Friday, January 31, 2014

The Thinks



As an only child, I was blessed to have a mom and dad who were funny. We were just silly. For example, on a trip we would read signs and make comments.  At a gas station would be a sign: CLEAN RESTROOMS... we would comment. We don't want to clean their restrooms. Let them clean them themselves.  Or a sign by the road would  say STOP AHEAD. We would say, Which one of us is going to stop our head? It says only one can stop.   Other people would have thought we were nuts, but we enjoyed it.

My kids and I joked a lot as well.

Now the triplets have a great sense of humor...that's right...they share it.  We are always getting a kick out of something one of them says.  Now with Facebook, their parents are able to share and therefore keep a record of all the quips. Not  one of them  lacks the gift!

Thought I'd share a layout tonight with one of the things Mason has said in the last couple of months.
Ashley said to Mason (who was hanging outside the bars at MacDonald's) "There are signs everywhere that say do not climb outside equipment." And Mason replied, " I don't speaky sign language." Yes, I know it is silly. But I thought it pretty clever, even though he was breaking a rule...which is not something I would do or encourage.

It reminds me of something Rush Limbaugh says frequently: Words mean things.  Words can mean a variety of things...on their own and even more with expressions and inflection considered.

As  a matter of fact, some of our most powerful politicians can make words mean the opposite of what they actually mean. Don't ask me how this is  done with a straight face, but it is. It is like the Double Think of 1984.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Panda Pants


You might not see the connection here to Pandas.  I know they are cute little furry animals that are cuddly looking 'bears'...not generally used as teddy bears, but nonetheless cute for baby pictures.

However, it is Oliver's diaper cover I'm referring to...and there are no bears, just bicycles.  But in our household, bikes are Pandas...the bamboo variety...so anything associated with this baby has to be the Panda brand.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Puffy Penguin



Ashley dressed as a penguin for her class play. Her mother, Chelle is an over achiever when it  comes to making costumes. I love those feet!

Well, as it is about every night now, I'm exhausted and am 'hitting the sack' early.

Of course, even if things had been going better, I still would have been crushed by the State of the Coo address (as Rush Limbaugh calls it) tonight.  Our president stood up and prevaricated over and over, saying exactly what he knows the people want to hear, while planning to do everything in his power, whether legal or not, to undermine our nation and our freedoms.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Boys of Triplet Fame


Busy day! If I don't get back to tell you more, at least I've posted a layout for today...the boys of triplet fame...

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Family of Three


While making layouts for 2014, I've left undone some from the past year and have gotten offtrack as far as getting my books published. I was so excited, or course, to do layouts of the new baby and family, that some from months gone by have set in my documents only partly completed or  completely untouched. I am feverishly trying to catch up now and get another book printed.

I've gone back to September of last year while Beth was still carrying Olver.  He was still unnamed...yet quite evident.  I'm not sure it was a relaxing vacation for Beth, perhaps quite taxing carrying that extra load. But the memories for all three( and us as well) will be wonderful.

Memories are what I hold dear at this point. In my present are wonderful grandchildren and adult children I hold dear; but the future does not look as bright as it once did in this great land. At this time when faith is being stripped from our land, being undermined in our schools and public assemblies, on TV and all around us, we must double our efforts to be effective Christians. Mere pew sitters will likely fall behind. Take notice of the forces of evil and praise God for his faithfulness in times of need and danger.


Monday, January 20, 2014

Ride


Caleb certainly likes to ride 'his' horse. I'm not sure he was not meant to be a farm boy. He does so well with all the animals. He is not one bit intimidated. He has had good training, however, so it may not come naturally to him. Yet I believe it must be for him to like it so much.

I could write a long piece tonight about the state of our world. We girls were 'talking' quite a bit about how the movies have let us down. They are violent and vile. Not many seem to have any redeeming value at all. None of us enjoy seeing the violence. It is not a good way to get away and relax. It is depicting the worst in our world, things we'd like to not even know about.

Life can be pretty depressing these days when one thinks about the world our grandchildren will grow up in. It is so sad.

