tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336788022012-01-24T15:53:40.407-07:00'Once You Choose Hope, Anything Is Possible'gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.comBlogger4581100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-10309272998227491592012-01-13T14:30:00.004-07:002012-01-13T15:23:17.906-07:00

Back in September I wrote about how I started back with the Cash Envelope System. I loved getting back into the cash routine, and 5 months later I still love it!The categories I use for my cash envelopes are:~~Groceries~~Eating Out & Entertainment~~Gasolene and Bridge Tickets~~Household Needs~~Babysitting $$~~Gifts~~Haircuts, pedicures, other personal stuff~~Allowance $$ for the Hubster and I (

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-63218915357528635782012-01-05T08:59:00.004-07:002012-01-05T09:19:27.039-07:00

I did this back in October and had so much fun with it that I thought I'd do it again. Want to join along? Just copy and paste the questions and answer them on your blog. I'd love to see what you are currently up to.Current Books: Finishing up the Hunger Games trilogy. I'm on the last book 'Mockingjay'. Its riveting. Have a couple on the nightstand ready to go when I finish this one that

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-30951877314117873302012-01-01T06:00:00.000-07:002012-01-01T06:00:09.210-07:00

(courtesy of Lori from Fresh Picked Whimsey)

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-42214533230544504102011-12-23T10:10:00.004-07:002011-12-23T10:40:35.088-07:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!It is almost upon us and the elves are scurrying around our abode doing last minute secret things. Unlike many years in the past, I am actually quite ready. Just a quick trip to the store for last minute perishables for the big feast, a fun movie outing with the family, and maybe looking for a last minute gift for the hubster .... (Yes, he will have something under the

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-88911833678677846202011-12-01T09:26:00.003-07:002011-12-01T09:48:37.661-07:00

Where did November go? Sorry for the MIA trick, guess life caught up with me. After the #1 son recovered (after giving his cooties to me, of course!) we celebrated his 14th birthday. I had a post all thought out to sing his praises, but it never got from my brain to the blog .... sigh. Then Thanksgiving happened and with travel and baking, the blog got neglected again. Now its December 1st

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-15674469828162107642011-11-09T14:32:00.003-07:002011-11-09T14:48:23.188-07:00

Today is Day Three of the Sick Boy at Home.Over the weekend he developed the sniffles and a bit of a cough. We laid low except for church. Monday morning I decided to let him sleep and kept him home from school. By afternoon he seemed to be more like himself. So Tues morning we got up and off to school he went. By mid morning he had spiked a fever and the school was calling me to come pick

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-35584088039321892582011-10-31T07:47:00.001-06:002011-10-31T07:47:00.170-06:00

Til next time ....

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-71089866064490068812011-10-27T07:08:00.000-06:002011-10-27T07:08:00.398-06:00

I haven't shared many of my photos of late so I dug thru my stash and found one from this summer I thought you'd like. (Mt Saint Helens)I just love the contrast of the green and blue and white. Til next time ....

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-58247756032695196412011-10-26T14:14:00.001-06:002011-10-26T15:09:59.933-06:00

CurrentlyHave you seen this one? Me neither. What are your 'currents'?Current Books: Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad; I'm about 2/3 thru it and have really enjoyed it. Very helpful info for dressing well. Just finished Mrs Jeffries Speaks her Mind; cute cozy mystery. I have the whole series and reread them when I want a mindless escape. Write A Novel and Get It Published; waiting in the

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-6057550094727968452011-10-24T19:48:00.003-06:002011-10-24T20:16:53.942-06:00

Do you name your homes? When I was younger I found that I loved mysteries, esp Agatha Christie mysteries and other british authors. I remember reading one of her books and there was a house named The Laurels. Yes, the houses actually had names, not numbers, at least I don't think they had numbers. But I digress. In another story, the house was named Sweetbrier. Cute, huh? So twenty years

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-17150685731272162772011-10-19T07:30:00.001-06:002011-10-19T07:30:04.053-06:00

Yes, it comes every year. On the same day even! But this year it kind of snuck up on me. What? you ask. The hubster's birthday. I have been thinking about it, and pondering what we should do to celebrate. I have already asked and received ideas for gifts and food. But somehow, in the busyness of life, none of these ideas have been acted on yet. But that's ok, I still have 12 hours, right?

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-26118618249572217072011-10-18T09:57:00.001-06:002011-10-18T09:57:50.239-06:00

Going to the Library today .... got 10 books on hold to pick up! TEN! Love me some books to read. Til next time ....

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-28435848846507732332011-10-12T09:47:00.000-06:002011-10-12T09:47:12.187-06:00

I love my mom! And over the years, it has been hard to watch her fight colon cancer, then breast cancer, and see her go thru surgeries to remove stuff that's not suppose to be there. Tomorrow and Friday I'll be right alongside her again as she fights another battle. Right now we're still not sure what's going on, but after her colonoscopy we'll have more details. The doc has already

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-46407630992687316242011-10-10T07:30:00.000-06:002011-10-10T07:30:00.933-06:00

I'm so proud of myself! wink, wink I remembered 10 on 10 this month before it was halfway over. Which is what I usually do. So then I go visit Mer's blog who hosts 10 on 10 and find she has quit doing it! Like in January! But never one to follow the crowd, I decided I would just do my own anyway. Like I always do. I really do follow a different drumbeat in my head. So here's my 10 on

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-55874883265947911012011-10-06T13:24:00.004-06:002011-10-06T13:28:16.825-06:00

Til next time ...

