuff coming up. if you gag at just the thot of it, leave now and go read some snarky post elsewhere. otherwise, get ready for a little misting of the eyes.

as you know by now if you're a faithful reader, our 11 yr old son is non verbal. he has a few signs he does constantly (ie pizza, dad, dog, lightsaber, & crocodile) he had others in his repetoire too, but usually has to be prodded to use them. and then he has others that we try to teach him, but he has no patience for, for whatever reason.

this year i wrote to his teacher and asked her what the sign for merry christmas is. i thot it would be great to try to teach him that this year. so after we found out, we started working on it at home, and they worked on it with him at school as well.

yesterday in the journal that comes home with him to let us know how school went, it had a note saying that they had an assembly with Christmas music. Joe loves music anyway, so had a great time. AND .... in the middle of one of the christmas songs joe signed "merry Christmas" without any prompting!!! when i heard that my mama's heart just welled up with pride. my son gets it! he knows what merry Christmas means and said it to let others know that he knows. sigh .... it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.

now i'm hoping we can catch him signing it and send a video to grandparents, family and friends. of course, that would mean finding someone with a video phone or something of the sort to help us in the effort! but whateva ... i can dream.

car update & would you look at the price of gas now ...

if you were here earlier in the week, you heard me whining about my car. i am happy to report that all is well with the silver bullet. i am not happy to report that, being neither blonde nor dumb (and no offense to those who are either) i managed to act like a dumb blonde.

it all started sunday morning when we couldn't get our car to start. after our n'bor gave us a jump, we sped off to church. the car seemed fine, but i'm paranoid. i was listening for any little sound that might mean trouble. we got home with no problem, but i still wasn't convinced.

that afternoon i decided to take some books back to the library. i told hubby that i would take #1 son so hubby could study in peace. that was good with him. thankfully, the library is only about 6 blocks away. why is that important? cuz when i got to the library and shut the car off i couldn't get the key out! i tried everything. i tried turning it back on, but no. i tried wiggling and jiggling the key, but no. i tried everything i could think of, and then i said, "to heck with it" i left the key in the car and went inside. #1 son and i got our new items and returned to the car. no go. nothing, nada. it was getting on in the afternoon so i said, "let's walk" we headed towards the greenbelt which has a nice trail away from roads and cars and walked home. #1 son decided to whine and sign pizza all the way home. i counted 14 pizza signs even after telling him that yes, we could bake a pizza in the oven when we got home. it was a nice brisk walk and not too daunting.

upon getting home, i told hubby what had happened. i was sure that our battery was toast, or our alternator was going out or some other weird gremlin type problem had occured.

we decided i would call someone the next day to get a jump. so the next day comes, and i HAVE to get something out in the mail to my sister. i had told her i'd mail it friday and i hadn't. i knew i didn't have an excuse so i had to get it out. i went to the campus apt office to see if they had a scale so i could weigh the small package. no such luck. they directed me to the fed ex place near the library. i bundled up in my coat and gloves, but forgot my scarf. oh boy, was that a dumb move. i walked to the fed ex place and missed the mail pickup there by 15 minutes! yikes. by now the wind is starting to kick up and its getting cold. my hands and arms and legs are warm enough, but my nose and ears and cheeks are freezing!

so from the fed ex place its 4 plus blocks to the post office. in the cold, in the wind, on a day where i'd rather be driving my car. when i get there, my glasses fog up in the post office. i weigh the package, put on the right amount of postage and pop it in the box. mission accomplished. that took me 30 minutes. as i decide on my route home, i decide it might be quicker and will certainly be nicer to take the greenbelt home. its just a jog and a skip from the post office to get on the greenbelt and away i go. yes, much nicer, but it takes me a full 30 minutes to get home.