Because of all that negativity, it was a pleasure to open Jim Chilton's Daily Encouragement - Bring The Parchments. I couldn't do it justice without outright plagiarizing, so  I will just give you a link to his blog and you can be encouraged as I was this morning.  Check out his work here:

Sunday, January 19, 2014

IT&S


Tonight I'm featuring our grand SON, Aussie.  Want to make sure you know he's a boy.
I like the comfortable grin on his face. And I like the shirt he is wearing. What does it mean?
Well I did a search and listed here are a few of the things for which those letters  can stand. lol
I could narrow it down for you and did. The meaning of  IT&S on his shirt is circled.  Information Technology and Services.   Is that his occupation?  Not if getting paid is a condition. Although he does spend a lot of time in that vein. He is an amazing programmer already.  Is it his ambition? Don't know. I'll have to ask. I would suppose that would be at least part of his preparation for the future. He is now in his 6th year of studying Chinese.  More about that later with another picture. But as you can see, the real reason for the letters: It is his dad's shirt. He didn't inherit it, just borrowing it


Speaking of inheritance...Let it be known that those who go to Medicaid for help with expenses of long term care...this Democratic administration has put what has been called a 'Time Bomb' in the rules.  Your heirs can be liable for the cost of your care.  Now isn't that just wonderful?  Now, tell me again, what was wrong with our healthcare that was the best in the world, just a few short years ago?

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Slap Happy


ORU was out to celebrate a birthday this week. Phyllis had one of those big ones we girls  don't like to admit, but the lines in our faces betray us and of course our best friends know.

We were really having a big time and when she opened her gifts I noticed that even a boy about nine years old at a table nearby seemed amused.  We got slap happy when Phyllis opened her gift from Paulette. It looked something like a chipmunk someone has run over with his car in the rain and hung up to dry. Oh yes, attractive.  Actually, it was a leopard print slap bracelet.. If you haven't seen one of these, you need  to get in your car right now and head out to Hobby Lobby and ask for them.

 Remember how I said it looked and that it is a bracelet. Doesn't make sense, does it? Well you pick up that little flat dead animal and slap yourself across the wrist with it and shazam...it wraps itself around your arm, much like a snake would.  Yep, we enjoyed that thing...and so did the kid watching us.  You can see it here on her arm...dressed her up a bit.  lol

Remember, you too can be slap happy with help at Hobby Lobby.

Meanwhile back to the world we live in today. The new federal budget costs taxpayers $3 million per word. No I didn't make this up. I am copying it right from Newsmax.com.

You might want to read it yourself here, if you think you can take it.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Pumpkins: Good For You


January 14, 2014 



I remember when I started scrapbooking. It was  with
paper and I had tons of boxes full of pictures that had
never been put in albums.  The worse thing was, they
were not in any order, mixed by years of people rum-
maging through them. It was quite a chore to get them
in some semblance of order. I set out shoeboxes on the
dining room table and commenced to shuffle them back
 and forth until I felt I could do no better. Looking back,
 I wish I had taken more time and studied the clues
 more carefully.  Anyway, I am again behind...even
 though it is just months behind, I'm feeling pressured
to catch up. We can't let things get  completely out of
 hand again.

I can hardly believe how fast 2013 went. Here are some
 pictures taken at a Pumpkin  farm in October. I dearly
love the bright clear colors of the sky and  of the pump-
kins. Primary colors. WOW. It was also fun to pPbe able
 to use my Lettering Delights alphabet: Harvest in a
unique way.

Seeing these pumpkins and thinking of pumpkin pies in
 season, it reminds me of a conversation that has been
 ongoing among us girls of the eating fads that are per-
vading the society now. It isn't so bad that people de-
cide they should or should not eat certain foods...as long
 as it isn't a burden on others...precisely others who are
 preparing party menus, for example.  We would prefer
those people to just keep it to themselves and even more
 important to not try to convert others to their oddity.

This was published recently by a  lady who went by
Audrey Ruth. It is excellent.

This is God's Word on the subject: "Now the Spirit ex-
pressly says that in later times some will depart from the
 faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and
teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars
whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and
 *require abstinence from foods that God created to be
received with thanksgiving* by those who believe and
know the truth. For everything created by God is good,
and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanks-
giving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer."
 I Timothy 4:1-5 // I hear a lot about the paleo diet, for ex-
ample, and it seems the great majority of people (even
-adherents) do not know it is based on the theory of evo-
lution. The vegan diet also denies the Word of God, as do
others - even the Hallelujah diet takes scripture out of
context.

I was glad to see that pointed out so well.

