Believe

This is our last day of November which leads into the wondrous countdown to Christmas.  December is a time for miracles.  It's a time for community outreach.  It's a time to be selfless.  It's a time to rejoice.  It's a time to gather with friends and family.  But most of all, it's a time to celebrate the gift of a baby that we were long ago given and to share the love that Christ brought to an undeserving world.  Don't get so carried away with the retail business of the holiday.  Gifts are a grand gesture but if we keep the true meaning alive in each of us, something truly wonderful will happen. 

Frosty Up North

As we watched the forecast yesterday in our shorts and flip flops, we were thankful that we were no longer living in the Midwest.  Our thoughts and prayers went out to everyone we know and love that had to deal with the deteriorating weather.  I do miss the cooler falls but not the sleet and ice.  Take care and be safe.

My Plan for Black Friday

I'll leave my pajamas on and enjoy the peace and quiet!  

Thank you very much.

Thanksgiving Wishes

I wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Give Your Best

Be gracious and thankful today and every day.

Do your best to be who God meant for you to be.

Our lives on earth are short lived.

Our inheritance is so much more than a few meager belongings.

Remember always, to whom you belong...

and act accordingly.

Dinner Invitation

A little turkey humor.  The countdown is on!

Harvest Trail Mix

Another idea for holiday snacks.  

Any combination of fall colored bites would work.

Be creative and enjoy the fruit of your labor!

Let's Be Pretty

This is pretty good advice!

(Have you ever looked at a word and it just doesn't look like 

it's spelled right, even though it is?  That just happened to me 

with the word pretty.  I must be losing my mind!) 

Bedtime Stories

Since my grand babies aren't here, I have to resort to telling bedtime stories to my pups!  Actually, I usually do read in bed before falling asleep.  If I read a paragraph or two out loud, my little guys curl right up and go to sleep.  Yes - they are spoiled. 

A Test Run

Since it's only a week away, I'm sharing a little Thanksgiving humor!

We have found spiked apple cider to be our "happy" drink of the day...

Maybe we need a test run?  Cheers!

 

Broken Pieces

Amen!

Amish Broccoli Salad

This sounds like it might be a wonderful addition to our Thanksgiving feast!

I may have to bring this one, Mom?!!

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

In love we find out who we want to be.

In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn't believe that the Nazis will invade France … but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne's home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.
Vianne's sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can … completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women's war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

I promised that I would share the book I just finished with you as I could not put it down.  The Nightingale was by far one of the best books I have ever read.  I won't share with you the story itself, no spoilers here, other than to say that though it was a fiction read, the circumstances these sisters faced were real.  We are so pampered in today's society that hardship such as this - what people are forced to do for survival seems like a history lesson to a lot of us.  It made me appreciate the hidden strengths of women throughout the ages.  It made me take a hard look at my life and to be thankful for everything I have, including the freedom others fought for on our behalf.  Please pick up a copy of the book today and let me know your thoughts upon it's conclusion.  I would truly like to know if the story impacted you in the same ways that it did me.   

Here and There

The book I've been reading has certainly taken me "there" a lot in the past two weeks.  Every chance I've gotten, I've had my nose buried in it.  I'll tell you more about this awesome read on Monday.  For now, I've got to hurry up and get my chores done so I can dive in again!  Have a great weekend.

Lost Cell Phone Alert!

Here is a little Happy Friday chuckle for you!  

...I hate to admit that I am guilty of this one...!!

Bookworm Emotions

I can relate to all of these!!

A Thank You to Our Veterans

Though words are not enough to show our appreciation to you,

We are truly grateful to each and every one of you.

Thank you for your service to our country. 

Those Boys of Mine

I am posting this in honor of my son and grandson.

Happy Birthday to you both!

Love Mom aka Grandma

A Little Blessing

The holidays are dancing in front of us.
Enjoy every moment with those around you.

The Smells of Fall

Bring a pan full of orange rinds to a boil and then simmer on the stove top to give your home the smell of fall.  It's easy and cheaper than other store bought methods of air freshener or fragrance.