that afternoon the campus security guys help me with a jump, but i still can't get the dumb car to start. i ask one of them to try. he looks down and sees that it isn't in PARK!!! it was in gear, all along! and that's why i couldn't get the key out nor could i get it to start. tho by that time it really did need a jump. so i get in the car, say thank you, and drive off. i'm sure they must have thot i was the ditziest woman they've met.

and all that walking in the frigid, cold of Idaho was cuz i had forgotton to put it in gear when i turned off the engine. in my defense, i have only driven this car since june/july and i'm still getting used to it. (cough, cough) so no, there's nothing drastically wrong with the silver bullet. only with the driver ...

but, on the bright side, have you seen the price of gas lately? here in little ol idaho we are under $1.50 wowsers!!! i spotted a sign reading $1.48/gallon a couple days ago. too bad my tank is still full and i don't need to fill up. but actually, that's a good thing.

what's gas going for in your area? do you miss those days of $3.72/gallon? who knows, they may come back next summer ... for now, i'm enjoying filling up my tank for less than $20.

Thankful Thursday

i'm thankful to be back again participating in "Thankful Thursday". its good to be back. and its good to stretch my mind to remember what i am truly thankful for.

* i am thankful for my Lord and Savior, His eternal plan that allows me to have relationship with the Almighty One, Ruler of All.

* i am thankful for this season when we get to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. knowing that by his birth, life, death and resurrection, we too can live forever.

* i am thankful for a hot mocha in the mornings and warm slippers to keep my toes toasty.

* i am thankful for medicine that allows my special son to fall asleep (see tues post for more explanation).

* i am thankful for bloggy friends who give me things to ponder, make me laugh, or steer me to a great deal.

* i'm thankful that God created snow and that we're suppose to get some this weekend. love me a winterwonderland!

iris over at grace alone .... is our hostess for thankful thursday bloggy goodness.come join us and write out your thankful list today.

WFW Colossians 3:17

it's Wednesday! if you read my blog then you know that means its Word Filled Wed where a group of bloggers present scripture and photos for your viewing pleasure and hopefully spiritual encouragement.



colossians is one of my fav books of the Bible. and i love how this verse encourages me to not only do whatever i do unto the Lord, but also to give thanks.

WFW is brought to you by amydeanne over at 160acres woods

anyone have any cheese to go with my whine? gouda or provolone would be good ...

as you can see from my title, a littel whining will ensue. if you don't care, leave now. if you are curious as to what could be so bad, stay tuned.

hubby decided last week that #1 son only needed melatonin for sleep, that his drug we give with him wasn't needed anymore. and no, he is not a medical doc. the first couple nites were so so, then the nite before last was a bit worse. last evening i asked hubby if he thot we should go back to the drug. his answer: No. so melatonin it was. now you have to know that our son doesn't produce the melatonin and other hormones needed for sleep in the amounts needed for a good nite sleep. so he has to have something to get him to sleep and keep him there.

so last nite around 3am he crawls into our bed. he's awake. i try cuddling with him to get him back to sleep as hubby slumbers on. no go. hubby gets up early to go study for his class. #1 son hears daddy leave the room and starts asking for cartoons. i say no and try to get him to sleep again. no go. so around 4ish i give in and turn on the tv. i try to go back to sleep, but its a half way sleep, always somewhat conscious of what son is doing. at 6 i wake up to see son taking off his pj bottoms. i ask if he has to go potty and he says yes. we go potty and just barely make it in time. i change him into sweats and undies and take him out to living room where hubby is. hubby understandably tells me to go back to bed. i wake up again at 7:30 when they come in to bedroom to get son dressed for school. finally the leave and i try to go back to sleep. wake up off and on for the next 2 hours and finally get out of bed around 10am feeling like crap.

the culprit, all smiles of course

i NEED my sleep! and i need it all one lump sum! all at the same time! without interuptions. it takes me back to the first 3 years of our sons life when we didn't know he had a sleep disorder and he was waking up 2,3 & 4x a nite! and i was getting up with him and trying everything to get him back to sleep.

so today i'm a walking zombie. no intelligent, coherant thots. no complex projects.

now, who has that cheese?