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-72636307199988829122011-10-04T12:00:00.006-06:002011-10-04T12:49:15.756-06:00

It's time for another weekly recipe roundup. Yesterday was a spontaneous cooking day for me. I tried 3 new-to-me recipes .... I think that is a record for me for one day. So I thought I'd give you a recap of what I tried and how they came out, plus what I made for breakfast this morning. First up was thai noodles from a recipe I found on Pinterest. Verdict: quite yummy! It called for

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-90350795290537885002011-09-27T15:41:00.001-06:002011-09-27T17:52:07.802-06:00

Are you a pinner? You know, of the pinterest variety? Never heard of it? Well, you are just missing out on the most fun ... seductive ... time wasting website ever invented! Someone described it like having a new magazine delivered to you every day! Did I mention its addictive? Very, very addictive. Here's a few examples of what I've found on Pinterest this week. Or how bout some of this

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-38745167306909192192011-09-22T11:23:00.003-06:002011-09-22T11:48:37.957-06:00

I heard it coming. That sound that tells you that your beloved appliance is on life-support. This morning as I made my grande,low-fat, peppermint mocha the steamer would scream in high gear then sputter and slow, almost stopping altogether until it would sputter up to full steam again. It did this several times during the steaming process and even after letting my milk steam for several extra

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-16263123297745352892011-09-19T15:47:00.003-06:002011-09-19T16:03:02.008-06:00

Long ago, in the days before the Internet, I heard about a system of tracking your expenses by using cash from envelopes. As I recall, it was called the "Cash Envelope System" ... great name, huh? I bought into the system, used it faithfully for a long time and it was quite successful for us during that time. I'm not sure why, but somewhere along the way, I went back to debit, and checks and

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-5575047697210147542011-09-13T06:23:00.000-06:002011-09-13T06:23:00.145-06:00

Diana over at Smiles Go with Everything did a 11 in 2011 at the beginning of the year as well as doing a summer edition 11 in 2011. I thought it was such a neat idea that I've stolen the idea and am making it my own for Fall. Now that the #1 son is back to school and the fall routine is shaping up nicely, I have been energized with all kinds of projects in the queue. Yesterday I cut out a knit

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-71612011105983077042011-09-12T06:49:00.003-06:002011-09-12T06:49:00.311-06:00

photo courtesy of Lil LunaWelcome to another edition of my weekly recipe roundup. I know I said I lean too heavily towards desserts and I would be more balanced, but I just can't not share this yummy looking recipe for White Chocolate--Butterscotch Chip Cookies. Are you drooling yet? Now that I got that out of the way, I can share some other just as yummy, delish and oh so good recipes I found

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-59534076105374068182011-09-08T11:28:00.004-06:002011-09-08T11:38:02.802-06:00

1. Cleaning the bathroom.2. Emptying the dishwasher.3. Finish putting away the groceries I bought yesterday.4. Folding clothes.5. Swiffer the floors, esp our bedroom. 6. Cutting out two top patterns that I've been drooling over all summer. Can you relate? Have you ever had one of those mornings? What do you do to avoid the “to do list”?

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-49992360592865984462011-09-06T10:07:00.002-06:002011-09-06T10:12:18.326-06:00

Spending the day in bed nursing a sore-throat and inflamed sinus's was not how I envisioned Labor Day. But there's no use fighting it when you're sick. So instead of rearranging furniture with the hubster, spending time at the river beach or going into town for one last summer flick, I spent the day napping and reading "The Last Detective". I'm still battling the throat tho it feels better

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-19093856291233690272011-08-30T07:06:00.000-06:002011-08-30T07:06:00.648-06:00

ABC MEME! Found this meme over at Real Life: Live & Unscripted Isn't that a great blog title? The author is a real sweetie too. She sews, has a lovely family, loves the Lord and shares her challenges. My kind of blog to be sure. It's been a while since I've done a meme, so I thought this one would be fun to join in a do. Age: Older than I feel, younger than my hubster, and getting

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-85574273961044687352011-08-25T11:21:00.003-06:002011-08-25T11:40:08.647-06:00

I haven't done a Thankful Thursday post in awhile .... a LONG while, ahem .... But when I saw another blogger list the things she was thankful for today, I thought it would be a good idea to revisit Thankful Thursday and rip off a list. Today I am thankful for: * that in this uncertain economy, the hubster landed a good job after graduating last year that provides for our needs. *

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-88260999330860560592011-08-17T06:04:00.001-06:002011-08-17T06:04:00.532-06:00

photo courtesy of Jam Hands Last week I posted a few recipes I found on the net that looked promising. After finding even more tempting morsels this week, I thought I'd make it a weekly post and call it Weekly Recipe Roundup. So for this week, here's an assortment of gems I found: Jam Hands gives us Cream Puffs with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream. I remember making cream puffs with my older

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-77379114894490026732011-08-15T06:43:00.000-06:002011-08-15T06:43:00.779-06:00

