Merry Christmas 2008!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

all i want for christmas..

I couldn't help but post this. Maybe you will find it funny too, or maybe not. I guess you have to know my family to appreciate the humor. Here we go:

We were all sitting around the dinner table, and Madie was telling us that she knew what everyone wanted for Christmas. She would spend some time thinking about each person before revealing what she knew they were hoping for: Mommy wants a candle (okay..), daddy wants an orange, grandma wants a cookie, Adrie wants a doll (this is probably true). When she landed on Papa, she didn't skip a beat, she new exactly what he wanted right away:

PAPA WANTS A FISH!

It was a good thing we were finished eating our dinner, because we all laughed so hard. Papa is a fisherman through and through. He comes from a long line of fishermen. It's in his blood. So yes, Papa probably wouldn't mind a fish for Christmas. That big one that got away..

a pinch for an inch..

Yesterday was "WellCare Check" day. All of you who have kids know what this means. The awful, dreadful "pinches" day. Also known as shots. The last couple visits, I've been combining their appointments. That way, we get it over all at once.

Our usual routine is that we will let Madie know anywhere from a day to a few days ahead of time that this day is coming, and it's just going to be a "pinch," so it shouldn't be a big deal since she's such a brave girl. She doesn't do well with the element of surprise, so we've found it easier to prepare her this way and we can avoid drama in the waiting room. Usually. Yesterday was the exception. Oh, how the tears flowed, and "Mommy, I don't want pinches!" Meanwhile, Adrie had no clue why Madie was crying and had not yet connected "pinches" with "shots."

By the time we got into the exam room, Madie had settled down some and had resigned herself to her fate. The visit went well, and it was determined that Madie would only need one shot.. not two. You would have thought that the heavens had opened and you could hear the angels singing the Hallelujah Chorus! One shot! All of a sudden, it was no big deal.

Adrie still had no clue.

The nurse came in to administer the "pinches," and Madie was trying hard to be brave. She still wasn't sure she believed us that it would be just one, and the nerves had returned. She was starting to protest quietly, and as I was trying to console her and remind her how brave she is, the nurse pipes in, "All done!" and quickly rewards her with a piece of bubblegum. The look of disbelief, followed by a huge grin on Madie's face, was a huge relief! Especially since Adrie was quietly waiting on Gramma's lap, and her turn had arrived. Thankfully, her experience was much the same as Madie's, and there were very few tears. What brave girls!

Let's return to that bubblegum. I think Madie has had gum maybe one other time in her five years. She was so excited, and couldn't wait to finish her lunch so she could partake in the gum-chewing. She chewed that gum.. and chewed it, and chewed it to her heart's delight.. Then it was time to rest. I told her we could put it somewhere so she could have it when she woke up. "No thanks, Mommy.. This gum has lost it's taste and I don't want it anymore. I don't think I like gum very much, and I don't want any the next time we go to the doctor."

"Okay..."

"But Mommy?"

"Yes, Madie?"

"I'm still going to be brave."

I think I was the one wiping a tear as I left her room. My little girl is growing up.

thansgiving day, or thanksgiving everyday?

A few verses to help us remember to give thanks.. and remember that Thanksgiving should be in our hearts everyday. The first two are prayers/songs that we sang every Thanksgiving, and at every family gathering, when my grandparents (maternal) were alive. How I miss them!

DOXOLOGY
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

THANK YOU, LORD
Thank You Lord for saving my soul,
Thank You Lord for making me whole.
Thank You Lord for giving to me,
Thy great salvation, so rich and so free.

