Decorating... Nikki's

Decorating is probably the thing I MOST enjoy.  It is a passion!  This week at Nikki's she gave me carte blanch and said do what you want.  Oh Nikki do you know how wonderful that makes me feel.   Anyhow She has a smallish office room which I was able to design the arrangement for and re-arrange with Nikki and Roger's help.  If I do say so myself the room went from feeling closed in to much more open and for Nikki more usable work space.  I think she was most excited that she now has a space for her idea wall.  Roger, I appreciate your help so much!

Sunday with Em

Lillie during Bible Quiz study 

This past Sunday I was able to spend some one on one time with my other cousin Emily.  We were at church while Nikki, and Lillie were doing Bible Quiz study.

Em and I had a great time we ate lunch and then we went outside for a bit and I was able to take some pictures of her with the background being Pikes Peak.  She is a bit of a practical joker and has an imagination that is always going.  Here is one of my favorite pictures I took of her.

Geocaching

So this week I have been visiting with my cousin's in CO.  We have had a lovely time.  One of my favorite things to do is to geo-cache (cache is said cash).  My cousin Nikki loves being outdoors and hiking and walking so since she had never actually found a cache we went out together.   Geocaching is a natural fit for Nikki.  So far being together we have found 10 cache's.  One of them especially sticks out in my mind. We started up the road and the gps was bouncing all over one minute it said 436' right next left and we were still walking straight up the road.  So at a point we decided the compass said left for long enough we would go UP the hill.  We climbed and pulled and made our way probably about 100 yards UP the hill.  And then the compass said it was completely the opposite way.  Thus we carefully picked our way back DOWN the hill.    We continued up the road and then it said it was like 120' away so we went up the the rocks and across a slightly frozen stream then there was a water fall we couldn't cross yet we remained about 75' away from the cache.  Back down the rocks and then around over the bridge and we find a real trail.  Up Up UP we climbed.  Nikki leading the way.  At about 25',  I came around a corner and BAMM there was the cache.  Nikki is not yet accustomed to looking for what doesn't fit was continuing on.  She picked up a Germany travel coin.
This cache is somewhere at the feet of Pikes Peak.

Today I am Thankful for...

So I was slow on the whole Thankful for month.  However I think that having this list is a great reminder of ALL I have to be thankful for.  

Today I am Thankful for... God who loves me so much that HE pursues me and shows me how I need to change. He is so good to me. 5 Nov 2010

... my wonderful husband who keeps me grounded and he loves me so much. I respect him. Thank you Babe for all you do for me for our girls for our country. 6 Nov 2010

... for my girls.... you know the 7 beautiful girls that God blessed Ric and me with. Cherish, Rhonda, Machelle, Chris, Mandy, Lisa, and Tasha!  7 Nov 2010

... my son's in law... I love them. Kevin, Larry and Jeremy! Thanking God that they all love God and their perspective family!  8 Nov 2010

... Faith, Colton, Zac, Tyler, Jordan, Tristin, Kyran, Kegan, Kaylin, and Mateo... our beautiful daughters children, and Cameron... who will be our Tyler's first child making us great grandparents.  9 Nov 2010

... close friends who keep me grounded. Today I will be specific... Marti, Tina and Janet. Hahaa 2 of these people will never see this. oh well God knows.  10 Nov 2010 
... cousins who invited me for ThanksGiving...  11 Nov 2010 
... our two dogs... Beaux and Nevada.  12 Nov 2010

... clear blue skies and no snow on the ground. 13 Nov 2010

... a chapel that preaches the Word of God and worships Him.   I have an extra Thankful today too... I am Thankful that Ric is getting to worship with Casting Crowns today. 14 Nov 2010
...that... my God is not surprised... He isn't confused ... and HE loves my husband, me, my daughters, my grandchildren, and my great grand child more than we can possibly believe. 16 Nov 2010


Well travel dropped off my Thankful for's... so I will just leave it as it is.

Fishbowl

A few years back when we lived in Europe, I was able to do quite a bit of traveling.  Whenever I travel I come home with "something" to remember where I have been.  One of my favorite places to shop was Soufflenheim France.  I would usually travel there for the day with my daughter Lisa or my friend Lisa.  Soufflenheim is known for it's poteri.  There are many styles of poteri made there and while I by no means got them all I did get many.   Here is what I call my fishbowl.  It is one of my favored tea cups, mostly because I can fit over 3 cups of tea in it.  
Thank you to Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for hosting Pink Saturday.  

