Opinionated

Am happy to see a market developing for opinions. I have plenty of them.

By the way, in case you hadn't guessed: the opinions here stated are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the subjects in my layouts.

In case you've wondered why I missed yesterday. My publishing hit a big snag. I worked for hours to get one of my pages to upload to the publisher. Finally, my husband realized the problem was a simple period. I had inadvertently put it into the jpg title. Thank God for Ron. I would have NEVER found that.

The book, my 17th, is now in the works at My Publisher. I can hardly wait to have it in my hands.

Whether you are here for my opinions or in spite of them... I love you all.

Desperation

This is a delightful picture of Ashley. I love it, but it is only on tonight because I was desperate to find a layout that I had not yet published and get it on the blog before my midnight deadline.

I have nothing to say, except this has not been an easy day. I am publishing my 17th book right now. It must be done by Tuesday and I've hit a lot of snags. It should be finished ahead of schedule, but time got away from me tonight. Have a productive Monday. God bless you all.

Thankful

Most of all, I thank my God that I have the opportunity to worship Him. He gave me so very much...six children and a wonderful husband. Who could want more? Then He heaped up the blessings and made me a grandmother. I am thankful for our grandchildren.

I thank God for this season. I am thankful that even though we couldn't get all the family together for a feast, we were able to spend our Thanksgiving day (and more) with our beautiful, kind and gracious middle daughter and her husband, whom we love as well. We drove through Amish country in Pennsylvania to their lovely, warm home. We don't get to visit any of the kids often enough with the way we are all scattered and it had been quite a while since we had seen her. We did miss our granddaughter, Lauren who remained in Alabama at school. But we look forward to seeing her on Christmas Day.

We were able to talk to all but Tim. So we're hoping to speak with him soon.

As we traveled past many well kept barns while in and around Lancaster, PA this weekend, I was reminded of the day trip we took in October to the Amish area of Ohio. Since we haven't been home long enough to download my new pictures to the computer, I've brought out a layout I made of that fall visit to their farming community.

I admire the way those plain people live. I can't say that I have always felt like that, but recently I've been leaning toward simplicity. It is something I now crave. However, I don't want to give up the computer or photos of my family.

Keep in touch. I'll be bringing layouts about our recent trip soon.

Be Thankful

Going back a few weeks to John and Beth's long weekend vacation to Crested Butte. This is a really good picture of them with the moose...Oh, I like all these pictures. Would like to see the place myself sometime. Perhaps if they remain in Colorado long, we'll get to do that. In the meantime, we'll just enjoy it through their pictures.

I've started cooking already. Did well until I missed hearing the timer and burnt my pie...charred my pie. The house reeks. Don't know why I didn't smell it before I did. I'll start over again with that tomorrow.

Looks like we'll have a busy few days. Don't know whether or not I'll be here on the blog. If not, be assured that it won't be long... at least it won't seem long to me. We never get enough time with family.

At least none of us will be flying. Thank goodness. I'm sure hoping and praying they rescind this TSA order before long, so that we won't have to choose between a dose of radiation and being violated.

On a more pleasant thought. I'm thankful for so very much and I'm sure you are as well. It's a good idea just to make a mental list of your blessings, remembering that having enough to eat is a blessing that many in the world do not have. Praise God and have a very thankful holiday.

90 Years Old

Aunt Mary turned 90 on Saturday the 20th. When I saw the invitation said to drop in between 12:00 and 8:00, I wondered how Aunt Mary would last through that time. But I should not have feared. I think she had more energy and enthusiasm than anyone else there. What a sociable sweetheart she is. And sharp as well. She is such a joy to others.

Wanting to be just like Aunt Mary (Ron's aunt) when I grow up, I asked her a few questions.

I asked her secret to longevity, about her youthful skin and her philosophy of life. Her answers are on the layout.

I now need to print her a copy and then we are going to lunch. I am thrilled. It will be a special lunch since we hadn't been out together for about a year.

She is a wise lady. I need to pay more attention. It really struck me when she said "Live for today. Hope for tomorrow." I haven't had much hope recently, but I must do that. God is in control.

