Dreams of Santa

It has been a very cold, single digit cold, day. Even though we had life group  tonight,  I spent much of my day doing a jigsaw puzzle, one of my favorite winter day activities. I haven't been working at my computer like I should have. Perhaps it will be better tomorrow. Not weather wise however.  Our temps are supposed to be colder, much colder, very much colder. Schools have been canceled and we are expecting real feel cold of maybe as cold as minus 22....remember that is real feel and not actual temperature, but YIKES! That is cold.

The layout was made to show Julia's nap the day  she sat on Santa's lap. Pleasant dreams, sweet face.

So Much Fun with Santa

I'm  running late tonight, but I hadn't posted for a couple of days, so I am now. I just now sent another book to Shutterfly for publishing. I've waited for quite a while, so I am very anxious to get it delivered to my door.  It ended with my photo layouts of Thanksgiving, so the one I"m working on now started right after thanksgiving with a Christmasy layout. I'm still working on Christmas. This one today  is one I did today or the youngest grandchildren with Santa...so, as you can see I'm behind as always. 

First Time on the Ice

It is Ava's first time on the ice.  It is good to see her with her mom and dad at the skating rink. What a big girl she is in her skates.

I like the tool they have  to help her learn to skate. We should have had those years ago.

Go, Ava, Go! You'll be skating by yourself before we know it.

On Santa's Lap

This was on a Saturday,December the sixteenth, so Caleb was able to join with his two younger siblings and visit Santa. He was a little big for Santa's lap, but he snuggled into the chair with him.  It was a pleasant trip. Santa loves good children above all.

It is nice to write letters to Santa, but a one on one is even better  than a letter.

Pure as the Driven Snow

I don't remember when the last time was that I've seen it snow so much in one day.  It is beautiful.

Here we got 10 1/2 inches of  snow  and then 1/2 inch the next day. Friends a little north of us got 14 inches. Today was beautiful sunny and the snow was beautiful.

Pure as the driven snow... Morally unsullied, chaste, as in She's just sixteen and pure as the driven snow . This simile dates from the late 1500s, although driven , which means “carried by the wind into drifts,” was occasionally omitted. It is heard less often today.  But when  I see all the clean, white snow covering the land, it makes me think fondly of that saying.

Good Relationship

Oliver and Julia had plenty of time to form a relationship with Santa this year. First they went to see him with their big brother Caleb on a Sunday. They went back the next Wednesday while Caleb was in school. They, especially Julia, entertained him for quite some time. They even made a movie with him. He was truly a jolly old soul.  I wish I could have overheard the whole conversation. I love the expressions.

I posted a layout of them with Santa on January 3.  These were the lead up photos to the moment it was  taken.

This Is a Job and We Will Do It Right

I  wish  I could have been there. I'm not sure  I could even guess why they are so very thoughtful and careful about decorating the Christmas tree. It is amazing  to  me  to see those sweet serious faced little  ones  placing ornaments as if they were adult professional decorators.

Taste Treat

While many of us look for scrumptious sounding recipes and search out the best restaurants there is something out of the ordinary about my choices sometimes. Of course this is also one of the reasons  I've lost the battle of weight watching and just watch the ounces add up to overweight numbers.  

 This is what I'm talking about. There is a drive through not far from us called Rallys. It is a chain and their food is CHEAP...but  I like it.  I really do. The hamburgers are good, their french fries are great and oh, that cinnamon apple pie! They also have root beer. Not only do  I like it, but it is REALLY GOOD and did  I say CHEAP?  Oh yes, I've mentioned that already. Listen...It is Cheap. This full filling meal costs  $3.06. Yes, that is three dollars and six cents! How can they do it?  I have no clue. 

No,  I don't own it, I don't have stock in it. I don't know anyone associated with it. I don't know the people working there. They are not paying me.

It's Beginning to Look Like...

It really is beginning to look like Christmas, more and more as each ornament goes on the tree with care, hoping that Santa  Claus will  soon be there.

All three, Caleb, Oliver and Julia thoughtfully place each ornament until the tree looks just the way they want it.

Serious Business

This seems to be serious business  for this two year old. She carefully studied each piece.  I wish Knew exactly what she was thinking throughout this process of decorating the tree. 

One can tell how much Oliver appreciates each piece. Don't we wish that kids were always as thoughtful and careful as these two were with these decorations?

It's a New Year

I've barely started doing Christmas layouts, yet I jumped ahead and did one for the New Year. 

I'm ready for a new beginning along with a new wall. Another load of people are heading this way from Honduras. The invasion is real and we've had enough. I am praying that God will work this out for the benefit of those in this country who fear  and follow him.

Oliver Has Been Painted

The kids have enjoyed painting lately. I have liked painting myself, in oils as well as with colored pencils. But in the last few years, my paints have gotten old and I've given most my color pencils to our teenage granddaughter.  I've chosen to paint digitally. And this 'painting' is the result of that. Oliver was speaking to us on FaceTime when I snapped this picture, which I then 'painted'. One of these days, perhaps  I'll teach them how to paint this way. There's a lot less mess.

Florida Christmas One Fine Day

A Florida Christmas was not as much different from Ohio this year as it usually is.  But I must admit it was still VERY different. Here is our oldest son, Tim and his friend Carolyn just relaxing in chairs in the shade.  but we can see that bright sun peeking through.  It is obviously a very nice day, as it says at the top...One Fine Day.