---

Let us remember that, as much has been given us,
much will be expected from us,
and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips,
and shows itself in deeds.
~Theodore Roosevelt

---

Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.
~George Herbert

---

Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal.
It's a way to live.
~Jackie Windspear

---

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.
~Melody Beattie

---

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?"
~William A. Ward

---

And one funny:

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
~Author Unknown

Happy Thanksgiving!

beans, beans the musical fruit :)

The girls and I are just sitting here in the livingroom in front of the fireplace. They played outside for a little while, and now it's getting cloudy and cooler. A good time to come inside, and they are playing so quietly and nicely with each other. We have the Christmas tree up (with just the lights so far) in the corner of the room, and the ambiance is cozy. I'm sitting here thinking about Thanksgiving and our menu, and I'm getting hungry.

Obviously, there will be turkey and my mom's stuffing (the best!).. I think I'll ask my aunt to bring her cranberry salad. Sweet potatoes.. mashed potatoes.. mmm.. and green bean casserole! It's so good, I thought I would share the recipe. It was passed onto me by 'shini many moons ago, and it has become a tradition in our house ever since. A great recipe if you're not counting calories!

Before I share the recipe: if you have recipes to share, please pass them on! I love new ideas, and love the stories behind them (if there is one).

On with the beans:

The Best Green Bean Casserole Ever

2 - cans green beans
1 - can sliced water chestnuts
1 - can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 - cup milk
1 - 8 oz. bag shredded cheese (I use the Mexican style)
worcestershire sauce to taste (I use about 1/2 Tbsp)
pepper to taste

1 1/3 - cup french fried onions, divided

• Preheat oven to 350°F

Mix everything together except 2/3 cup french fried onions. Pour into 11 x 7 baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 2/3 cup french fried onions on top and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. This will be boiling hot when it's taken out of the oven, so let it rest for 5 minutes or so before serving.

• I usually double this recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
  
  
• You can cut down on the saltiness by using unsalted beans and low sodium mushroom soup. No worries, it will still be plenty salty (not bland at all!) from the french fried onions, worcestershire sauce and cheese.

Enjoy!

shameless plug.. for myself.

So I'm joining the ranks of many who are looking for a job. The thing is, I can't afford daycare (nor do I wish for this option), so it needs to be in the wee hours of the morning, very late in the evening, or from home (preferably). I'm in the process of searching online, but I really wish my fairy godmother would come and wave her wand and take care of it all for me.

I was reading some articles to "help you get started with your own online business," and they said I needed to figure out what I like and what my talents are. Well.. let's see. I pretty well-versed in using a computer, I'm good with Word, Excel, and Publisher. I can cook. I love to cook. So should I write about cooking? Doesn't everybody do that already?

Do you know any cooks who are looking to having their recipes typed up? I can do that.

autumn 2008 photo ops

Make a Smilebox photobook

God Bless America

It's voting day here - have you done your civic duty to this great country? I don't think I have really invested as much thought and concern for an election as this year. Yes, I certainly cared about the last elections that I voted in, but this one has been different for me.

The economy has been the focal point of this election. But what about:

• the war in Iraq?
  
• immigration laws?
  
• education?
  
• teaching "Creationism" in schools?
  
• prayer in schools?
  
• vouchers for education so you can send your child to the school of YOUR choice.. including private and charter schools?
  
• abortion? parents rights over minors seeking abortion?
  

What about all the other issues that usually come into play? Did we forget about all of those? Did you choose the best candidate to handle all these other subjects? Did you research where they stand on these things? (In case you want to do some last minute research - click here)

We have certainly spent a lot of time analyzing character, judgement, and associations - all valid and important points to consider. I think I would place those three above all the other points. But I still care about their opinions on those subjects that didn't seem to get much attention.

It boils down to this. Are you completely confident in the choice you made? Is the man you voted for truly qualified to lead this country. Are you confident in the choice they made for Vice President? Another key point to consider. A lot of time was spent crucifying Palin's qualifications to be Vice President. Should something happen to McCain, is she able to lead our country? What about Joe Biden? Should something happen to Obama, are you confident in Joe Biden as President of this country?