Family Resemblance

I've been told Aussie looks like me. I am flattered, but I bet he wouldn't want to think he looks like a girl, especially an old one. But surely it is okay for me to look like him.

He definitely has my hair. If like the rest of us, my cousins and I, his hair will keep its color or get darker until he is way too old to care. I am fair like him, except for my myriad freckles. Face shape is similar. But his eyes are gorgeous. I guess similarity, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

I've been looking for similarity in the new GM (Government Motors) and the old GM (General Motors). There isn't much. My parents used to buy nothing but GM. My first car was a Pontiac. They were good cars. However with the EPA, etc breathing down their backs, and foreign competition growing strong, GM just didn't measure up anymore. Instead of letting the company go bankrupt, like any normal entity would do, our overly powerful government decided to change from free enterprise to socialized manufacturing. Of course government has never done anything well, not even the post office, but they dumped zillions of dollars (yours, mine, and our grandchildren's ) into a failing company. Well anyone besides the straw man can see that we've lost our money and continue to lose more and more to this endeavor.

Instead of buying GM, we have bought a lemon!

Butterflies in the Belfry

How many women will on the spur of the moment meet for a photo shoot in the middle of a very busy day on a very busy week? Well, here you go. We've found 6! You notice there are seven here. Yes, one who really desired to do it, but just couldn't travel over 800 miles for it, sent her picture to be dubbed into the works.

You might call us batty, but we prefer butterflies!

A Longing to Fly

While we were in Mountainair, Ron was anxious to see the airstrip. I could tell by his eyes that he is longing to fly again. It has been almost ten years since he gave up his plane. We sold it a few months before 9/11. We had gotten a lot of good years out of it, but it was an expense we didn't want any longer. Ron seemed fine with it for a while, but now and then, he wishes he had his wings.

Of course now, it would be much more pleasant to fly your own plane and not have to put up with the groping long arm of the government, TSA.

Clap for Yourself. You Deserve It

I did it. Didn't think for a while that I'd make it. Ron has a project going on my laptop and for a while he had both it and this one in use. So I worked logic puzzles while anxiously waiting to get back on my machine.

So now, you get to see our special little fellow clapping for himself and know I'm applauding myself because I was able to get this done in a short time in order to beat my 12:00 midnight deadline.

You also got a bonus layout tonight. don't miss the one of Caleb and his Mommy.

Mommy and Caleb

Here's our happy boy again. I can't imagine anything making him more happy, unless it would be living closer to his gramma and grampa. Today I downloaded a picture of him from his mother's facebook page. I can hardly wait to do a layout, even though his hands are just a blur. Now I know why they make cameras with fast lenses that can stop motion. He is a regular motion machine. Today's picture captures his first all by himself clapping. I hope to finish it and get it on here by 12:00 midnight EST. We'll see. My cat is demanding attention right now. I'd better take care of her or I'll be listening to her nag me for the rest of the night.

Mt Mitchell

What a blessing to look out over all the trees and see more beautiful mountains in the distance. Mountainair certainly is a lovely place to live. I'm glad it is within a days drive. Three of our children live at least twice as far away from their childhood home here in Ohio. It is so much easier to drive than to have to fly...especially now that they have imposed a body search that invades a person's privacy in such an ungodly way. It will be especially hard for a person like me who has had modesty drilled into her since early childhood.

And I wonder just how valuable it will be in actually catching those who would do us harm. In my opinion ( and that is why I'm here right now) it is just a cover for being unwilling to question those who might actually hold our country in contempt and wish our demise. They are generally quite easy to pick out in a crowd at the airport in most instances. And there are other tell tale signs that any government worth its salt would know.

Okay , let's say this disgusting scan/search does stop one who might be smuggling a bomb in his/her underwear/bra. There have been Muslims (not on airplanes yet) who stick explosives where the sun doesn't shine (a euphemism) . As Ann Coulter stated, that search is a job no American wants.

Sweet Day Out

Ron and I joined some of our friends on a day trip down to Amish country where we ate lunch in an Amish home. This was on October 1 and if you follow the blog very closely, you've seen another layout from that day's trip. It was the one of the group at P. Graham Dunn. I'm also working on another one from there.