Monday Simple Woman Journal

FOR TODAY 12/08 ...

Outside my window... the white stuff!!! it'll probably melt later on, but i'm excited that winter is here.

I am thinking... that i'm up a crick without a car.

I am thankful for... a good message to ponder from church yesterday, after our car wouldn't start-- a jump from our n'bor brought it back to life, a friend who has offered to help me with coloring my hair. it needs it!

From the kitchen... plans for spinich--artichoke dip, another batch of chocolate chip pumpkin muffins, and some yummy goodies will be made this week.

I am wearing... my fav jeans, my black long sleeve t-shirt and my black sweater. its' cold here baby!

I am creating... not much, hard to create when i'm stressed about my car.

I am going... nowhere, unless i can find someone to help me rescue my car.

I am reading... a book by dave ramsey (forgot the title) with hubby.

I am hoping... that its not expensive to repair our car.

I am hearing... silence. its a good thing.

Around the house... i have mt laundry to climb and conquer, dishes to get into the dishwasher, books and dvd's to put away, beds to make and meals to prepare.

One of my favorite things... the smells of cinnamon, vanilla, pumkin, sugar cookies, and chocolate. not nec in that order or combined together.

A few plans for the rest of the week: a little baking, a little laundry, a little cleaning, a little decluttering, a little decorating. a little of this, a little of that ....

Scripture on which to meditate today… Matt 6:31-34 Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' (or how will we get our car fixed) For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.


Here is picture thought I am sharing...

my poor sick car--hopefully to be resurrected soon!

hosted by peggy at the simple woman's daybook

Great Quote

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.
Virginia Woolf

Gas Prices & Budgeting

even tho i'm trying to be more frugal and spend less money these days, i'm not much for budgeting. i'm not a paper and numbers kind of girl so i leave that up to my hubby. for groceries and sundries, we come up with a set amount of money for the month which goes into my acct and when its gone its gone. same for eating out, and to a lesser extent gas. so this being the beginning of the month, i went to the station around the corner from us and filled up the tank in the silver bullet. its a small tank, so we've never had to spend $50 or $100 filling her up like some folks were doing this summer. but still, it seemed to always take a chunk out of our wallet.

this time tho, i was practically prancing as i got home and gave honey the gas reciept. $16.00 to fill up the tank!!! under twenty dollars, folks! our gasoline is now around $1.67 and could continue to drop. hubby and i are betting each other on whether its gets down to $1.50 by Christmas. (edited a few hours later: just saw the price down now to 1.59!!)

so after i got done prancing around like a disco mama, my next thot was: "now i'll have more money for other things" but since i'm not a budgeter, i'm not sure how much. i don't know how much we were spending on gas when it cost $3.50 a gallon so how do i compare? ever find yourself in one of those dilemnas? i guess i can wait til the end of the month and see if there are any pennies left in the penny jar. of course, this being december and all, its probably one of our spendier months anyway. so i may not see an influx at all ....

how bout you? seen any difference in your budget with the price of gas being back to almost reasonable levels? i love to hear your comments and appreciate the time and effort it takes for you to leave me one.

this pic has nothing to do with this post, except that joe is a great traveler in our silver bullet.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3 December

did you know that today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities? neither did i! but i'm glad i found out. cuz you know, i have a son with angelman syndrome, a rare genetic disability he was born with 11 years ago, and then the hubster had his accident 5 years ago, coming up on 6 years, which left him visually impaired, or as we like to joke: "mostly" blind. (i don't know why that strikes us as funny, but it does)

i knew very little about disabilities and how they affected people and their families until my own family got up close and personal with disabilities. i have learned alot in the last 11 years, and yet i'm still learning and have so much more to learn. even today, i do things without thinking that drives my hubby bonkers. at times, i don't really have any idea of how little he can see, cuz he does so well. and well, he just doesn't LOOK blind. with my son, i have the opposite problem. i tend to do too much for him, cuz there is no mistaking that he has issues. and i don't push him enough to do more for himself. i am always amazed at how much he can do, if he really wants to, whether its finding the granola box when he's hungry after dinner, working the tv and dvd player, or getting his needs across to me without words.

so how bout you? know anyone with a disability? live with someone? i'd love to hear your story in the comments. and lets celebrate today those we know and love who are living with a disability. they are so much more than their diagnoses!