Thank God this is a country where we have a say in who leads us. My prayer is that we all search our conscience and despite pressures from friends, relatives, colleagues, etc., I pray that we all vote, and vote for the one we truly believe is the best to lead our country.

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,

Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,

As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "

God Bless America, Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her

Thru the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans, white with foam

God bless America, My home sweet home.

mashed potatoes and milkshakes

I sat in the oral surgeon's office this last Tuesday... I sat there wondering what on earth I was doing. If I got up and left, would Dave follow me? Would anyone else notice? Of course, I had just given them my credit card and paid for the extraction of my three (yes, thank goodness it wasn't four) wisdom teeth, so I better have something to show for it I guess. My stomach was in knots - has anyone ever died from having their wisdom teeth removed? I should have done more research on this.

The nurse called my name. I couldn't even look at Dave for fear of bursting into tears right there in the office. I know.. dramatic, aren't I? To be very blunt, I feared for my life.

This nurse was good though. She knew my type. She didn't ask too many questions, didn't ask how I felt about the surgery. She just showed me where I could hang my sweater, asked me if I was warm enough, had me sit in the chair, and put the gas on me right away. Yeah. She's good. She didn't bother taking my blood pressure until I had breathed in several breaths of that nitrous oxide happy gas. The same fears of the surgery and the IV (The IV!!!) and all the pain following the extraction were still there.. I just didn't care.

The surgeon came in.. such a nice man. He went into the hall and came back with a fleecy blanket. I like fleece.. so comfy.. so cozy, and warm. Especially when you are full of happy gas. Then he helped strap my arms down. Nice soft straps. Now I can relax my arms. What a nice doctor. Then he sat down to administer the IV. The IV!!! Wasn't I supposed to be scared of that? So you missed the first time, nice doctor. That's okay. Take another stab at it. I don't care.. I have happy gas!

"Now we're going to slowly start the medicine that will make you go to sleep," said the kind nurse. Quickly followed by, "We're all done, Deanna.. You can wake up now." Then the kind nurse was helping me sit up. She helped me put my sweater on, and then slowly led me down the hall to where Dave was waiting. Oh the pain. Oh the misery. Why couldn't I just stay in the chair for a little longer.. the same chair I dreaded sitting in at the beginning.

Flash forward. After five days of healing so far, I'm still eating mashed potatoes and have to melt down my ice cream to milkshake consistency. The first couple days were pure H-E-double hockey sticks. I still wonder why one would call them "wisdom" teeth, when all they seem to do is cause trouble. I say we call them "misery molars."

Sidenote: Last night was Halloween (duh) and Madie and Adrie went Trick-or-Treating with Dave. This morning, Madie was looking for her candy and said that Mommy must have eaten it all. I just had to laugh..

i love autumn!

I love the smell in the air, I love the changing colors of the leaves, and I cannot wait until the pumpkin patch opens! Picking apples off the trees, apple pie, hot apple cider, warm sweaters, hay rides, carving pumpkins.. hands down, my favorite time of the year. Shall I go on? And our girls are so blessed.. they think this is all for their birthdays! :)

completely biased

My kids are so freaking cute, I can hardly stand it!

Madie: "sissie?"

Adrie: "wut." (note: not with a question mark and in the most exasperated
and congested voice a child under the age of two can muster up - with an
emphasis on the "t").

Madie: "sissie?"

again..

Adrie: "wut."

And it goes on from there. They are sharing a bed now - Adrie has officially graduated from the crib - so every night is a combination of sisterly squabbling and uncontrollable giggling or laughing. After a while, we give them a warning that "lights out" is in five minutes. Seldom do we have to remind them again, thanks to Madie being very prompt in this area. Lights go out, squabbling and/or giggling continues. Between Dave and I, whoever is closest, a warning is given in one word.. "Girls!" Adrie's choked up and congested voice (she has "the crud") and her new favorite word resound from the bedroom.

Adrie: "wut."

*Sigh*

Adrie: "nigh-nigh mama dada."

honk if you love jesus!