With my son going back to school in less than a month, "back to school" has been on my mind .... ALOT! I am leaving the boys at home and doing his back to school clothes and 'stuff' shoppiing this week. Its easier without him, he's not a good shopper and neither is my husband. In the meantime, there are so many cute Back to School crafts, printables, and treats out there in the blogosphere

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-90319477382994932732011-08-12T16:56:00.000-06:002011-08-12T17:54:27.478-06:00

logo courtesy of Pictures in the Park Last Friday night we drove into Gresham, Oregon and took in a movie. Not one in a dark, air conditioned theatre, but one in the park under the stars. Ever since hearing my girlfriend talk about the movies they showed during the summer down in LA, I have been enthralled with the idea. We arrived right on time, but they were running late. They had a

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-78689452065766772902011-08-09T16:09:00.006-06:002011-08-09T16:37:46.473-06:00

photo courtesy of Homespun Living As I peruse the web each day, I notice alot of yummy, delish, mmm, mmm, good looking food. Being a lover of good food (does that make me a foodie?) I often think "I want to make that!" but then I move on and rarely remember where I saw that yummy looking something. So as I was pondering how to solve this delicious problem, I thought: Why not post it to

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-29803235413917512602011-07-31T15:20:00.005-06:002011-07-31T15:42:33.048-06:00

.... update your blogroll, if you are a blogger? Over the last week, I've been updating mine. Taking off a few blogs I no longer read and adding alot more that I have recently found. Most of the new ones center around nails and nail polish. A recent obsession of mine. Until a few years ago, I could not for the life of me, do a decent manicure on my nails. I was hooked on pedicures and was

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-70492517689605832912011-04-27T12:37:00.003-06:002011-04-27T12:54:36.074-06:00

A few things have jumped out at me since I've had surgery that I didnt' expect.Before surgery, I won't say I was addicted to caffeine, but I definitely loved my frou-frou coffees. I have my own espresso maker and would make myself a mocha in the mornings after the boys were off. But after I came home from surgery, I never wanted, craved or desired coffee. I didn't go thru withdrawls either.

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-13702537822044825272011-03-31T21:13:00.004-06:002011-03-31T22:31:52.161-06:00

Have you seen those bloggers who talk about having a no-spend month? If not, let me explain. These bloggers, for whatever reasons, choose a month where they decide, voluntarily, not to spend any money. At least none other than is absolutely necessary for survival, you know, say food to eat, and gas to get to and from work .... I would read these posts and be amazed. Amazed at their resolve,

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-18357420128520772792011-03-11T14:57:00.002-07:002011-03-11T15:20:29.681-07:00

One of the side effects of surgery is needing rest to get well. The first week when my sister was with us I was able to nap at will. Not being able to lay down or get up on my own, my sister was able to help me. Once she left tho, I no longer was able to nap while Michael was gone to work. I snuck in a few naps before and after dinner, but those were a poor comparison of the real thing.

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-44040876298489656762011-03-02T11:49:00.003-07:002011-03-02T12:42:44.121-07:00

Twelve days ago I walked into Providence Hospital in Portland Oregon for surgery. Five days later I was wheeled out of the hospital and a friend brought me home. Since then I have been recovering at home. I have known for several years that I needed to have this particular surgery, but being one of the millions of uninsured americans, we couldn't afford it. I'm glad it was never life

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-62319959114854651312011-02-07T12:42:00.000-07:002011-02-07T12:42:00.201-07:00

My friend Trish over at Another Piece of the Puzzle participates in a bloggy thing where she talks about and reviews what she's reading. I love reading about what others are reading, but have no intention of participating. I'm just stealing the title! Ever since starting my novel last spring I have been reading more. Coicidence? I think not. It has been like rediscovering a lost friend I

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-3026168687144868152011-01-26T12:13:00.003-07:002011-01-26T12:28:57.258-07:00

I visit my blog often. To check out my sidebar and see what other blogs are up to. And for the last month, seeing my Christmas post there, long after Christmas has passed I have been telling myself I need to write a new post. Cuz I'm sick of seeing "merry Christmas" every time I visit. Sick.of.it And thru this last month, I have thought of a few things to blog about. They are still stirring

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-42652866445357486572010-12-24T08:08:00.004-07:002010-12-24T08:08:00.246-07:00

Christmas is here! Its really here!!! Do you remember when you were a kid and you couldn't wait? It was the best thing in the world. Now as adults, do we look forward to it just as much? There's been alot of talk about simplifying and downsizing Christmas. Avoiding the consumerism that is rampant out there. I, for one, have tried to simplify for years. Finally, this year we made two

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-33122054350801939442010-12-06T12:23:00.004-07:002010-12-06T13:25:25.546-07:00

Mama's Kitchen This looks like a fun little meme. I stole it from a new blog I found called Life with Boys1. Do you have magnets on your fridge? Yes! But less than I used to. 2. Do you have a calendar in your kitchen, if so, what’s the theme of it? Yes, a puppy dog calendar that hangs on the wall, Joe's school lunch calendar on the fridge and my desk calendar on the counter where I write all

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-14462650171404081872010-11-24T13:06:00.003-07:002010-11-24T13:44:33.070-07:00

