'Twas the week after Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse!!

I'm sitting in my living room alone, only the faint sound of music in the background. Shaun's at work, Jessie and Riley are tootling around town, Andrew's at his new job (cleaning horse stables), and Ashlee and Daniel flew back to Florida late last night. Real late last night! 

I have a party to go to tonight (as if I haven't partied enough lately!). So I'm also whipping up some cherry cheesecake, chips and dip, and crackers with a fancy cheese dip. Yummy!

I've been able to sneak in a little bit of picture editing this morning, so I thought I'd share what I have so far. I'll commentate as we go along. As usual. Because I can't seem to not talk ....

Gracelyn (my niece) has decided she likes to see the baby in the camera. So now she likes her picture taken, as long as I show her "me" on the screen afterward. :))

 

Jessie, and the new earrings I bought her for Christmas. Nice of her to wear a matching shirt for the day. Heehee.

Ashlee, doing dishes for me Christmas day. We made her venison (compliments of Andrew) and pancakes for lunch (her fave!), and then we had a large ham, pork roast, and all the fixin's to go with it for supper.

The happy newlyweds, just before they took off last night. Sniff, sniff ....

Family pic. Love that we are a family of six now! Well, seven if you include the dog.

Daniel gave me a little dancing lesson before they left last night. We like to play the part.

Just Jessie ... looking .... pretty. :)

A roughed up Gracelyn!

I love that she comes and asks to sit on my lap these days. Makes me feel all warm and squishy on the inside!

Peek-a-boo!

Sisters ...

Shaun's mom and sister.

Smokin' her candy cane!!

Shaun and Ashlee, lounging around on Christmas.

That's all for now. More will come later, but I wanted to show off a little just stop in and wish my readers a happy post Christmas week.

Are we ready for 2011??????

Didn't think so. 

crickets, christmas, and mrs. c

For all of you just dying to know what Christmas with Mrs. C (that's me) is like .....

*crickets chirping

Ok, so  nobody's dying to know such information. But Mrs. C (remember- that's me!) is dying to tell. So here's my 2010 Christmas story thus far, in pictures:

Did anyone here know that Andrew is a juggler? He has a part time job with the circus.

Just kidding.

But he IS pretty good at juggling. Even pine cones!

Here's a few goodies I've made along the way. Chocolate covered popcorn, and a cheese spread to put on some delish crackers. Actually, that popcorn is covered with chocolate and peanut butter chips. I had a lot of fun drizzling. In fact, I may have gotten just a little bit carried away when I flung some clear across the kitchen, and hollered out to Andrew "Hey, this drizzling stuff is pretty cool!"

Those little things that look like deer pellets are capers. I didn't know what capers were until I made this recipe. Wait - I still don't know what capers are.

You don't know what deer pellets are?

Well, I don't feel so bad then.

Shaun and I at a Christmas party. No, we did not match on purpose. We're just hip like that.

*more crickets chirping

 Jessie and Riley at the same Christmas party. Funnest night of the season so far, but the season is far from over!

Santa's lil' helper. Cough, cough ...

And yes, those bulbs are actually hanging from her ears. Yikes! 

We decorated Mom before we decorated the tree. Just to see which one would be cuter.

The tree won.

*crickets

Once Ashlee and Daniel get here (Five more days!!!), I'll have a ton of things to show and tell. *claps hands in excitement

Until then, I have toilets to clean, laundry to do, presents to make, presents to buy, and one sick boy to take care of. Here's to hoping the rest of us (and you!) stay healthy and robust through the Holiday.

Merry Christmas to all of you!!!!
 

one little word

One little word was extremely important in my morning routine this morning:

small

Unfortunately, when I read the directions, I skipped right over the word small. The result? A head full of leave in conditioner. A lot of leave in conditioner.

This resulted in me running my fingers through my hair with water over the bathroom sink, Andrew looking at me like I'd lost my marbles, and well .... one uber conditioned mane.