Sunset

One night this past week I went outside to let the dogs out.  You know the boring normal chore.  And when I opened the door ... there it was.  Now my pictures do NO justice to the splendor and beauty that God painted on this particular evening.  Let me tell you it was spectacular.   
God is maker of Heaven and earth... and in HIM we can put our trust.  No matter what is happening around us.

Psalm 40: 3He placed a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see this and worship. They will trust the LORD.

Psalm 124:  1 "If the LORD had not been on our side..." (Israel should repeat this.) 2 "If the LORD had not been on our side when people attacked us, 3 then they would have swallowed us alive when their anger exploded against us. 4 Then the floodwaters would have swept us away. An [overflowing] stream would have washed us away. 5 Then raging water would have washed us away." 6Thank the LORD, who did not let them sink their teeth into us. 7 We escaped like a bird caught in a hunter's trap. The trap was broken, and we escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

Potato Soup

Ah!  It is rainy and cold out.  The perfect elements for Potato Soup!
Thanks to my Aunt Sandy,  I have made this soup for 25 years.  That's right longer than I have been married.  I was living with a friend and she had a trip to LA.  So I went with her and took care of her then baby Andrea.  Since I was in the LA area I went and spend the evening with Uncle Pat and Aunt Sandy.  And we had this wonderful soup for dinner.  She shared this recipe with me and I am sure that as in the past 25 years I will continue to make this warm soothing soup for years to come.  That it was shared from Aunt Sandy is heart warming too.

Here is Uncle Pat and Aunt Sandy just this past year.

Veteran's

Oh I love me some Veteran's!   I do realize now though that I am missing pictures of a few of my soldier's in uniform.
I am proud of my family and their ability to put their lives on the line so that our country can have freedom.  I can guarantee that our freedom's are not free.  I mean how many people who have never served have spent a year away from their growing son or from their newborn daughter?  Or watched as someone they know has died to protect their fellow soldier?  I would venture that not many people who aren't in the military can say they have or would.
My prayer is that you take your freedom's seriously.  By that I mean that you vote that you take seriously your civic duty's.  Someday and I am thinking not to far from now our "rights" as US of A citizens might be stripped from us.  These people the ones in this picture have taken seriously protecting your rights.  In this picture are 10 deployments.  I thank my soldiers for all you have given.  And those soldiers all have families...  Thank you to them also.
btw... Rhonda I am missing pix of you in uniform... and Larry I would love to have your BCT pic too.  Love you all!

Livingroom

Seems like I just love re-arranging my home.  Thankful for my neighbor for coming to move the shelf up the stairs so I can fill it back up with fabric.  At the same time lighten up the living room.

OH GOD ... help me

This week I am feeling really concerned.  Concerned about what is going to be happening in the next year in our country.  I wonder are we really "there"  are we to the end?  I wonder am I where God wants me to be?  Am I doing what I need to be doing?  Am I ??  NO really Am I?  
 Romans 15: 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

‎1 Peter 1: 4 We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can't be destroyed or corrupted and can't fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 since you are guarded by God's power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time. 6 You are extremely happy about these things, even though you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now.

(This week... the republican's have taken the house back.  Harry Reid remains in power.  Nancy Pelosi plans to try to stay as speaker.  The President went on a vacation. )

Oh Lord God I do know know what your plan's are, and I know that your ways are not my ways, yet I pray God that you will help me to be where you want me to be.  I pray that you will help me believe and trust.  Help me have the strength, compassion, and wisdom to do what you call me to in the day's to come.  Help me to love the people I want to despise.  Amen

UNDERwhelmed

Somedays I just feel all out of sorts.  Today is one of them.  I call it UNDERwhelmed because I feel UNDER it all.  Nothing is really wrong.  Yet not much seems right either.

Oh God, I know you are with me because your word says so.  I pray that you will come down and comfort and calm my heart.~ Amen

Jeremiah 29:11-14

11 I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. 12 Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 When you look for me, you will find me. When you wholeheartedly seek me, 14 I will let you find me, declares the LORD. I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I've scattered you, declares the LORD. I will bring you back from the place where you are being held captive.