I've been having a rough time being thankful of late. I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly what has put me into this ungrateful funk, but its time to crawl out. So in light of my new resolve I want to share with you a few of my favorite things. Everyone mentions family, friends and faith when they talk about what they are thankful for, but what does that really mean? For me, my faith is my

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-2840800062434689622010-11-17T15:48:00.001-07:002010-11-17T16:50:57.647-07:00

MOVING is not what its all cracked up to be! You'd think after 20+ moves in the last 26 years I'd know this by now. Sigh ... Guess I'm a really slow learner!When we moved out of campus housing last May, we made the decision to purge heavily. We had never done such a heavy purge in all of our moves. We had always gathered up our possessions like the turtle and his shell and moved all of it to

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-49651209231965759252010-10-15T16:36:00.004-06:002010-10-15T16:48:48.922-06:00

Hello dear friends---A big thank you for all the comments on my last post. Thank you to those who reminded me that my blog is my own to do with as I want. I think I had fallen into the "I should do this, I should do that", rather than just letting things be. At this point, I'm not going to kill off the blog nor take it private. But I reserve the right to not blog for long periods of time as

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-90306767538929756082010-09-27T10:14:00.004-06:002010-09-27T10:37:04.934-06:00

In case you haven't noticed, I haven't been blogging much lately. In fact I think I've only posted 4 times in the past 4 months! Not good. Which leads me to my pondering .... A couple months ago I mentioned to the hubster that I was thinking of shutting down my blog. He thought that was a great idea! Oh boy, not exactly the kind of encouragement one wants to hear, but I knew what he meant.

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-35863749254027275772010-09-17T11:58:00.003-06:002010-09-17T12:03:16.048-06:00

.... or what do you do to up your chances to win online? Over at Christian Personal Finance the blogger is having an Ipod giveaway. I have been drooling over the Ipods for awhile now, even to the point of looking at refurbished ones. But how cool would it be to win one! So in order to qualify, I submit to you one of CPF's great posts. Go check it out! It's a post of encouraging Bible verses

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-5270451798875973832010-09-15T09:20:00.003-06:002010-09-15T09:41:47.804-06:00

Two weeks til we move .... Two long weeks looming ahead. Four months we've been in temporary housing. One month longer than anticipated. Waiting, waiting .... I'm tired of waiting! Ever feel like that? Ever been waiting for something to happen, so life can go back to normal? I've lived in limbo throughout my married life at one time or another, but this seems to be the most intense time

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-55697891724430461232010-08-10T12:15:00.003-06:002010-08-10T12:36:31.378-06:00

10 Things I'm Looking Forward to Once School Starts Back Up and We Are Moved Into A Place of Our Own:(How's that for a long title???)1. Getting back to an exercise/workout routineThis summer has not been conducive to exercising since the #1 son is with me all-day-long. I'm getting soft (or softer). I look forward to finding a class or a dvd or just walking on a trail. Something to get this

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-49301384615576761852010-07-08T16:31:00.006-06:002010-07-08T17:59:02.314-06:00

In summers past, I have always had Josiah in a developmental therapy program. The state of Idaho can be lacking in many areas, but their developmental therapy for kiddos like Joe was wonderful. 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, Josiah had one on one therapy both in the center and out in the community. But this year we moved to Washington. And they don't have their assistance set up the same way

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-11545675020416028722010-06-16T10:47:00.005-06:002010-06-16T11:14:35.253-06:00

This summer, the next 10 weeks to be exact, are looking to be pretty simple and laidback. As far as I have found, WA state does not have a developmental program for kiddos like my son, like we had in Idaho. This means that after next Tuesday, Joe and I will have lots of time together. While dad is at work, we will be hanging out. Now to those of you with normal kiddos, that may not sound like

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-16075859241787654002010-06-14T12:04:00.004-06:002010-06-14T12:26:45.760-06:00

Mt Hood, that is. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Saturday we took a drive around Mt Hood. What a gorgeous day of an outing. Sunshine, blue skies, fluffy white clouds, temps in the mid to high 70's. Perfect! And what a gorgeous mountain. So fun to explore our new neighborhood. By driving around the mountain we got to see it from different angles and viewpoints. We discovered this lake (pic below

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-41011319630274091092010-06-02T13:15:00.004-06:002010-06-02T13:25:32.299-06:00

We have moved! We made it! We are in the middle of nowhere! Seriously, I feel like I'm in the middle of a shopping desert. The local market is 10 minutes away and the evening we got settled we ran down there to pick up a few essentials. We walked out $50 lighter with only 2 shopping bags. Wowsers. I miss my Winco already. How do you folks who live in the middle of nowhere do it?