Moral of the story?

If all else fails, read ALL of the directions.  

Jus' sayin' ...

garbage out, goodness in

The mind is a powerful thing.

What we put into it will always work it's way out. Out of our mouth, out of our eyes, in the way we look at others ... it affects the way we treat others, and the way we respond to the way others treat us.

That's why it's so important to limit the ample supply of garbage that gets into our heads. It's everywhere. TV, internet, books, video games, even something as simple as a restaurant slogan.

I've recognized my own need to declutter, refocus, and renew my mind. So for the last week (ah! the reason I've been rather quiet!), I've been working on laying out in written form a plan to renew my mind. It's nothing but a Word document that lists specific (sinful) thought patterns that I've developed, along with Scripture (always right thinking!) beside it.

I don't have any big plan except to keep the worksheet handy throughout the day, and especially during the times I am more susceptible to spiral downward in my thinking (usually when I'm not feeling well).

I don't expect overnight change, but I do expect it to make a gradual difference in my life. I'm actively replacing bad thoughts with right thoughts - my thoughts with God's thoughts. I'm tossing out the garbage, and pouring His goodness in.

Proverbs 23:7 teaches, "For as [one] thinks in his heart, so is he." The only way for me to become more Christ-like is to think more like Christ thinks. So, this is my attempt to set my mind on the right path, stop giving into every emotion in the book, stop making excuses for the way I am, and let God have control over my mind. 

I fully expect God to do His part, if I will do my part. So as I study, please pray for me, that I will be willing to change, that God's Word will permeate my heart so thoroughly that my actions begin to radically change, and that my motivations will become more and more pure. And that God will ultimately use my life for His glory. 

That's a lot of work. 

Only God could do that. 

This is why ...... 

........ I enjoy making quilts for people I love.

christmas shopping, car wrecks, and a pop quiz

I haven't done one of these entries for quite some time. They're fun, and they let everyone out there know that I'm just a normal, everyday person, with an incredibly exciting life.

*crickets chirping

Ahem. Anyway ... if you'd like to participate also, click here and visit the lady who began The Simple Woman's Daybook. Then link up and viola!, you're in.

Here we go:

Outside my window... It's sunny today, but cold. Yesterday was cold and cloudy. I think I prefer the cloudy.

I am thinking... I should really start to make my Christmas gift list. I can't shop until next week anyway, but I really need to be prepared mentally before I step foot out of the house. We all know what happens when women go shopping without a list. We buy things we don't need (but they're soooo cute!), and things other people don't need.

I am thankful for... being able to see Ashlee and Daniel for Christmas! They'll come in on Christmas morning, and we get four or five days with them. I haven't seen them since the wedding in April. Too long!

From the learning room... Hmm. Not much new going on here. We are learning about light in Science, different religions in History, diagramming sentences in English, and fractions in Math. 

From the kitchen... All of the turkey is officially gone. However, there's still a few pieces of pie!

I am wearing... Jammie pants and warm socks. :) Well ... and a long john shirt.

I am creating... Sorry. It's a secret. Christmas gifts, you know.

I am going... to take the car to the body repair shop for an estimate. Shaun got in an accident last week (everyone's ok, and it wasn't his fault). This is the 6th car bash we've experienced in the last five years. Blows my mind.

I am reading... The book of Joshua, Romans, and The Holiness of Grace, by Bryan Chapell. Oh yes ... and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

I am hoping... for a few select things for Christmas. I may very well post my Christmas wish list later on. Just in case you're struggling with what you want for Christmas. Perhaps it'll prime your pump. ;)

I am hearing... The shower running upstairs. Nothing more. Hmm... except for my to-do list running through my head.

Around the house... A two inch think layer of dust. But not for long!

One of my favorite things... Getting a new hairstyle that I love!!! Yeah ... doesn't happen very often.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Not a whole lot. Small groups on Wednesday evening, a little grocery shopping on Friday, just normal every week stuff. Next week, let the shopping begin!