No.. that's not the bumper sticker I saw today.. I was behind a truck that had several stickers on it. One said "Love our Mother" with a picture of a planet next to it.. One said something along the lines of paying our teachers more and making the airforce hold a bake sale. Then there was another that made me chuckle..

"Heck is for people who don't believe in Gosh."

While it was humorous for a minute.. it had resounding truth if you replace "Heck" and "Gosh" with the words they are substituting.

John 3:16-18
16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

welcome to our world

I promise to blog about something happy or funny.. one of these days. For now.. it's been a hard week. Events that were a little too close for comfort made national news this last week - a crazed man with a gun shot 8-10 people a week ago. Six of them are dead. One of them a police officer who was laid to rest today. My pastor is a chaplain for our county's sheriff's department, and he was requested to be by the family's side and tend to them during the funeral.

There were also a few other unsettling events in our county - a standoff close to our home and extremely close to Madie's school, and other bizarre happenings.. It's just been a little hard to sleep at night. What is happening to our town.. our county.. our state.. our nation.. our world?

There have also been other prayer requests this week that just make the load seem heavier. But is this all stuff that I'm supposed to carry? No.. I'm laying it down..

1 Peter 5:6-11
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

somehow.. somewhere..

We'll find a new way of living.. Okay, enough of Babs..

I'm working on actually using our domain name for something, while also trying to figure out how to not be redundant between our blog and the "family site." I'm open to ideas, so if you have 'em please send them my way!

• Kangas Family Life & Times

shanks man.

The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games

The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games

I LOVE THE OLYMPICS! :)

it really must grow on trees..

Madie and I went shopping a couple days ago at Target. We really had a nice time, just the eldest daughter and her mommy hangin' out. A few laughs, lots of chit-chat, even more questions about why do we do this, and why do we do that.. why is the sky blue, etc. On the way out of the mall, she wanted to put money in the big funnel and watch it go "down the drain." I was in a particularly scroogy mood, and mumbled something about "not today, maybe next time."

Anyway, we get out to our car and she is still a bit miffed that we didn't get to watch the money go down the funnel, and her little exasperated voice let out her final protest: "But mommy! We didn't throw any money away when we were at Target!"

If only she knew.. I just simply replied the obvious, "We threw away plenty, Bubbas."

affirmation

I'm learning to be thankful that I don't have all the answers. I'm learning to be thankful that the Lord up in heaven knows better than I do. I'm learning to be thankful that one day it will all be made clear. But for now.. He is good.

for anna..

Thank you for the reminder that I haven't posted in a while :) So yes.. life has been happening, and I have thought about posting many times.. just not sure what to post about.

Here's the update:

• Dave heads back to work on Monday with a company called Creative Construction as .. I'm not sure what his position is called. I'm not sure he does either. He will basically be fielding calls, paperwork, and drumming up new business.
  


• The girls are growing too fast.. I am so thankful for the family time that we've had over the last 5 months.
  


• Our house is on the market, but no bites yet. Things are really slow in real estate right now, but it only takes one right person! :)

I wish I had something more witty or insightful to post.. I'll work on it!

early winter?

Is our winter so early this year that it never left from last year? I woke up rather early this morning and glanced out the window from the warmth of our bed. I thought.. hmm.. I don't have my glasses on so I can't see worth beans, but that really looks white. So I put my glasses on, crawled out of my cozy haven of rest, and sure enough - we have at least 3-4 inches of snow and it's still snowing! I can't wait for Madie to wake up.. hopefully it will warm up slowly today so she can enjoy it. Our neighbor wants to have a chat with her - I'm sure he'll be over later. He told her that she needs to stop praying for snow and just let it stay on Mt. Baker, where it belongs. Ha!