Go and eat in peace, giving thanks to our lord.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Busy Page


No, Ron and Maggie are not busy, but there is a lot going on this page. I generally prefer a more classic simple look to a layout, but I'm in a crazy mood and the style of this page (busy) suits my life right now.

It just kind of looks like I feel today. ..overdone...

There is a new blog online that is delivered to my inbox every day.  At  7:10 this morning it was in my computer.  I did not see it however, too much going on and by 9:30, I was already stressed, over stressed, high blood pressure stressed.  Today, I have thrown fits...not in public, thankfully. I have cried. I have screamed. I have begged God to appear quickly. I have taken a nap (very unusual).  I feel guilty because my life, to an outsider might seem simple. I have friends who are going through life threatening situations. Nothing helped at the time. I just lost more time in a busy month.

But God was ahead of me. He knew what I needed before I toppled. I just now, 12 hours later, in spite of not having the time to look at all my emails, opened Jim Chilton's Daily Encouragement- Bring the Parchments.  The subject is 'What's in Your Backpack?  The first verse: "Cast your anxiety on him because he cared for you." (I Peter 5:7, NIV)


If I had read this before 9:30AM, would I have done better today? Just the fact that it was so timely is a comfort to me.

Here is a link to the blog, so that you can see what I mean and forward it to anyone else who may need this right now.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Through the Colorful Seasons



Now that it is winter, I'm looking back at the year with pictures of our little barn through the seasons. I like the one taken in spring because it shows the house that we demolished in summer; thus the large equipment parked in the background in summer. The fall photo shows my favorite time of year and the wonderful colors of northeast Ohio. It also has the deer I painted this summer after 8 years of intentions. Winter is now and snow has been plentiful. Today, however, we have close to none after a big thaw and lots of rain. It shouldn't be long until it snows again the white of winter.

At present I'm in the winter season of my life. Not sure what all that will bring, but I am noticing differences now and then. I am hoping however, that my winter season will be white as snow...
Isaiah 1:18“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

I know that whether or not I live a spotless old age, our Father in heaven has already promised to clean me and present me to his father in heaven.

Won't you welcome that same promise? Put on Christ in baptism and know the peace and joy of salvation.

Acts 2:38

New International Version (NIV)
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Our Little Guys



I'm so happy to say I have new pictures. I never thought I would be like this, but anytime someone asks how the grandchildren are, I come back quickly with, "I have pictures." It makes it so much easier when they are on  your phone. Of course they are not as cute as they can be when viewing on a small phone screen. These shots are so good, they should be plastered all over the sides of buildings in the big cities...of course that is Gramma's opinion.
Meanwhile back on track with the Washington story.  This president is in his last term. He can not be lawfully reelected, so they will try hard to get someone who will finish the job he has started: making us a third world country.   The perfect person to continue his agenda is Hillary Clinton.
Please take this test to check your history knowledge. We need to be informed to stop the destruction.



Six trivia questions to see how much history you really know.  Be 
honest, it's kinda fun and revealing. If you don't know the answer make 
your best guess. Answer all the questions (no cheating) before looking 
at the answers.  And no, the answers to these questions aren't all 
Barack Obama?

Who said it?
1) "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."
 
A. Karl Marx, B. Adolph Hitler, C. Joseph Stalin,  D. Barack Obama, E. None of the above

2) "It's time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the few, by the few, and for the few...... And to replace it with shared responsibility, for shared prosperity."
A. Lenin, B. Mussolini,  C. Idi Amin,    D. Barack Obama, E. None of the above

3) "(We).....can't just let business as usual go on, and that means 
something has to be taken away from some people."
A.  Nikita Khrushev, B. Josef Goebbels,    C. Boris Yeltsin,  D. Barack Obama,    E. None of the above

4) "We have to build a political consensus and that requires people to give up a little bit of their own ...
in order to create this common ground."
A. Mao Tse Dung, B. Hugo Chavez,    C. Kim Jong Il, D. Barack Obama, E. None of the above

5) "I certainly think the free-market has failed."
A. Karl Marx,  B. Lenin, C. Molotov,    D. Barack Obama, E. None of the above

6) "I think it's time to send a clear message to what has become the most profitable sector in (the) entire economy, that they are being watched."
 