Here is picture (or two!) for thought I am sharing... Ok, students. Get out a blank sheet of paper and a pencil. Pop quiz time! Tell me who this is and why she is impersonating an Egyptian princess. Right now! Hop to!

sew dorky

One of my goals for Thanksgiving break was to get a little sewing done for Christmas. So when I sat down to make a ______ for _______ (Ssshhhh! It's a secret!), I was more than a little disappointed to find out my machine wasn't operating properly. At all.

I had just replaced the needle, made sure it was threaded properly (four times), etc. I couldn't find anything wrong with it. It just wouldn't sew right. So I took it in to the place I bought it. It's under warranty, and I figured I might as well. So I made the trek into town yesterday.

They were closed (grr!).

I went again this morning, walked in, and let Mr. Ed (the repair guy) know what was going on. He took the sewing machine and said, "Alrighty then. Let's take a look at what might be going on."

Mr. Ed's the nicest guy ever. He's old enough to be retired, I'm sure. But he's the repair man for his wife's sewing business. I think that's the cutest thing ever. :)

Anyway - he looked at it for what may have been an entire fraction of a second, and said, "Well ... looks like your needle is in backwards."

I ran away, as far as I could, as fast as I could. Right out the front door.

Just kidding. But I wanted to!!

"I see you've got a Singer needle in there," he continued.

"Is that bad?" I asked.

"Well, typically, you can use Singer in a Viking machine. But they don't really make Singer needles like they used to."

"Ah. Good to know."

He quickly replaced the needle with a good one (and facing the right way!), tested it on some fabric, and viola! It's fixed.

Honestly, I was relieved. I thought something horrible was wrong, because of the way it was performing. But I was a tad embarrassed too. He didn't seem to mind. In fact, he thought it was quite humorous.

I told him thank you, and that I wanted to look around a little bit, and asked him to show me where the needles were for Viking machines. He graciously and kindly helped me. Not only did he show me where they were, but I got a quick lesson on which needles were good for what.

I chose a few packs, browsed through their fabric, checked out their scissors, and got in the check-out line. I was hoping I would get Mrs. Ed, because I wasn't sure how much more teasing my bruised ego could take, but no ... I got Mr. Ed.

"You ready to check out?"

"I am," I said, as I placed the needles on the counter.

He quickly scanned the items. "That comes to $11.10"

I handed him a twenty dollar bill, and said, "I think I might have the ten cents."

"Oh! I love it when that happens!"

We both laughed.

I said, "Yeah. It's the little things ......"

Long pause ....

"Like knowing which way a needle should face."

He laughed. Hard.

I laughed. A little.

I'm sew dorky.

cheese, quilts, and reading

As you read in my last post, I wasn't feeling very well in the first part of the week. The second part of the week, my cold got better, but then I ate some cheese, and I've been feeling very sluggish because of it. This is what happens when I crave something that is "legal" on my diet, but still doesn't sit well with me. I take a few bites anyway - and then suffer.

For three days.

The question is: Will I ever learn?

The answer is: Probably not! :))

But in other (good!) news ... Next week is Thanksgiving, and not long after that, it'll be time to start getting things ready for Christmas! Ashlee and Daniel are coming and will be here three or four days. I'm so excited I might just wet my pants stay away from forbidden food that makes me feel awful.

We plan to go see the new Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader while they're here. Can you believe I've never read the Narnia series?

Biggest crime for a reader, I know. However - in celebration of the new movie coming out, I'm going to read as much of the series as possible. 

How 'bout you? Are you doing anything special to celebrate the Holiday Season? Leave a comment and tell us about it! Or - tell me what you're reading and whether you would recommend it. I'm always on the lookout for great books!

One more bit of good news before I go. I finally finished Jessie's Coca-Cola quilt!! This is the good part about being down with an illness. You tend to get a lot of hand sewing done. :)

I could have wrapped it up and given it to her for Christmas, but since it's been hanging on the stairwell for three years (cough, cough!), I didn't figure it would be much of a surprise.