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-16246463783929575362010-05-27T07:09:00.000-06:002010-05-27T07:09:00.219-06:00

It's finally official! Michael has had an offer of employment. Actually its a paid internship, but they have an intern to work program so this could very well be where he works for the next several years. Anyway, we are on our way! He starts June 1st, which means we're moving over Memorial Day weekend. Where, you ask? Southwestern WA, an hour or so east of Portland OR. Back to our country,

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-87282351340337339452010-05-21T09:24:00.003-06:002010-05-21T09:38:08.978-06:00

Lots of things going on at the home of Challenges and Adventures, but nothing to report yet. So instead of going on and on about what isn't finalized yet, and what I can't discuss yet, let's talk about what we're grateful instead. How does that sound?Today I'm grateful for: * that Michael has graduated with flying colors. He is finished. No more classes, no more studying during family time,

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-77461946113766584862010-05-12T08:40:00.004-06:002010-05-12T09:05:28.324-06:00

(not his graduation day)The man did it! He took his last final last night. It is official--he has his degree in Supply Chain Management from Boise State University. Wow!!! (Well technically he'll get it this weekend or next week, but you know ...)I keep saying it, but I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO proud of him. He has worked hard, put in long hours, put up with crazy professors and crazy

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-49831258016022273492010-05-10T07:55:00.001-06:002010-05-10T07:55:00.890-06:00

My blog reading has gotton a bit more eclectic in the last few months. With my husband graduating from college, looking for a permanent, full time job, possibly moving to a new locale, I have been finding and reading more financial blogs. With the possibility of a larger income than our current "starving-student" (tongue in cheek)bank account, we can think once again about investing for our

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-47073670277087736602010-04-16T10:25:00.000-06:002010-04-16T10:25:01.006-06:00

I found this on the blogosphere a couple months back and put it in my to-do file for my blog. I thought it being a Friday and all, it'd be fun to have a lighthearted post today. So ....The game is to share 25 completely random things about yourself and then tag a bunch of people to do the same.1. I've recently switched back to caffeneited coffee from being a long time decaff drinker. My

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-2461574602898229462010-04-15T08:56:00.004-06:002010-04-15T09:12:59.479-06:00

Yesterday we had our follow up meeting for my son. We had our first meeting with the school a month ago. It was a hard meeting. But we were prepared. I wasn't sure what to expect yesterday. I was pleasantly suprised by everyone coming on board with our desire to move Josiah into a self contained classroom. We have wanted a different classroom for Josiah ever since he was placed in his

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-86863569313723108502010-04-12T07:08:00.000-06:002010-04-12T07:08:00.191-06:00

If Michael gets a fulltime job in his career field after graduation, when will it happen ....If we move out of the Boise area, where will we live ....If we move quickly enough, will I be able to plant a garden this summer ....There are alot of "ifs" in my life right now, and not alot of answers yet. I'm hopeful that God has a plan for us, but I'd sure like to know what it is ASAP. Ever feel

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-58808439376642355332010-04-07T07:43:00.000-06:002010-04-07T07:43:00.943-06:00

Hubby and I have been talking for awhile now about getting a storage unit to store stuff in since we don't know where we are going to be after his graduation. Whether we stay in Boise or not, this makes good sense for us. So last week during spring break, we found a place that had a half price deal for the first month and not bad prices for the rest. Today we took 6 boxes to our little unit

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-36683588585449645352010-04-05T08:59:00.004-06:002010-04-05T09:40:43.804-06:00

Last week was spring break for the #1 son and the college student. We had plans but the weather was crappy all week so we scrapped em. Crappy weather: that would be at least 2 days of snow, yes snow in April, along with downpours of rain, hail one day, cold wind gusts and dark clouds blocking out all sunshine. Not only was it crappy weather, but it was unseasonally crappy. We are usually in

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-46175426456322619302010-03-29T07:15:00.002-06:002010-03-29T07:15:00.422-06:00

Isn't this a great photo and great verse? I can't take credit as I didn't put this together, but I know who did. A wonderful blogger named Amy Deanne. She has an amazing eye in putting together photos/graphics with fonts and verses and comes up with wonderful stuff like above. I just love the sunset with the orange colors and how she mimics the orange of the sunset with the font. Hope you

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-85925712024749705642010-03-22T10:49:00.001-06:002010-03-22T10:49:00.538-06:00

I have two older sisters. My oldest sister Cindi is celebrating a birthday today and tho I'm hundreds of miles away from her, I'm excited to celebrate with her. And I'm excited to share it with you too, dear reader. You know when you have 2 friends who don't know each other, and you finally get them to meet. It's kinda like that. So let me introduce my wonderful sister to you. Cindi is an

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-79859466434131909972010-03-17T11:25:00.004-06:002010-03-17T11:44:30.831-06:00

Thank you for the prayers, comments and well wishes for my meeting yesterday. Without divulging alot of details (this is the internet after all!) I can safely say that we came to a meeting of the minds and that the rest of the school year should be better than the first half was. There are still a few changes we would like to see for next year and we will be meeting again next month, but that

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-11501726134402317132010-03-12T09:04:00.003-07:002010-03-12T09:23:11.646-07:00

Hello dear readers---As the week went by, I thought often of writing a post or two. There are updates to be shared, stories to tell, questions to pose but alas, I was busy writing other less cheerful stuff. This week and part of last week, I have been busy writing emails to Josiah's teacher, principal and others up the chain of command. There have been some issues that have prompted my tackling

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-33361421548934218612010-03-05T08:27:00.003-07:002010-03-05T11:50:26.696-07:00

As you may or may not have noticed, I haven't given you an update in the last couple weeks on how the daily decluttering has been going. Mainly because its been petering out. Yes, I have another box slowly filling up with stuff to take to the thrift store, but there is so much more potential in my home. Life has gotten busier. But hasn't it for everyone? And with spring on the way, Michael's