Mark 10:14b "[Jesus] said to them,

"Let the little children come to me,

and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of God belongs

to such as these."

caribou, caribou, i love you..

my little tribute to my favorite coffee.. currently :)

now, if they would only open a location near me, i'd be in heaven!

skeleton in the closet.. or self discovery?

I was just wasting time. Like time should ever be wasted, i know.. my mind is now working overtime, admonishing me for that statement. But it's true. I was not spending my time wisely, yet I still managed to learn something new... about myself. But is it really "new" if it's been there all the time? It's probably more accurate to say that I recognized something in myself that I've never really paid attention to before.

In most cases, I don't like help. There. I said it. Please don't help me. How whacked is that?

All I was doing was taking an innocent little quiz called "What I Look For in a Friend." Then when I was finished, it compared me with my other friends who took the same quiz. I was feeling pretty good about my choices all the way down to "helper." In my lineup of qualities that I think are pretty important, "helper" was the low one on the totem pole of characteristics. It got me to wondering why I was putting "helper" at the end.. who wouldn't want a friend who was a good "helper." Me, obviously.

Upon examining this further, I came to realize that it's not necessarily that I don't want a good helper for a friend, but that I value other things much more than being helped. I value honesty.. I value someone who is compassionate, a good listener. I value common interests.. I value someone who I can count on for a good hearty belly laugh.. or someone who will listen as I whine and complain about how life stinks, and then promptly point out all the good things and tell me to pull it together! I value loyalty. I value a friend who loves at all times. When you add all this up.. doesn't "helper" fit in to all these things?

"Helper" to me is all-encompassing.. I believe we help each other along in this life by being honest, by listening, by spurring each other on to be a better friend, a stronger friend, more loving and compassionate.

So now, instead of asking you to let me go it alone, or as Madie would often say, "I do it myself".. I say, "Please help me." Help me be a better wife.. a better mom.. a better sister.. and a better friend.

it's beginning to look a lot like.. spring?

Spring has sprung, the grass is ris.. and we're building snowmen! What's up with that?! On Saturday, Madie was outside with Daddy sledding and building her "snow dog," and I was in the kitchen making hot chocolate for when they came in.. Poor Adrie was crying at the sliding glass door, heartbroken that she couldn't be outside too. Sounds very nostalgic of Christmas/Winter time.. but the last weekend in March?!

No complaints here.. I love snow! But I'm a little worried that my flowers may get a bit of frostbite.

happy easter!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

we're breaking up..

My trooper and I, that is. It has become too demanding (15 mpg), always taking (chewing up the gas and oil), and all I do is give and give and give (more gas, more oil), and it's never enough. I just can't see paying $80 a week to keep our relationship afloat. So goodbye my friend.. as much as I love you, we must go our separate ways. Parting is such sweet sorrow..

Deanna ♥'s Troopy

June 2005 - March 2008

just a mom.

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

"What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job or are you just a ...?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped the woman. "I'm a Mom."

"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, “'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The clerk was obviously a career woman: poised, efficient, and possessed a high-sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."

"What is your occupation?" she probed.

What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in mid-air, and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn't), in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out).

I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).

But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom."

Motherhood!

What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door. I wonder.. does this make grandmothers "Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations,” and great-grandmothers "Executive Senior Research Associates?” I think so! I also think it makes Aunts "Associate Research Assistants.”

May your troubles be less,
Your blessing be more,
And nothing but happiness come through your door!

facing the trials

It's official. Dave was laid off, effective last Friday - it was just formalized this morning. These are difficult times which require difficult decisions. We hope and pray that it is only temporary. Right now we (everyone at the office) are just looking at it as a two week vacation without pay. Should it go longer than that, well.. we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

As I'm sitting here contemplating it all though, the following commentary and then a verse came to mind:

ATTITUDE by Charles Swindoll
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude
on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than acts. It is more important than
the past, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more
important than appearances, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a
company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day
regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our
past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot
change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we
have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to
me and 90% how I react to it. And, so it is with you…we are in charge of our
attitudes."