Next post, I'll show you her reaction to (finally) getting the quilt.

 

P.S. I chose Coca-Cola because 1.) She likes Coke! And 2.) Her bedroom is decorated in Coca-Cola garb. Her bed cover is red, and her sheets are black. Her curtains are also black, so it goes well with what she's put together. Not sure how we coordinated so well ... I guess we're just awesome like that. 

*rolls eyes

oh my stars!

I can't talk very well today, cuz by dose is plugged up and I'b dot feelid very well. So here are sobe pictures to keep you occupied til I returd.

I fidally fidished by start quilt. I watted to take the pics outside, cuz the colors of the quilt are so earthy. Sorry for the look od by face. It was sdowing. 

Aaaaaaachoooooo!!!!!

Oh, excuse be.

I'll be ok ... really. Just a lil' sdiffle. 

i confess

Ever wondered if there's anything I need to 'fess up to?

I didn't think so.

But just in case there is, I'm joining MamaKat's writing workshop this week, and 'fessing up is the prompt I chose.

So! Things I may or may not need to 'fess up to:

• I take a nap every day. 

Sounds lazy doesn't it? Truth is, if I didn't have to, I wouldn't. Needing one irritates me, and I'd much rather sew or read or get some house cleaning done. Unfortunately, if I skip it, I get sick (usually a migraine). Because of my stomach issues, I can't take pain medication, and it continues to get more complicated from there. I'll spare you the details. But now you know that this blogger is also a napper.

• I went to see the King Tut exhibit this last week ... 

and I'm totally in love with some of the jewelry that the queens wore back in that era. I'm thinking one of them would completely solve all of my financial problems. If I got away with stealing it, I'd be set financially. If not, I'd still be set. Jailhouses feed and clothe their inmates, right?


Seriously though. I was amazed at the intricate detail of one particular solid gold necklace. It was massive, and oh so dainty, all at the same time. Simply incredible. 


When the exhibit is in your area, be sure to go (but leave your camera at home - no pictures allowed). You'll especially love seeing the sarcophagus that held King Tut's stomach!! Eww!

• The best article I've read this week is called "Social Media and Digital Discernment."

If you blog, read blogs, Facebook, Tweet, etc., this article is for you. It'll really keep things in perspective ... if you can have an honest opinion about yourself. 'Nuff said about that. You be the judge.

•  I want a grandbaby.

To love, cherish, kiss on the cheek (over and over and over), make a quilt for,  photograph, be his/her Grandma. Or Meemaw. Or Grammy. Or Marmie. Or whatever he/she wants to call me. He/she can call me Frank for all I care. As long as I can love him/her and sing "Jesus Loves Me" to him/her while bouncing on my knee, I'm good.

No pressure, Ashlee and Daniel.

And last one ....

•  My New Year's Resolution is simple: Get a new header!

Mine is sooo outdated. I think Andrew has literally grown 10 inches since that picture of him in the water. Ashlee's married now, Jessie has short hair, and Shaun and I never kiss like that.

I'm kidding!

We basically look the same. Perhaps a little more gray in our hair(s).

If you have any uber cool (should be read as free) sites that you know of that are good for customizing headers, will you let me know? It's been so long since I put the current one together, that I forgot where I got it from.

Pathetic, I know.

That's all the 'fessing up I have for now. Dangerous life I live, eh?

P.S. I realized after writing this that the pic up on the header isn't the one of Shaun and I kissing.

Stop laughing.

This is simply proof that I'm losing my mind and am therefore Grandma material! 

blessed be the name of the Lord

I don't write much about the trials of my life. I'm not trying to hide the fact that I have trials, so that my life seems squeaky clean here on Prairie Tales. But it seems as though it's nearly impossible to share a lot without breaking the confidence of someone I love. So I remain quiet out of respect for them.