On the way down, we stopped at the Smucker's store in Orrville. It is so easy to purchase too much when you have the chance to taste everything before you buy. It is so tempting. We picked up some unusual spreads that I hadn't seen before in our grocery. They were very tasty.

I suppose we can order next time online; but it may be more fun to just get together a group of friends and run down to Orrville. There is always plenty to see down that way.

With our administration's planned devaluation of our money, I wish I lived in Amish country where they provide for their own needs without counting on the outside world. I have verbalized this to my husband, and was told I'd not make it more than a week because they work so hard. I hate to think I couldn't keep up with them; but he is probably right. We have become so spoiled by good times, that it would be very difficult to live without our modern day conveniences, many of which depend on electricity. But if I didn't have electricity, be it because I couldn't afford it or because it was rationed, I would rather live among people who knew how to get along without it than where I do now.

Please God, save our Christian nation from it's foes.

Nurture Conservatism

The entire message today is on the layout itself. Double click it to enlarge. God bless you all.

In Hind Sight

Hey Kim, do you remember this? You don't? Well I don't either, but I thought it made an interesting layout.

A Weekend Vacation.

When you are starting a company and holding down a full time job as well, you really need a break. When you have a baby, a house to keep and have to go to work 5 days a week, you need a break. So I'm glad to show you two layouts tonight: John and Caleb & Beth and Caleb. They had the gift of a weekend trip to Crested Butte, Colorado and I got pictures. We all win.

Autumn Photo Shoot

ORU met Thursday night just for a photo shoot. That's right. We can have a big time doing just about any little thing. They like to humor me and keep my camera from rusting.

Since we are an eclectic group of summers, falls, springs and winters, we have a hard time choosing what to wear for group pictures. But as you can tell, we did all right. Sometimes I take the liberty of changing the shade of a blouse or sweater just a slight bit to coordinate us; but this time, we seemed to blend just fine.

Of course the most important things we wear are our expressions...and those are charming smiles.

Speaking of charming, I think perhaps we citizens have been charmed by someone with a sinister plot to crash our economy. I hope you all are not just dismissing this as a conspiracy theory and are studying for yourselves. There are volumes of material that has been published...three books by Soros himself. This is no time to leave it for others to handle. We've done that much too long. Now is the time to act. The type of world we leave to our children is at stake.

I can remember for many years now hearing that two things we should not talk about are religion and politics. That was the first PC idea I ever heard and it preceded the many that have followed by decades. But it is diametrically opposed to God's will. He tells us to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Mark 16:15

Unfit Fashion

I generally enjoy getting my Coldwater Creek catalogs in the mail. The clothing is always accompanied by picturesque descriptions that are as delightful as the items themselves.

This season, I've been especially fond of the fashions. Of course that could be because I haven't liked the styles much in the past year. Anyway, as I've thumbed through the last two wish books, I've picked out numerous outfits I would like to wear. Of course, I can't just go buy what I want, so I have to make a choice or two. I'm not easy to fit. Not many things are flattering on a short waisted, heavy body...so I have to try on lots of things before I buy.

This layout lets you see how I feel about the way some of the outfits are thrown together lately. I've gotten used to shirt tails hanging out from beneath jackets, but they've gone a little too far this year. Check out some of these combinations. I've commented. If you click on the layout, you will see what I have to say about them. It isn't flattering, like the 'get ups' themselves. I've titled it Unfit Fashion due to the fact that I think they are not fit to wear in public. Just call me an old fashion snob, it you wish. But I won't be wearing the clothes put together as these are.

Soros Targets US Currency

Sorry there is no layout tonight. Serious times call for serious blogs:

George Soros has collapsed four currencies, those of Czechoslovakia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Bank of England. He has targeted the United States. To him it is a game, and we've been playing along. It's time to stand up to this disgusting man who considers himself a god. Check it out. He has written three books. There is multitudinous information about him. After all he is one of the very richest men in the world. Learn how he got so rich. He claimed he made a billion dollars breaking the Bank of England. Other estimates out there say up to 2 billion.