Christmas Eve

Our middle daughterApril  and her husband Tim have lots of places to go at Christmas time with their kids in two different places and us here. But they are faithful to make it here during the Christmas season and we were so grateful to have them share their time with us on Christmas Eve. 

They were especially busy this year since they are moving and trying to find  a house that suits them both. So, I'm praying that they find just the right place soon. 

I'm also praying for all  to come  together long enough to secure our border and help us keep out gangsters with drugs as well as all others who do not want to obey our laws. We didn't know of anyone who didn't want to secure the border 6 years ago, but now some have made and about face and are going in just the opposite direction, refusing to build the wall they all wanted before.

Look Ma, No Hands

This five year old, Oliver, has  no fear...at least with his favorite horse. So glad they got a picture of him here.

Back to Christmas pictures tomorrow, hopefully. But  I couldn't resist posting this from earlier in December.

Programable Robot For Kids

I think he likes it. Since we live so far from our grandchildren, It is really difficult to know what they  don't have that they would like to have.

This year  in late  November or early December  I was in Sam's Club and this robot caught my attention. I thought it looked really cool and it was age appropriate for Caleb. It was also significant  that if  I  bought it online from Sam's, it would be delivered free. That is a plus since postage, etc is very expensive now, especially for heavier items.

It is special when we think a gift we have given hits the spot.  I do believe this one did. Look at that big smile. It didn't take him long to build it and get it programmed as well.

Nothing Says Christmas Better

Nothing says Christmas to me better than pictures of children with Santa. These cuties are April and Tim's grandchildren.  As a matter of fact,  April is there with them right now.  

Please pray with me that these children are able to grow up in a free country, where God is king, rather than a socialistic society where no one is free and only those at the top have all they need.

If only we had made sure these last few generations had learned unadulterated history. They would not be anxious to take on a form of government that has destroyed country after country.  Socialism has wrecked every country where it has been tried.  And yet, many seemingly educated people are ignorant  of the results of socialism and they would make the same mistakes again. It is really our fault. We let the communist party work here, through first our colleges and then throughout our school systems, to fulfill Krushchev's  promise to bury us.

Merry Christmas '18

This is the picture of us for Christmas this year. I tried  to put two together with our meager  tree, but I haven't had any luck yet. Because of the angle at which the pictures were taken, Ron looks like a giant and I look like a doll (ha ha, not meaning cute) of course, but miniature. Not that we need any more pictures. One is plenty.

We didn't wrap any gifts and therefore we did not open any packages. So poor Maggie didn't get anything. She seemed very happy though to get to spend some time with her big sister April and her husband, Tim. I'll scrapbook some of those pictures later. 

My major gift was the best set of sheets we've even had. They are even better than the ones we got when we were first married. These are not only 100% cotton ( I hadn't seen any for years) they also have features that  I'd not seen, for example the sides top and bottom were all labeled. The elastic is very thick. They are great quality and  I have to thank my friend Phyllis for recommending them.

We have been sleeping quite comfortably on those wonderful. Now  I need to buy some new larger, more plush pillows which will fit those pillow cases better. I have not hit any after Christmas sales yet, but  plan to do that before too long.

On Santa's List

Ava went to see  Santa and make sure she was put on his good list. It is so great to see her sitting there on his lap.

Well now Christmas has come and gone. Santa left presents under Ava's tree. Now  all she has to
do is be sure she stays on his good side  to insure she will get some more presents next Christmas.

Heather Land Funny

I don't know how long Heather Land has been around.  I had never heard of it.  But in mid October when we had  ORU together for a reunion of sorts, one of the girls introduced us to it. Oh what  fun. We laughed and laughed. The phrase, "I ain't doin' it" is an important part of the whole comedy skit.
If you are not familiar with it, check it  out here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcSo4V4DY7c

Santa Charmer

Our Colorado grandchildren were able to spend quite a bit of time with Santa this year. They saw him first for a good while on the 16th, then on the 19th, they met with him again. This time, was on a school day, so only Julia and Oliver were there.

It seems like Julia charmed him both times. She even  tickled her big brother, Oliver.

Well, it is  nice to have finally started with Christmas pictures. We have a lot of them this year and it should be a good long month of scrapbooking  these memories.

Well, I'll say it again. I really hope  to put some Christmas layouts on here soon.  I'm through now  with the pictures taken before Christmas, so if nothing out of the ordinary happens, you may see Christmas on here tomorrow night.

I'm hoping that you all have started working on your new year's resolutions. I have not. We were invited to a friend's home tonight for dinner, so of course, I had to eat. Could I have a better excuse to hold off on my diet? While the pounds pile up, I pray I can overcome all the temptations.  I pray that if  I am too close to food, I can overcome the temptation and push it away.

Family Time

I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year, one heaped in blessings from above.

Well, as you will see, I'm still scrapbooking  pictures from August. Actually, I am already now to begin with the Christmas season, now that it is over and so is the year.

Before  I go any further, I want to tell you something DISGUSTiNG!!  

I got up this morning, opened the dishwasher...and their were dirty dishes in there from 

LAST YEAR! 

I have since recovered though, and I am ready to post   some really cute pictures of our son John and his family.