Happy New Year 2015

No, I'm not catching up, but I am jumping forward to Christmas for tonight's post. We have lots of good pictures of our triplets this December and this is the fist layout I've done of them in a while.

I'm hoping they will have a great night in FL tonight.

Ron and I are sitting home, the second year in a row.  We'll celebrate later.

I'm already placed before my computer window through which I watched a fantastic fireworks show last year. I don't know for sure there will be any, but I did hear a few test fires a while ago. The beach where the fireworks were displayed can't be more than 400 yards from here.

Hope you have a very Happy New Year, blessed by the peace of our Lord.

Not Too Far Behind

Yes. I'm still back in October with my scrapbooking; BUT, Christmas has been put away at our house. I had to start the day after Christmas because our dog, Maggie has been trying to undecorate the tree since the day after Thanksgiving.  She damaged a few ornaments and destroyed several more. But actually, I doubt if anyone other than I would have noticed there was anything missing. I really load down my trees.  When I put the tree away early last years, I thought that surely she wouldn't bother it this year... Well, I'm thinking that again about next year.  Anyone out there have trouble with a dog like that?  Do they grow out of it?  She seemed distraught as I boxed up everything.

As much as I hate being behind when I have so many super good pictures from the kid's Christmas celebrations this year, I really enjoyed doing these two today with the pumpkin theme.

Besides all the work I've done today, I'm slowly reading Ben Carson's One Nation, trying to be objective. I'm really understanding where this man is coming from and liking him more and more.  Could it be that our God has sent him, raised by a poor single mother, to save this country from what we have let happen to it in the last decades?

I pray that if he is indeed God's answer to the prayers of the faithful,  he will be elected president and will have a faithful Congress and court system to support our comeback.

Brotherly Love

As usual, I'm behind a couple of months. Will I ever catch up? Well, not at this rate. It seems that when I think I will, there comes another obstacle. There are several playing with me now.  High blood pressure meds that are doing a number on me, a new version of Photoshop Elements, a new operating system on my Mac and do we need more?  NO But because of a gift Ron gave me for Christmas, I am now hooked on Pandora internet radio. Oh, and my music  is so soothing...good for the blood pressure, but it can really slow me down as well.  It has taken me hours to do this one layout of Caleb and Oliver.

I love the subject. I have never ever seen such love between brothers. Little Oliver idolizes Caleb and he knows how to show it.

Something New

If you live in the north east, colored leaves are nothing new to you, as a matter of fact, by late fall they can become quite a bother...but we love the color year after year. It is just the raking that we can tire of quickly.  Oliver is playing in these dry and colorful leaves for the first time and shows his delight.  Of  course most children relish playing in the leaves year after  year. It is the adult whose attitude has made them a little less than awesome.

Attitude can mean everything in many situations.  Lets nurture good attitudes, especially toward other people.  The Bible instructs us to love others as we love ourselves. We make mistakes, and we must realize that all people do. Don't judge your fellow man by  one mistake. Try to understand where he is coming from, where he has been, what he has experienced. Try to love him, as God has instructed us. Learn to forgive. It will mean a lot toward getting along with others and in avoiding heartache, both physically and spiritually.

The Pumpkin Farm

I may need to work on this tile again. It just doesn't show up well enough.

I wish I could have been there to see the mountain in the distance, the bright blue sky, the pumpkins scattered on the ground, and of course, my little grandsons.

I seems in all the pictures I get of long outdoor adventures, Oliver has fallen asleep on his mama's chest. He certainly is nice and comfy there. He's getting to be quite a load. It is a good thing Beth is strong.

Tonight, I  have  a lot on my mind, mostly depressing news we are hearing on the national scene...I'm just too tired to handle it right now. I just pray that people will stand back and see the racial discord that is being stirred into a frenzy and pull back from the fray. Hatred is being fomented by those in power. That is definitely not a good thing, but simply one more way to divide the people.  We have rich and poor, male and female, Christians and non Christians, young and old, black and white, now  policemen are  pitted against the rest of us. The liberals are working toward a divided state, which will fall. That is their objective. 

But, we  need to pull together in love and strive to understand one another, united and strong under one flag.

Topping the Tree

My early gift for Christmas, yes I picked it out myself, was Photoshop Elements 13.  It's a big jump from the last one I had...10. Anyway. I've taken some time off today to play with it while I should be cleaning.  I just had to get a start on Christmas layouts, even though I still have pictures from back in October that are crying out for some attention.

Here is my baby boy and his little Caleb doing their trick of putting the star up on top of the tree. Thinking about the fact that I have to climb up a step ladder to place mine. There is a little unfairness there. We were not all created equal...in the height department.

Many if not most trees are topped by a star.  Do you know why? If you are of my generation, you do. If you are of my children's generation, you probably do. But, if you are in your twenties, you may not. Those younger WILL NOT know useless we teach them. They will not learn in school and they probably will not learn from movies or TV shows. Their friends will not likely tell them. Christmas, because it has to do with the Christ child, is being wiped from our country.

We have three active enemies of Christmas: atheists, Muslims and worst of all, socialists who want the state to be the god of the people.

Put a star atop your tree and explain its role to your young visitors. It represents the star that pointed the way to the baby Lord Jesus...asleep in the hay. You'll need to talk about Jesus as well. The Bible tells us to teach our children throughout the day, along the way.