It's Beach Friday

Hello, Friday! It's good to see you.  Throw your flip flops in the pile and let's walk barefoot along the beach.  Let the cool water glide over your toes and breathe deep the salty sea air.  It's a calm and quiet morning.  Sunshine glitters across the water and the tide is low. Take another deep breath and let the peace of a calm ocean, warm sandy beach, and easy breeze wash over you. Now, smile and take on the day. 


 

When You Need It

We can relate...right, Mom?!!

Be True to You

Always be true to yourself.  Things may not always go your way but if you respect and represent yourself to the best of your ability, you will be blessed with the peace born of faith.

Personality Test

Look at the trees and choose the one that is immediately most appealing to you. Don’t think about it too long, just choose, see what first appeals to you and find out what your choice says about your personality.   Side note:  I picked #8.

The results . . . 

1. You are a generous and moral (not to confuse with moralizing) person. You always work on self-improvement. You are very ambitious and have very high standards. People might think that communicating with you is difficult, but for you, it isn't easy to be who you are. You work very hard but you are not in the least selfish. You work because you want to improve the world. You have a great capacity to love people until they hurt you. But even after they do. . . you keep loving. Very few people can appreciate everything you do as well as you deserve.

2. You are a fun, honest person. You are very responsible and like taking care of others. You believe in putting in an honest day's work and accept many work-related responsibilities. You have a very good personality and people come to trust you easily. You are bright, witty and fast-thinking. You always have an interesting story to tell.

3.You are a smart and thoughtful person. You are a great thinker. Your thoughts and ideas are the most important. You like to think about your theories and views alone. You are an introvert. You get along with those who likes to think and learn. You spend a lot of time, thinking about morality. You are trying to do what is right, even if the majority of society does not agree with you.

4. You are perceptive and philosophical person. You are a unique, one soul of your kind. Next to you there's no one even slightly similar to you. You are intuitive and a bit quirky. You are often misunderstood, and it hurts you. You need personal space. Your creativity needs to be developed, it requires respect of others. You are a person who clearly sees the light and dark sides of life. You are very emotional.

5. You are self-assured and in charge. You are very independent. Your guiding principle in life is 'I'll do it my way.'. You are very self-reliant and know how to stay strong for yourself and the people you Love. You know exactly what you want and are not afraid of pursuing your dreams. The only thing you demand from people is honesty. You are strong enough to accept the truth.

6. You are kind and sensitive. People relate to you very well. You have many friends and you love helping them. You have this warm and bright aura that makes people feel good when they are around you. Every day, you think about what you can do to improve yourself. You want to be interesting, insightful and unique. More than anybody else in the world, you need to love. You are even ready to love those who don't love you back.

7. You are happy and unflappable. You are a very sensitive and understanding person. You are a great listener who know how to be non-judgmental. You believe that everybody has their own journey in life. You are open to new people and events. You are highly resistant to stress and rarely worry. Normally, you are very relaxed. You always manage to have a good time and never lose your way.

8. You are charming and energetic. You are a fun person who knows how to make people laugh. You live in a state of harmony with the universe. You are spontaneous and enthusiastic. You never say no to an adventure. Often, you end up surprising and even shocking people. But that's just how you are. . . You always remain true to yourself. You have many interests and if something proves of interest to you, you will not rest until you acquire a profound knowledge of this area.

9. You are optimistic and lucky. You believe that life is a gift and you try to achieve as much as possible and put this gift to the best use possible. You are very proud of your achievements. You are ready to stick by the people you care about through thick and thin. You have a very healthy approach to life. The glass is (at least) half full for you.

The Crown is Home

After 30 years, the Crown has finally come home.  Congratulations to the Kansas City Royals organization.  What a fun time it's been.  It was really fun to visit Kansas City over the past weekend and be part of the excitement.  Even the Chiefs won while playing in London.  It was a perfect end to an awesome weekend!