A. Pinochet,  B. Milosevic,  C. Saddam Hussein,  D. Barack Obama,  E. None of the above.

Scroll down for answers








Answers

(1) E. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
6/29/2004

(2) E. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
5/29/2007

(3) E. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
6/4/2007

(4) E. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
6/4/2007

(5) E. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
6/4/2007

(6) E. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
9/2/2005



Want to know something really scary? She may be the next president if you don't tell everyone you meet.
 

Friday, January 10, 2014

County and Duck Dynasty


Yes, I know this is a very poor quality, but I need it to tell the story. It is the only one I have.
Tonight we went to dinner with two other couples, Mike, Trish, Al and Linda. Mike had bet the Al that he couldn't get my Ron to go with them to a country band session. Mike took the bet and got us aboard even though I generally do not like country music unless it is Carrie Underwood style.

Teresa had sent me a joke that I was eager to use.  When the first couple got to the restaurant, I told them we'd just heard they had canceled Duck Dynasty. They were shocked. They knew how many people loved that show. Then I told them that A&E was replacing it with a new reality show from Washington DC called Duck Responsibility. Okay, the mood got lighter. When the other couple, who watch the Robertsons religiously, got there, I told it again. That's when one could see real anger.  Could it be called righteous indignation?  Thanks, Teresa.

We ate at an Italian restaurant called Fiore's. The decor was nice, the chairs beautiful and very comfortable, I liked the sauce, but in my book, it wasn't worth the price.

Then for the big show of the night, we went to an old barn, which had been 'converted', thus the 'church pews'. It had been reworked to accommodate a country band on stage. There was no cost, they just passed a bucket for a contribution  and they sold refreshments.

Like I said at the beginning, I'm not a big fan of country, but it was really an enjoyable evening.  I had more fun than I would have at any number of shows on Broadway.  We even could sing along at different times if we wished...and we did.

Anyone who wants can sign in and sing at the microphone, so some of the singers were not great, but it was still fun. Ron and I have decided to go again.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Western Wear



While I mourn the fact that I can't go to Colorado to see our newest grandbaby, relatives of his from Ohio have made the trip.  They are all back home in Ohio now and I really need to go.  I have seen pictures of the bright eyed little fellow, but I long to hold him up close. Well enough of that. It isn't going to happen anytime soon.

I'm also missing big brother, Caleb. He is the little man in front, wearing the blue jacket and oversized cowboy hat. It is just day to day wear in Colorado...at least for some.

 In the picture with him are his cousins from Columbus. All three look like they are having a great time checking out the western wear.

Out in Colorado, they have recently made some restrictions on guns that need to be changed, in my opinion. We have the second amendment which protects the right of individual Americans to keep and bear arms. 

It is getting more necessary now to have that right. There are more criminals and less space to incarcerate them. They are out there committing crimes over and over again.  The following is something everyone should see. It is the story of a retired policeman who had to defend himself and his wife in his own home... Watch the video and notice what he said about registration of guns.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Courtyard


I first asked for a gate eight years ago. I finally got it by asking that it be my Christmas present.  It has turned out to be a very appreciated and useful gift. It keeps Maggie safe while  outdoors along and it permits me to open the gate and shove the excess snow off  the courtyard.

I like some of the jokes going around the internet about the cold snap in the weather:

It is  so cold, I saw a Democrat with his hands in  him own pockets..

It is so cold I saw a teenager with his pants pulled all the way up.


Monday, January 6, 2014

Creative


I decided this year that instead of sending just money for Christmas, I wanted to pick out some presents for the kids. I enjoyed the process, but may not do it again. It was very costly for UPS to deliver them.  I could have given them more money.

But like I said, I enjoyed finding things I thought they would like.  I threw a few small extra things in the boxes and Ashley took advantage of that. Here she has a purse she made from a roll of duck tape and her iPod, which she bedazzled with 'rhinestones'. I love the creativity her work shows.

Creativity can be good, but it isn't necessarily so. Washington has gotten so creative with our constitution, that it doesn't resemble the original in some areas.

Creating the Global Warming, renamed Climate Change Theory, was quite fun for a few elites I'm sure. However, now we might  wonder how they ever got away with such a lie...and for so many years.

Our weather in the states is now more like what we had in the 1970's when the so called scientists were trying to convince us that we were going into another ice age.  God must be up there, in complete control of the weather, laughing at all the 'brilliant' people down here who think they know more than He.  There isn't much funnier that seeing the ships,  that were out to  prove their Global Warming theory with the shrinking polar ice caps, getting stuck in record breaking Antarctic ice.