The fact is, for the last decade, we've been hit hard with major issues (plural - definitely plural!). Everywhere from health issues to family problems ... and beyond.

Through all of it, my faith has wavered ... from strong to weak, to nearly extinct, and back to vibrant (repeat said cycle at least six times). I haven't been consistent in remaining strong. And yet, no matter how weak I get, no matter how doubtful I get that He is still there, the Lord remains faithful.

He never left. I left. 

He never moved away from me. I moved away from Him, because I doubted His love for me. In fact, I doubted His very existence.

Well ... no more. 

Never again do I want to be an unfaithful doubter. I want my faith to stabilize. No more flip-flopping, tossing to and fro, like a ship without a sail. I don't want to cry "He loves me!" one day, and the next day "He loves me not!" - like some foolish schoolgirl. I want to be anchored to Him, remaining confident of my Savior's love, faithfulness, and goodness.

And so ... in looking back on the truly horrible week I just experienced, I want to publicly confess that Jesus is still Lord ...

 ... still loves me ...

 ... and still sits on His throne above.

And "When the darkness closes in, still I will say ... 'Blessed be the name of the Lord.'"

Though I am prone to wander, I still choose to say "Blessed be the name of the Lord."

I hope you can too.

happy biptiday

Three years ago, I made Andrew a birthday cake and decorated it - all by myself! Only thing is ... it said "Happy Birtday."

H's are highly overrated anyway, right?

Pathetic little cake, isn't it?

Ahem ... well ... for Jessie's birthday this year, I wasn't sure what to do. She doesn't like cake, so that wasn't an option, but I wanted to make her something. So we decided on cheesecake. Cherry cheesecake, to be exact.

You can't very well ice a cheesecake, so I decided to buy some nifty letter candles that spelled Happy Birthday.

At least I thought that's what they spelled ...

Until I opened the package and saw that two of them were broke. They're wax, so I couldn't do much about it. The only thing left to do was to have one heckuva Biptiday. 

The good news?

Jessie did have a Heckuva Biptiday. 

See?

I guess she'd rather it be PAYDAY though ...

This is our good friend, Riley. After he ate a ton of turkey and mashed potatoes, he leaned back in his chair and moaned and said, "I'm sooo uncomfortable!! I can't even swallow!"

Snort! I love to feed people.

All in all ... a successful Biptiday! 

a total ADD post

A few observances ...

Squirrel!!! 

• Vacation is fun, but returning from vacation is not.

• I think I'd like to open a photography business. And an Etsy shop. And a quilt shop. And finish writing my book. 

Can you say focus?

• Oh, and did I mention I'm thinking of taking Violin lessons beginning next year? You know. Just because I don't have enough to do. 

It's the pits being a grown up with ADD.

• Things I need to do are: Shampoo my carpets ..... 

Oh, never mind. You don't want to hear about all that.

Squirrel!! 

So if you live in my area, and would like some pictures taken of your kids, and are willing to risk dealing with an ADD photographer, email me at the address in my About Me section at the upper right hand corner. 

For now, I've got to go make dinner, fold the laundry, go to small group, run to the store ... 

Focus ...

Focus ... 

Focus ...  

Squirrel!!!! 

Want to see a few more pics from our vacation?

Andrew got his first buck (and his first snake!) while we were gone, just as every 14 year old should. :-) And yes, those antlers are legal. Barely ... but barely is good enough.

The rest of these were taken in my Grandma's backyard, where we stayed. You'll see at the end that Summer was hanging on for dear life!

 And in conclusion of this ADD, politically incorrect post ... I'd like to say ....

Good riddance, Nancy Pelosi!!! 

Ritalin, anyone?

welcome back, me

Hey, hey, hey! Guess who's back home from vacation?

Me! That's who!

Don't have a lot of time to write now, but I promise to later this week. In the meantime, here's a few pics from the trip. I did a photo shoot with my nieces and nephews at my Grandma's house. Beautiful fall colors, beautiful kids!

Enjoy!