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-21156831324481812812010-03-01T11:08:00.000-07:002010-03-01T11:08:00.093-07:00

(from my crabapple tree a couple years back)Aren't they beautiful? Anyone else as ready for Spring as I am, and believe me, I am SOOOOOOOOOOO ready. Happy March everyone .... til next time,

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-89221076865478612012010-02-25T08:39:00.003-07:002010-02-25T09:23:50.425-07:00

I joined in this carnival/meme/what do you call these things??? a few weeks back and love it. But of course, that alone does not enable/propel me/promise a repeat any time soon, so I was delighted to see Mary Ann's post early enough in the day to remind me that this is the day for the Homekeeper's Journal and to be able to play along. Here’s What’s happening …..In My Kitchen ... made some

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-47346549751315790712010-02-22T11:14:00.003-07:002010-02-22T12:11:08.527-07:00

When we knew that we would be moving from our house to student housing 2 years ago, we got rid of alot of stuff which you can read about here. There was just no way that we were going to be able to keep it all. I purged about 50% of our book collection which was extensive. As well as donating alot of videos that #1 son no longer watched. Recently I purged our cd collection and was able to

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-90502316564673367742010-02-19T12:36:00.000-07:002010-02-19T12:36:00.376-07:00

Every day around our campus apts, something strange happens. People of all shapes and sizes, walking, biking or long boarding (that's those new cool, LONG skate boards, yea, i'm hip with the language, i know!) pour out of the campus and cross the streets, like ants on a mission. Some wait for the crosswalk light to change, whereas others don't. And every single vehicle using those same streets

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-84342022400965414582010-02-18T06:32:00.000-07:002010-02-18T06:32:00.184-07:00

With Monday being a holiday from school for my boys, I twisted my honeys arm to take us on an abbreviated road trip. Walla Walla WA is less than 5 hours away from us. Its a delightful town with the ambiance of history (it was founded in 1859, 12 years before WA became a state), new vineyards and boundless wine tasting rooms downtown, glorious eastern WA weather (that's sunshine to those of you

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-76026781481500176142010-02-17T19:17:00.004-07:002010-02-17T19:40:17.014-07:00

I mentioned in this post that I was going to dive into my new book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes and that I would be back to let you know how it went. I made a couple minor mistakes right off the bat, forgetting to cover the bread dough when it was in the fridge and giving it more time than was called for. I don't think either made a huge difference, I scraped off some of the crunchy top part

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-24021510653746988592010-02-15T11:39:00.000-07:002010-02-15T11:39:00.064-07:00

Since writing my pet peeve post and talking about adding more pics to my blog, I thought I'd start posting random superfluous pictures. Enjoy!

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-85876179623477277142010-02-12T11:08:00.005-07:002010-02-12T11:39:35.232-07:00

I had a chat with a friend the other day about how to improve my blog. It was great! It really helps to get someone elses opinion and see your blog thru their eyes. I have also been reading some do's and don'ts on what to bring to your blog. Alot of the items resonated with me and my style of blogging. So I thought I'd add a few of my pet peeves of annoying items on otherwise great blogs.1)

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-16397041795858668222010-02-09T11:50:00.003-07:002010-02-09T12:01:19.894-07:00

Are you methodical, going through a group of items at one time, sorting out the duds from the keepers? Or do you use the haphazard, scan the room approach? ya, that looks good, I think I'll toss it? Me, I use the latter method. I would love to be methodical but I'm not. After 40+ years you'd think I'd accept that about myself, but no .... But I'm trying. Trying to be true to who I am,

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-37340846726216690002010-02-04T09:33:00.004-07:002010-02-04T10:13:35.785-07:00

My friend Mary Ann has been participating in the Homekeepers Journal for a few weeks or so and I love seeing what's up with her and her home. Today, I'm taking the plunge and joining in the fun. It all begins over at Sylvia's place Christian Homekeeper NetworkerWhat’s happening in my home... I love the quiet in the mornings after hubby and son have left for school. For the last 7 years, since

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-76072389516185668622010-02-03T07:44:00.000-07:002010-02-03T07:44:00.733-07:00

Is it just me, or does it seem like the memes that were so popular in the blogosphere a couple years ago have died off quietly? Well I'm here to resurrect a few. I found this one today and thought I'd play along.8 things I'm looking forward to:1. Moving into larger new digs this summer.2. Hubby graduating this May.3. Getting a puppy when we settle down after graduation.4. Valentine's Day5.