He claims to be a philanthropist, but he is breaking banks on the backs of the human beings.

Check this out for yourselves at www.glennbeck.com. and www.theblaze.com. Everything they have published is footnoted.

Pray for Glenn. He has been made an offer by Soros's representative that he 'couldn't refuse', yet he did refuse.

We are to love our enemies, but we don't have to like what they do. Even though Soros is an atheist, I pray that he will see and feel the sorrow he has brought to his fellow man, turn his heart toward God, repent and be saved.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/the-puppet-master-read-the-beck-tv-background-guide-to-george-soros/

Blessings From Heaven

In some parts of the world, seasons do not vary so much and are not as easily recognized. To me, living in an area with distinct seasons is a true blessing from God. In them we see a natural rhythm, an order. We can depend on them each year. They are a constant.

Our Creator God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We can count on Him. He is constant.

In this world where wrong is declared right and vice versa, it is good to have a stabilizer. . God is just that. We can find security in Him.

Even though George Soros considers himself a god, I don't. He is a destabilizer. He has crashed the currencies of many countries and now ours is his target.

Check it out for yourself. Do the research. Read what he himself has written. It is all down in black and white.

Girly Girl

One might think that a triplet girl with two brothers would need to be pretty tough, but that isn't necessarily so. Ashley has the upper hand, but I think it is just because she is a natural leader. She knows who she is. She is a girly girl.

We need to know who we are. We are God's creation. We are Americans. We are good citizens. We obey the law. We are truthful. We are respectful. We are workers. At least we strive to be best we can be. I am conservative in nature, and I am a Conservative. I believe in the Constitution. I believe in right and wrong. I believe in brotherly love.

I am not a liberal, progressive, socialist, communist. "Give me liberty or give me death." I don't suppose they teach that in public schools any more.

I can't keep quiet about the things that are going on in our government that fly in the face of freedom. And I listen to Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck...not because I believe everything they say, but because they say everything I believe.

If you haven't been watching Glenn Beck on Fox News at 5:00 daily, you really should start tomorrow. He is very courageously bringing to our attention (his research department is phenomenal) the man who is driving the bus, so to speak. You need to know, so check in with all the others who are already watching Glenn's show, which is the ALL TIME most watched news show in that time slot. You really don't want to miss it. This is what everyone is talking about. If you are still a Democrat even though you've been pretty much heavy handed by the leftists in your party, you must check this out and see why so many people are mad as can be and not going to sit on their couches and continue to be beaten down. We are no longer the silent majority.

Remember, set your DVR's now. Watch Glenn Beck on theFox News channel at 5:00. If you watch once, you'll learn a lot and probably tune in again and again.

Autumn Colors

Autumn colors are fading and falling from the trees, They are piling up in our yards, hiding our driveways. Ron has been doing a lot of leaf gathering this last week. Yet, the trees still seem full of leaves. Mostly brown ones are left now, the oak leaves hang on the longest...some seem to stay forever before being beaten to the ground by wind and rain.

I like to think of the trees in all their splendor however, so I've brought out a couple of layouts from October 13 in Ohio and October 17 in North Carolina. I always hate to leave here in the fall, but when I do, I prefer to go somewhere in blazing color.

We live on a very small peninsula, water on three sides. The first layout features the boats at docks across the street. The leaves are glorious shades of fall. After snapping this photo, we left the next day for NC. The second layout shows very similar colors in NC. and our daughter Kim posing with her dad by a split rail fence on the mountain.

I think we've seen it all for this year. Now we are looking forward to white blankets of snow. It can't be long. We've been threatened with it and neighbors to the north of us in Hudson have awakened to a covering on shrubs, trees and grass already. It's a little too early for me, but God is in control and He knows best.

I haven't made a political comment here in the last few days. It is because I'm completely on overload. I'm sure that is what the enemy wants of us, but I'm just trying to let all the latest information I've gotten run around in my mind a while. Was hoping to take a rest after the election, but they've switched strategy on the other side and are pushing ahead full speed. I'll be investigating and reporting later.

Sleep tight. Tomorrow begins a fresh, new week.