Psalms 143 WFW

i missed last week cuz we were traveling to be with family for Thanksgiving. but this week i'm home again and delighted to be participating with a whole bunch of Christ loving bloggers. if you're interested in seeing other or participating yourself, head on over to 160 acre woods



i love this photo as its one of the first spots that we found when we moved here to boise this summer. its a little north of us on a country highway, tucked away so if you're not looking for it you can miss it easily. we spent a couple different wonderful afternoons just lazing around while our son splashed happily in the river. being next to the river, with the trees and the water, it just makes me think of God's goodness.

and the verse reminds me to keep the Lord forefront on my mind. to be teachable, to look for His will and to remember that i have made Him my Lord, my Leader, my God and King. and i am His---His child, His daughter, His bond servant.

and a twittering we will go ...

ok, i finally signed up! i know, i know, i'm the last techie in the world to sign up for twitter. i see on their blog that even shaq beat me to it and set up a twitter acct.

i saw it 6 mo ago or so, but didn't think i wanted to add it to my life, but what the hay! i'm game now. don't tell anyone, but i'm even thinking of joining facebook!

so if you twitter too, you can twitter with me or whatever they call it, at angelmama19

so tell me, do you twitter?

Great Quote: Friendship

"A real friend is one who helps us to think our best thoughts, do our noblest deeds, and be our finest selves."

Anonymous

Dec 1st Monday Morning

hosted by peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY 12/01 ...

Outside my window... is blue crisp skies, frost on the car windows.

I am thinking... of how much i appreciate being home again, and how much my love tank was filled up by seeing family over the holidays.

I am thankful for... time alone in front of my computer after almost of week of nonstop people.

From the kitchen... a silent cry for help to clean it up!

I am wearing... still in my jammies, my red jammie bottoms with holly leaves on them.

I am creating... more cards. also, brainstorming on some Christmas gift ideas.

I am going... to finish some paperwork for my son, find the agency adn turn it in today, the last day to do so!

I am reading... a book by dave ramsey (forgot the title) with hubby.

I am hoping... for snow soon! love that white stuff.

I am hearing... the dryer going, the dishwasher washing, the sound of Christmas songs on the radio.

Around the house... lots of laundry from the weekend, toys that need to be picked up and messes that need to be cleaned up.

One of my favorite things... sitting at the computer with mocha beside me all alone.

A few plans for the rest of the week: working out at the ymca, creating Christmas cards, cleaning house, grocery shopping, well doc visit for son, baking-cooking-etc, time with hubby and son, maybe a walk or a swim on the weekend.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...


from a couple years back. hubby doesn't have his ponytale anymore but still has his goatee.

thanksgiving review

we drove back yesterday from western WA. we had drizzle for the first few hours and then just clouds. today back in boise, its sunny and clear blue skies--my kind of day. i was amazed at how much i've forgotton how gray and drab WA can be, for days on end, and how much it depresses me. but like i told my mom and my sister: i didn't go for the weather!

it was a delight to spend time with my mom. we took her with us to our in-laws who live a couple hours north on whidbey island. it was a wonderful time with mike's family. the meal was scrumptious---josiah had 3 helpings of his grandma's awesome orange jello salad. the girls played a game of sequence and my niece and i beat her mom and her grandma! youth was victorious!

we also celebrated joe's b-day with it being so close. joe was gifted with everything clone wars. he got the new dvd from one grandma and a lightsaber that lights up and makes noise from the other grandma. his dream come true!