Deuteronomy 11:19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Sporting Braces

Mason, one of the triplets, has been sporting braces since September. He is still handsome, of course not quite as handsome as he will be when they are removed. OH, and those braces don't affect his singing one bit. 

I heard a sermon tonight that was so simple and to the point. Oh that all that I hear were so good. There was no mistaking it. His point was that Christmas was not a holiday. It was never intended to be a holiday, nor was it intended to be a religious tradition. It is the promise of forgiveness.  How true.  Think about it. God sent his son to set an example and then to die on this earth so that we may be forgiven of our sins and raise from the dead to eternal life.  Hallelujah!

Your Mountain

This may not look like a mountain to you, but it sure is an uphill grade for Caleb. It takes work. But he is up to it. He is a fighter. He climbs on that bike and pedals with all he has.

What is your mountain?  Everyone has one.  Have you not found yours yet? You will. When you do, remember to give it all you have...and ask God to go with you...for a sure and safe arrival.

International Digital Scrapbooking Day

No, it was not today.  I was not last week. It was last month, November 1. It always falls on a Saturday. This year, I was actually able to take part. I didn't participate with any groups, just sat at my computer most of the day and produced lots of layouts. It was a fun day and helped me get a lot done.

I wish I had one of those days each month. You would think it would be no problem scheduling such an event once in a while, since I'm retired; but anyone who is retired can tell you, it just doesn't work like that. It doesn't take many days after quitting your job that your days fill up with things you'd never even thought of before. You wonder how in the world you ever had time to work.Then  as the years pass, you start thinking and moving slower and that really complicates things.

On a positive note. I'm really enjoying these years. I  can blog about September, October and November in December and it really doesn't bother me much...a little, but not much.

Christmas is coming and I am more ready for it today than I was yesterday. That is good news.

Color My World

I am, as usual, months behind in my scrapbooking. It seems most of the layouts I have to post right now are of Caleb and Oliver, because two months ago they were here in Ohio.

 I love that fall color and was glad to use those colors on this layout of a picture taken in October...with Caleb coloring on his maternal grandmother's driveway.

Yes, my grandchildren, like my children before them, are and were the color for my world. They made life vivid and I truly love each one.

This Christmas season, I'm thinking of the blessings they have been and are for Ron and me.

Thank you, God, for all they are and all they've done and all they will do for each other and the world.

Timeless

I am partial to these pictures for at least six reasons. 1. The subject is our grandson, Caleb. 2. He reminds me of my mother, especially the first side view. 3.It has a natural easy going country feel.
4. It could have been taken any time in the last 100 or so years. 5. It reminds me of the simple life without expensive toys, games, etc. 6. That big puff ball looks like a big dandy lion. What kind of plant is that?

At this time, I'm still struggling with thoughts of what to buy for some for Christmas. It doesn't get easier with age.

I was to address Christmas cards today, but instead ended up with a pretty major fibro attack. Don't know what that is about.

Managed to go with friends to see Exodus tonight. Was able  to stay awake because of a nap this afternoon. The movie didn't bare much resemblance to the real Exodus of God's people back in Bible times...very, very little in fact. But I understand it made a lot of money. And that is what counts in the movie business.  We just keep getting suckered in. You would think we would learn.

My Publisher

Just a few minutes ago, I sent off another book to My Publisher. They are quite good at publishing them and getting a copy to me quickly. It may take a little longer this time, because of the Christmas season shopping.

Caleb has not yet seen these pictures and I'm anxious for him to see himself twice in the last picture of this Fall Days page. He has not seen me do anything tricky like that with his picture before. He has seem himself in a kaleidiscope, but that is not the same thing.

Dilatory

Dilatory...that is me. Time has flown by. This blog is one of the things I haven't been keeping up with for quite a while. It seems like it should be September...not the middle of December.  I'm just slow, sluggish, unhurried, tardy...not just with the blog , but with many things. The only thing I can say is, I am trying to learn a different lifestyle. I'm a type A personality. Everything has to be done well and on time and there isn't really anything I can't do.  Well, that caught up with me and my blood pressure has been giving me and my doctor fits. I can't take any of the medicines...at least my body sends up signs that it will not tolerate such things...so I'm now on the very lowest dose of one of the milder blood pressure drugs and am trying feverishly to eat  right, reduce my salt intake and lose weight. All of that actually adds to the other problem of lowering my stress level. None of it is going well.  But I am spending more time trying to do all that and it is breaking into my 'free' time.

Okay, I've decided that blogging doesn't have to be stressful. After all, when I don't blog, no one suffers.  lol  So, I'll not stress about it, perhaps I'll miss a day now and then, but I'll try to get back to it in a small way, even if all I do is add a layout each day. That would be quite simple since I make at least one a day, practically every day.

Tonight, I'll publish a couple of layouts of Caleb and Oliver at the Denver Zoo. I was fascinated with the Tuk Tuk there. It is poo powered. Yes, that is what they called it. Interesting, very interesting.

Angie's Fan

It's been way too long since I've posted anything here. Too busy with nonessential things like FaceBook.  But  I haven't given up scrapping my pics. Although I am behind as usual, I'm plenty busy with that. It won't be long until I'll publish another book.

This was Oliver's first visit to his great uncle Denny's restaurant and he is impressed.  At least he is happy to be there with the family.