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-32901992702171218232010-02-01T07:14:00.000-07:002010-02-01T07:14:00.106-07:00

The good: I've lost 3 lbs and am back to working out.The bad: I'm an emotional eater and I've had lots of emotional reasons to eat this month.The ugly: I bought a scale, and my son promptly broke it which means I need to buy another one soon. Losing weight for me means change. And I am slow to change my ways. Not just slow, but resistant even. Not many of us like change, and I'm no

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-47493266548762150032010-01-27T10:09:00.000-07:002010-01-27T10:53:57.781-07:00

Laura, over at I'm an Organizing Junkie had a great post about purging. She is getting ready to move and has decided to get rid of as much stuff as possible.I love the 3 questions she raised:1. Do I really need/love this that I want to PAY to move it? (moving is expensive!)2. Would I rather deal with all of this stuff now or on the other side of our move where chances are good we’ll be living

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-50156091501274178032010-01-22T10:16:00.005-07:002010-01-22T10:30:07.808-07:00

Last Sunday we visited a church that some friends have started going to. Its a lovely church. The people were friendly, the sermon was inspirational and encouraging to our souls. The music was familiar and we were able to enter into worship with our hearts and souls. But having a child with special needs is always a challenge when going to a new church. Do they have teachers who will accept

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-32637619094162216662010-01-18T16:45:00.005-07:002010-01-18T16:55:27.584-07:00

This has been so fun for me. Challenging myself to find one thing a day to put into the box or the garbage is easy enough and painless enough that I find myself suceeding.This week I tossed the french coffee press in the thrift store box, a couple sets of twin sheets we don't need anymore, a pair of mom jeans that I don't think flatter me, and a couple other misc pieces of old clothing. I also

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-83089019645099201732010-01-14T11:43:00.002-07:002010-01-14T11:49:02.886-07:00

I've been easing into the Super Chick Challenge. I forgot how my life doesn't really return to normal until hubby is back in school. So I haven't been able to do all that I wanted to do. But I am on track with my eating for b'fast and lunches. And I have worked out once. Not great, but not terrible either. But I am still struggling with dinners. So what do you eat for dinner? Do you feed a

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-42634609432576045172010-01-11T07:25:00.000-07:002010-01-11T07:25:00.568-07:00

My mom and I talked over Christmas about going thru our cd collections, so that's where I started with my decluttering. I was able to get rid of 20 cd's that we no longer listen to. What a sense of satisfaction. I also threw out a few odds and ends from the makeup drawer and set aside a clock that has been bugging me. Unfortunately hubby saw the clock before it made it to the thrift store and

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-42990483230423414972010-01-07T18:36:00.004-07:002010-01-07T19:18:18.871-07:00

7 years ago, I picked a word for the year that I wanted to instill into my life. I wanted to make it more a part of who I was. I thought alot about what word to choose. I think I had read a book or heard a guest on the afternoon talk show or something, and so the word I choose was gratitude. 2 days into that year, my husband had a potential life ending accident and that word helped me

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-2729390776662271732010-01-04T08:55:00.004-07:002010-01-04T09:04:11.369-07:00

One of my sisters and I have been talking about losing weight for eons. I have alot to lose and she has a little. Over the holidays we came up with a plan and have adopted the Super Chick Challenge as our name. We are following our own diet plan and exercise routine, but are checking in 2x weekly to encourage one another and report our progress. Our other sister and my sister's sons

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-33823261732049728402010-01-02T18:07:00.004-07:002010-01-02T18:26:05.831-07:00

I found this yesterday, but didn't have time to blog about it. But that's ok, cuz from the original website, you can start any day of the year. Which is good for those of us who have a bit of a trial starting anything on a holiday!From the blog of my online friend, Trish, she says:Simply put, the 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge is a commitment to “donate, sell or toss one unused item from

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-88617440339460665522010-01-01T21:06:00.000-07:002010-01-01T23:51:13.138-07:00

We had a wonderful time in WA state with family. We have had time to be leisurely, to get our emotional tanks filled. We have traveled up and down the I-5 corridor more times than I'd like to admit, tho traffic was "Christmas lite". We made the trek home today and now I get to sleep in my own bed---ahhhh! That is the sweet reward of driving 9 hours!Laundry is underway, the bags have been

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-29617770966960432072009-12-27T22:22:00.003-07:002009-12-27T22:28:16.853-07:00

Even tho hubby has only 2 classes he needs to take to graduate in May, in order to recieve fin aid, he has to take a full class load. And in order to stay in campus apts he has to be a full time student. So he is back to taking 4 classes instead of the 2 he needs. But that's ok, cuz its the last semester!!! He is enjoying his break and has a full month off. We are celebrating with family in

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-80507399074806524732009-12-14T17:16:00.000-07:002009-12-14T17:16:00.181-07:00

I think hubby and I agree that this has been the semester from Hell. Having to take 5 classes instead of 4 because of an unforseenable set of circumstances, 3 of which have been night classes--Yikes! Having one of the classes taught by a novice PhD who knows very little about biz and expects 30 page papers (he's not an English major, folks!) Having a group project assigned in EVERY class with

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-7268007209137215912009-12-12T14:24:00.003-07:002009-12-12T14:59:54.924-07:00

I'm at a crossroads here on Challenges and Adventures. In fact, I don't even know what path I'm on or where its going. When I started this blog, I was in love! I loved blogging and couldn't wait to blog every.single.day. I chose the title cuz I thot I would blog about my son and our challenges with him, but that seemed a bit too public. We're a bit of a private family. I also thot I'd blog

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-64462874557239874782009-12-03T19:56:00.005-07:002009-12-03T20:20:19.800-07:00

Having a birthday in mid December has always been a bain to my pleasure loving self. So many years presents got combined and parties overlooked, whether due to financial strains, overloaded schedules or simply a case of "too much, too much!"On the other hand, I love having a birthday that is smack dab in the middle of the prettiest time of year. With the hint of snow in the air, the festive