i also got to spend time with one of my sisters and her family. her son watched josiah one evening, watching his new dvd and devouring pizza while we went to red robin for another scruptious meal. and i wonder why my jeans feel a little snug today???

driving around my ol stompin grounds i was amazed at how much it has changed. new stores and restaurants, new roads and intersections. the puget sound doesn't look like a recession has hit from my cursory glance, but time may tell ....

i didn't get to visit the water as i wanted to, but with all the clouds and gray i wasn't too disappointed. maybe next time we visit ...

all in all, we had a wonderful trip but are glad to be home again. back to the blue skies and sunshine. back to mounds of laundry to get washed. back to hearing joe watch his clone wars dvd for the upteemth time ....

and to wrap this up, i'm so thankful for family, for friends, and for blogging friends i've gotton to know over the past year.

... on the road again ...

yesterday we headed out on the road and drove the 10 hours from boise to the seattle area. it was a fun, uneventful trip and we got great gas mileage to boot! this was the first long road trip with our silver bullet and we weren't sure how she would do. but i am impressed.

i didn't have a chance to let you all know that i had a question posted on 5 minutes for special needs about joe's sleep habits. if you're interested, hop on over and see what my question was and the great wisdom from the other parents.

we are heading up to see my mom this afternoon and heading up to my in-laws tomorrow morning for Thanksgiving.


p

Great Quote

Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive.

C. S. Lewis

Monday over at the Simple Woman's Daybook

hosted by peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook


FOR TODAY November 24 ...

Outside my window... sunshine, yay sunshine!

I am thinking... of our plans to head over to Seattle for Thanksgiving

I am thankful for... the opportunity to be with family on Turkey Day

From the kitchen... clean and shiny so it will be a nice sight to come home to

I am wearing... jeans, my fav green floral cotton top, and hair tossed up with a barrette

I am creating... more cards to take over to my sis and her friend. they've commissioned me to make cards for Christmas. for more, see my blog handmade blessings

I am going... to finish laundry, iron hubbies shirts, pack up for the 3 of us

I am reading... an agatha christie mystery "parker pyne investigates"

I am hoping... for no mishaps, an uneventful trip to and from

I am hearing... the dryer tumbling, the radio jabbering, my computer humming

Around the house... suitcases open, folded laundry, stacks of books,dvd's, etc

One of my favorite things... being with family and traveling

A few plans for the rest of the week: spending time with my sister, taking my mom up to my inlaws for thanksgiving, knitting, reading, eating turkey, relaxing, and giving thanks for all my blessings

cell phone no more

we have had a cell phone in some form or another for the last 18 years. and yes, they have been around that long! my husband had one of those large brick phones that had the atenae sticking out of it. it got sketchy reception, but it was for his biz. it wasn't until the late 90's that we added a phone for me. our son came along, we had the money and i was just sure i would need a phone for those emergencies that happen with kids. i got the cute red nokia and loved feeling important enough to have a cell phone. ya, i'm that shallow.

over the years we would change our phone plans. more minutes when we had lots of calls to do or when we used our cells as our only phone. it was nice not having a landline at times. less minutes when it just got too costly or didn't seem to be needed. we got a few new phones over the years, some good and some not so good. and we had the unexpected need for new phones after the dog ate ... not one ... but two! ... i said TWO phones in ONE week. not only did we get a new phone, but we found the dog a new home. and yes we warned the new owners of the dogs desire to eat cell phones among other things.

about a year ago we started thinking about cutting the umbilical cord to the cell phone. we contacted our service provider to find out when our contract would be up. not til fall they told us. unless we wanted to pay their outrageous "get out of jail free" fee.