The Triplets in 2007

I've found a picture of the triplets taken in 2007 that I had not scrapbooked. It was just too cute to leave in the file on my computer and not share. It will be in my next book, right along side a more recent picture for comparison sake. This was taken when they were only 1/2 the age they are now. There is a big difference in 4 and 8.

I am trying to beat the clock. Tonight we go back to Daylight Savings Time, so I was counting on having more time to get my blog published. But then I realized the time doesn't actually go back until sometime after midnight. I think I've made it.

Triplets

Agnes of God

This is our granddaughter, Leah. She will be starring in the play Agnes of God this coming week, Wednesday through Saturday, the 10th -13th at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL.

I would love to see it, but won't be able to make it. She is an excellent actress. And I know you won't believe that because you know I'm prejudiced, being a grandmother. But, it is true.

She is much too busy to send me pictures, but I grabbed one from facebook. So this layout will be a surprise to her. Leah, Break a leg. Love, Gramma.

Frankenstein

I'm not sure of the wisdom in this, but Ron had a good talk with Frankenstein at the grocery store. Old Frank just stood there silently with his head bowed and listened politely.

I'm not sure what scares me more, Ron lecturing Frankenstein or his talking to Dummies. In any case this was SCARY.

Victory Party

I'm in a victorious mood today. The election is over and the Tea Party did quite well.

Forgot to take pictures at the Victory party last night, so I donned my celebration 'Stars and Stripes' shirt again today for a Good Memory layout.

It's still an uphill road we travel trying to turn back all the socialist things that have been done to us against our wills this past couple of years. It will be difficult since we only have the upper hand in the House, while the Senate and President have a completely opposite set of goals composed of anti American, anti Constitutional restraints for us and our businesses.

But we are determined now. Our representatives will be representing us. How quaint is that?

Of course our president has already started his rhetoric about working with the Republicans. Right. By that he means to try bribes, threats, whatever it takes to get them to do what he says.

We are praying that our new office holders will remember why they are there and hold their ground. When you hear that the Republican party is the party of 'no', you might be right this time. There may not be much else we can do until we get the Senate as well. And of course we'd like a good president at the same time. But just stopping this train wreck will be a plus.

The last time we had a republican president, you will remember, he had a democratic congress who drove us into a financial mess. (Then turned around and blamed the president.) But then things didn't go completely crazy until this administration.

Keep positive. Celebrate.

When I Was a Child

When I was a child, I had a very positive attitude about school from the start. I enjoyed it all the way through, even in high school when my books were piled high and I burned the candle on both ends to keep up with all the homework. I liked it enough to study and become a teacher. Still positive.

Today, I'm not really happy with the way some schools turn out children who can't make their own way in the world. It isn't totally the fault of the students. It is ours. We protect them from competition and hard work. We fill their school days with drivel instead of facts and reasoning. We teach them to fall into line. We should understand how we place them on sinking ground by not teaching them how to handle facts and adversity.

This past two years has been a hard lesson for many who had no idea what they were getting into by voting their hopes. They have had to face reality. I pray that we have all learned a lesson.

Girls and Musicals

What is it about musicals that appeals to me? Well, duh, it could be the music! I had heard this one was extremely funny when I missed seeing it a couple of years ago with a Red Hat group I belonged to then.

Connie, my good friend and instructor at Curves got together a group to trek down to Akron to see Menopause, the Musical. Although Phyllis does not belong to Curves, she is a mutual friend of Connie and me and she agreed to accompany us that Sunday afternoon in September. Some of us have passed all that hormonal stuff, but the show was quite hilarious and kept us laughing. I'm not sure from where these actors came, but they were very good. As a matter of fact, I don't see how they could have been any better.

The reason it has taken me so long to make this layout is my pictures came out black and white and I waited for Phyllis to give me the pictures she had taken. Of course we girls are not really computer savy, and I had to wait until my husband and I were going to her house, so that he could download the pics from her camera to my laptop. We girls should really have been able to handle that, but oh well, we don't want to strain our brains.

Boy am I looking forward to tomorrow. I can hardly wait to start watching the vote returns!