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-51887616326786500782009-11-30T11:06:00.003-07:002009-11-30T11:21:15.420-07:00

Boise State Football is big here in Boise Idaho, and even bigger here on campus. Last year being our first year here, we got into the spirit and watched every game on tv. This fall, hubby said he wanted to go to a game. So we checked the calendar and marked a few that might be possibilities. But for one reason or another, we never got tickets, until last week. BSU vs Nevada. Nevada had been

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-35966012711787355362009-11-21T08:22:00.000-07:002009-11-21T08:22:00.407-07:00

I am posting this from hubsters computer as mine died this week. Therefore, no photos--boo hoo! But you can see what birthday boy looks like on the header. 12 years ago today I was laboring to deliver this beautiful 9lb 9 oz bundle of dark brown hair and lovely brown eyes. He finally came into the world mid morning and our life has never been the same. Today we will be eating pizza, watching

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-47098963364180046082009-11-13T09:58:00.002-07:002009-11-13T10:08:27.662-07:00

Tomorrow I'm joining a friend to sell my crafts at a local church bazaar. These past couple weeks I've been in a frenzy of creating luscious cards worthy of purchase by discerning buyers. I don't mass produce so each one is individual and a work of 'art' .... or not!Its been fun, but exhausting as well. I love it when a card comes together and I stand back and look at it and go "

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-78927801158387751302009-11-09T07:38:00.000-07:002009-11-09T07:38:00.446-07:00

Amy Deanne over at 160 acre woods is a wonderful godly woman and shares freely what she creates. She made this one and I decided I wanted to show it to you all. I love how the Message says she's up preparing b'fast for her family and organizing her day. I really need to be reminded to organize my day. And to remember that by organizing my day I'm being a Proverbs 31 woman. So how 'bout you?

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-28992898979845169602009-11-05T12:51:00.002-07:002009-11-05T12:58:35.524-07:00

Over 6 months ago, our microwave died and at the time we decided not to replace it. It wasn't cuz of any enviromental issues or even money, tho its been nice to not spend $$ we could use for other essentials on replacing it. No, it was cuz I wanted the COUNTER SPACE!!! Living with a tiny, tiny apt kitchen, counter space is at a premium. I always knew that if it got soooooooooo bad, that we

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-28222922972647648842009-10-26T15:10:00.000-06:002009-10-26T15:10:00.610-06:00

Saturday we got out of "dodge" and drove out into the countryside. Hubby and I love going on a drive and the joe-boy puts up with us. We explored some areas we hadn't explored and saw some beautiful rangeland full of sage brush and cattle. But the best part of our drives is our conversations. These can range from what the hubster is studying in his classes, current politics and the idiocy of

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-81875248107783502462009-10-21T09:29:00.003-06:002009-10-21T09:36:33.002-06:00

It's Wednesday! And that can only mean another round of WFW. I'm so glad I'm back and making WFW a part of my life again. Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things you do not know. I just love it when the Lord beckons us to Him, calls us into fellowship. I can just see Him with this little finger crooked and calling us closer, like a fav grandfather who has

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-19151890041181008122009-10-19T09:33:00.004-06:002009-10-19T14:14:44.721-06:00

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband This is the card I made for my husband. It's one of my all time favorite cards I've made and I think I'll make a few more like it. Maybe with some different colors.

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-44075603026563641632009-10-18T22:54:00.003-06:002009-10-18T23:04:53.518-06:00

If you were around this summer, you might remember me thinking about moving. But I found that the rents didn't go down that much, and we actually have a great deal here on campus. But in 7 months, my honey will be graduating and we will HAVE to move. So along that vein, I've been thinking of what I want in a place when that time comes. More storage!!! Whether we find an apt, townhouse, or home

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-44819642913443798382009-10-14T08:53:00.000-06:002009-10-14T08:53:00.347-06:00

I haven't participated in Word Filled Wednesday in months, and I've been missing it alot! The last few weeks as my routine has settled down into a nice, fall groove, I have kept telling myself, I need to get a WFW post ready, but each week Wednesday would sneak up on me and I would find myself looking at others WFW posts without having one on my blog. But this week all that changed!Gal 2:10 "

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-36805405339401533222009-10-10T19:09:00.003-06:002009-10-10T19:23:14.974-06:00

We now enter what I have affectionately termed the birthday parade. The hubster is first up with his b-day in a week or so, then the #1 boy has his, and finally I get to celebrate mine right before Christmas. So what did I do today? Went shopping for gifts. I found a couple nice things for the hubster at great prices--gotta love that! And saw a couple things that might be work for the

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33678802.post-17699267417165004552009-10-07T12:27:00.000-06:002009-10-07T12:27:00.383-06:00

This semester the hubby is taking 3 night classes. It's not our favorite schedule, nor his, but it couldn't be helped. So on Mon, Tues, and Wed evenings the #1 son and I hang out. Now that the weather has turned and the evenings are getting darker faster, I don't see us going anywhere in the evenings. Josiah typically likes to watch his fav shows (Phinneus and Ferb, anyone???) and his dvd's.

gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17299794555004077235noreply@blogger.com1