i counted down the days to when we could get rid of the cell phones and the monthly payment. the university apt we moved into provided a free landline with the apt so our need for a cell phone was not as big as our need to decrease our cost of living. when we were finally able to send in our last payment, i was overjoyed. our last day happened to fall on a friday. that weekend something felt off. it wasn't until a few days later that i realized that i had used my minutes to call long distance to friends and family scattered far from boise. i know there are answers for this problem, but i hadn't bought a long distance phone card yet at that point. and i noticed that when i'm driving to and fro, i often think of a phone call i need to make. old habit of making calls while driving which i'm probably better off not participating in.

eventually when funds allow we'll probably get a cell again. but i don't plan on going back on an overpriced 2 yr plan with one of the big companies. rather i'm toying with getting one of those pay as you go phones. no contract, no paying for minutes i'm not using, no hassle if i decide i need to cut costs for awhile.

so how bout you: are you cutting back? have you reviewed any long standing habits to see how you might cut corners? i'd love to hear your story.

ps: its kind of nice not to be interupted all the time too.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Josiah

you're 11 years old now today. all boy, but still my special one. the one who loves to giggle, laugh, tickle. who loves pizza and desserts and mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. who loves to go swimming, play challenger baseball, play tag and watch tv. who gives smiles and hugs generously. who still cuddles with me in bed. who loves to be read to, sung to and talked to. tho a boy of "few" (none) words, you have learned how to get your needs met.

we love you Josiah and can't wait to see what another year holds. thanks for coming and blessing our family with your presence.

(no photos to go with this post =( my computer is indisposed and i'm using hubby's computer. thx hubby!)

being frugal

this has been a subject i have toyed around with diving into. becuz of the economy it seems to be of more interest to people. but that's not my only motive for bringing it up. rather, moving to boise we have downsized. we went from a 3 bedroom, 2 bath 1940's tudor style home with a full basement and single car garage, fenced yard in a great n'borhood to a 2 bedroom student apt across the street from the university. hubster used to work part time to subsidize our disability income and i picked up odd jobs now and then. now we are living in a more expensive area with less income. we are hoping that a job at the university comes thru for hubby next semester, but regardless we are having to tighten our belts.

in years past, i have had to be frightfully frugal, and other times i have been able to spend more freely. i am wanting to revisit my previous frugal ways and learn some new ones. i know i can do it cuz i've done it before.

meanwhile, our pastor at the Pursuit has been preaching a 3 part series on Money. entitled appropiately enough: MONEY, MONEY, MONEY (you know the tune!) one thing he keeps stressing is that money, finanaces, moulah is really a matter of the heart. its not so much about how much we have or don't have, but what is our attitude about how much i have or dont' have. and that leads me to the question of the day: am i content?

there is a verse in timothy that says godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 tim 6:6) now i confess that while i have tried to live a godly life, it has not always been a content life. and therefore, there has not been a whole lot of gain, let alone great gain in my life up to this point. you see not being content, even when we had more, robbed me of so much. it robbed me of my joy, it robbed me of being able to give of myself and my resources, it made me continually be in search of something else ...

knowing this about myself, coming into this move to boise and downsizing our stuff and our lifestyle, i have been making an effort of being conscious of where my contentment/discontent equation lies. i have been making a concerted effort to be content in where we are in life. part of it has been easier, since i know that this will most likely be temporary. michael has 2 years of schooling and after he graduates he will be looking for a job that pays more like we were accustomed to be being paid. but there are no guarentees in life; as james says "come now you who say. "today or tomorrow we shall go to such and such a city and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit" yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. you are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

so i'm trying not to just look to the future and wait this time out, but rather i am willing myself, choosing to be content, to be happy even in this season of life. even if it lasts for the rest of my life.

yes, we need to pay down and pay off our debt we have foolishly incurred. yes, i want to get to a place of financial freedom where i can give financially to ministries i believe in. yes, we need to build up a savings nest for unexpected emergencies. pastor paul's sermons covered these areas and showed the truth from the Word as to how we should do this and why. if you're interested, you can go to the pursuit and download the sermons onto your ipod or mp3 player.

but for me, from this day forth, i am choosing to be content.