Our Coast Guard is heading that way to try to save them from being 'gobbled up' by the ice. I certainly don't want to see anyone hurt, but I sure would love to know they had been enlightened and  are ready to renounce that ignorant theory.  And I would really like to hear those big names who have made so much money pushing the theory, such as Al Gore, apologize.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Christmas Ball



Maggie didn't get a whole lot for Christmas this, her first year. As a matter of fact, this ball she has in her mouth was in the box of our last dog's toys stored away in the basement. I found them and gave some of the smaller ones to Maggie. For some reason, I can't figure out what, there are some that Maggie will not touch. She sniffs them and leaves them lay. I've washed them and it didn't help. I guess she is picky about her rubber. In any case, she does like this ball and can entertain herself for a while with it.

Now for a confession. The fancy bows in her hair was a gift for the holidays. I wanted it for her her Christmas pictures. She was adamant that she was NOT going to wear it. She didn't give me a reason, but she wouldn't even let me fasten it.  Therefore she DID NOT wear it. But I was not completely whipped. There is always Photoshop!  If she were human, I couldn't get away with this...but we won't tell her.

The news gets crazier and crazier day by day. Now we have a mom physically attacking fans of 'her' school's rival...right there in the stands.  Check this out  by clicking the title below.

Badly Behaving Bowl Game Mom 




Saturday, January 4, 2014

Fever


So many people we know are sick.  Many get on FaceBook when they are confined at home. The same goes for email. We're praying for lots of people.

We have a friend who has two children with  pneumonia. Many people have been returning to their homes sick after the holidays. We have two sets of friends whose kids drove home sick. Chelle and her family did the same. They came back to Tennessee from Florida in no condition to be confined to a car and away from a toilet. Okay, that sounds gross. It was. She hasn't gotten better. Here she is today, bundled up in the house.  I love that Ashley saw her wrapped up like this and went to get what she called, the fever meter. We should coin that one.

My hubby, Ron has been sick as well.  However he never stops running, kind of like a Timex. I've been hiding out at home, since I hurt my knee carrying Christmas decorations to the basement.

The bright side?  I'm still thinking.   lol  The bright side is, I've been catching up on layouts.

Magic and Enchantment



Kaiser Permanente presented a day of magic and enchantment in Ft Collins for Halloween.

I took liberty to put a little magic of my own in this layout of Caleb that day.  I'm hoping he will get  a kick out of it.

How did you do that Caleb?

On the Washington front...please pray for Sonia Sotomayor. The president has chosen to pressure her into changing her mind on the birth control issue in his healthcare bill.  Or he might go over her head, which would be illegal, but that hasn't stopped him before.

Only God can heal this country.

2 Timothy 2:15

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Camera Man


Caleb is three, so naturally he has a camera.  Well, that is, if he is a real  member of this family, he does. That's all he has known. If you like something, you NEED to take a picture  or more of it.

It tickles this gramma to see him in action.

I have  taken only one picture today. I needed to show friends the amount of snowfall we had here. It wasn't enough to debilitate us, but it was plenty to keep a beautiful fresh white cover all day. I would guess perhaps 5 inches. I haven't really accomplished anything, except I learned how to use brushes in PSE without actually installing them into the program.  Supposedly that keeps excessive numbers of brushes from slowing the program. I did one layout, not this one.  Otherwise (I'm stealing what I saw on Facebook and shared today." I'm as useless as the 'g' in lasagna.

I love Caleb's bright face.

Speaking of bright, a very intelligent young man and student in Tennessee spoke before a local school board meeting in December  on the problems with Common Core standards.

Like with Obamacare, most of our citizens don't know anything about Common Core, the controlls for  public schools these days, foisted on the educators by  liberals in the overgrown Federal Government. 

Watch the video and enlighten yourselves. Your children will profit from your knowledge.

Go here

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Baby Oliver


Even though it has been a bad day here...nothing out of the ordinary, but still not good, I  took a nap this evening and am feeling okay right now...one problem: Photoshop Elements was 'acting up' while I worked on this layout...but how wonderful it is to have these sweet pictures of baby Oliver  on the day of his birth and the program seems to be working just fine  now.