James 1:2-4
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

they bring me joy!

life is good.

The last month has been a rather rough one. My best friend's mother - who was a surrogate grandma to our girls - passed away somewhat suddenly, work has become rather unstable in this day of a struggling housing market, and Dave and I are both on the very short list for layoffs.

But life is good. You know, in these times when it feels like everything is falling apart, I am reminded that this is when God can really show us His power and glory and compassion. The Bible study I have been involved in for the last year has been trekking through the Old Testament, one book at a time. I'm reminded of Moses and the Israelites and their walk through the desert for FORTY YEARS! But at this time, God drew near to His people. He was with them every step - and he LED them. I know the Lord is with us. I know He is leading us. I know we are not alone.

A familiar verse comes to mind, and I'm so thankful we have the words of our Lord to give us peace: Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. "

So yes.. life is crazy.. our heads are spinning... but we still have so much to be thankful for! Life is good!

whatever..

I say it all the time. I hear others say it all the time.

Madie said it tonight.

Dave told her to do something and she answered, "whatever." All of a sudden I'm remembering a song I learned in Sunday school many many moons ago..

Oh be careful little mouth what you say
Oh be careful little mouth what you say
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little mouth what you say

let it out.

While figuring out how to best put this into words, the images of the Kleenex commercials (Let it Out) came to mind.. my little comedic break for this morning. I should be at church, I would like to be at church, but our poor little Adrienne has quite the croupy cold.

I find myself still mulling over this last Christmas season. This last holiday, I really struggled with all the commercialism and hype vs. Christ's birth. Part of it being that we weren't able to financially give gifts as we had in the past. Part of it was humbly accepting help from those we had helped in the past. Part of it had to do with missing family members which haven't been present at any holiday celebration for many years.. it just doesn't seem to get easier with time. Time, in this case, just seems to make these seasons more difficult. Part of it was just clinging for dear life to my faith in Christ and daily reminding myself that He will provide what we NEED (Philippians 4:19).

Anyway, a friend of mine from highschool recently got in touch with me.. we exchanged blogs, and I found this on hers.. I love this post. I don't know what else to say about it. This is an amazing poem and tradition that will be part of our Christmas next year, and the years to come.

Here's the link: The Christmas Nail

A few of you may be getting these with your Christmas packages next year, so hopefully I am posting this far enough in advance for you to forget and be surprised when you receive it!

catching up..

The new year has come, and has brought along some faces of the past with it. I've been bad about posting, but now that there are people out there who are actually interested in the happenings here in our corner of the northwest, I'll (we'll) do my (our) best to get you all caught up:

Dave: working at Blueprint Design Consultants, Inc. It's been a challenging year, but things are looking up for 2008. He also volunteers in the video/media room at our church. Other than these things, family and projects around the house and condo keep him busy!

Deanna: working at BDC (i'm too lazy to type it all out and link again, yet not too lazy to tell you this - go figure) one day a week. Just enough to keep my computer and bookkeeping/administrative skills up to date.

I just recently became a Watkins products associate. My "Gram B." sold Watkins products for many, many years and retired from it this last year. I've been running out of all my favorite Watkins items, thus deciding to start selling the products myself. My shameless plug :) If you are interested in a catalog, or want to know how to purchase online, let me know. I'll hook you up! ;)

The rest of the week I am busy being a mom to Madie and Adrie, attending a bible study, and attempting to keep up on house work.

Bunny trail:


Madie's first Christmas program - I feel the need to tell you that they are singing "Away in a Manger." It is hard to tell when you have that many 3 and 4 year olds all singing the same song, but not at the same tempo or in the same key. Enjoy!

Madalen: Madie is busy with many things. She has preschool 2 days a week, Sunday school one day a week, and in between these things she is mama to boo puppy (her "security" stuffed dog), big sister to adrienne, and helper to mommy.

Adrienne: She's busy. All the time.