Adventures

Having company this week which is a good motivator to clean the house and do a few projects I have been putting off. Becky and a friend are coming to go skiing this week and are planning to come visit with us before they head to Vail. I am excited to see them. I am not that excited about seeing more snow, but I do hope it snows for them while they are here so their skiing experience will be good.

I have been on the lookout for Gogi Berry juice as I read that it will help possibly with "hot flashes" and maybe have some other benefits as well. If you have experienced hot flashes, you know what I mean about seeking out any possible cure. I did find several varieties of juice some having a combination with other fruit or vegetable juices but the first one I tried (pure Gogi Berry) tasted a little like distilled vinegar....I drank it anyway and hoping for some good results.

I am still nursing my sore heel, but I will have to say my New Balance 927's have really helped a great deal. I can walk and have a lot less pain when I am wearing these shoes.

Last weekend we went to two movies (rare for us). Friday night we went to see Sherlock Holmes with Les and Elsie (Les and Sam enjoyed it a lot). Saturday we went to see Arabia at the Nature and Science Museum IMAX theater. Photography was really good. It was good to get out of the house even though it was pretty cold and snowy. We stopped at The Great Harvest Bread Company on the way back from the Museum and it reminded me a lot of Stickboy in Boone.

I have been reading up a storm and trying to crochet another afghan. Reading is a lot more fun.
Thanks for the books Sharon. I enjoyed Whistlin Dixie in a Nor easter. One of the highlights of my week is to go to the library. Which reminds me of a good movie I checked out at the library last week also entitled "Defiance". If you haven't seen it, you should.

I know everyone is tired of snow pictures, but we have a few new ones that are a little difference from the rest. Dad thought the snow on the roof of this house looked like a mask.

Oh, I want to say a huge THANK YOU to my girls, Sharon, Ashley & Denise. I heard so many good things about the Bridal Tea for Minda. Thank you for all you did to make it very special for Minda.

Did you ever wonder?

Our weekend ended with our class we are taking on Sunday evenings: The Truth Project: This week, the subject was Science: What is True? I will have to say that I was confused during most of the class but it has made me think and try to research. Sam enjoyed every minute of it and could have stayed and discussed things for hours. It was too much information overload for me.

Some thoughts that I would like to share with you would be:

Did you ever wonder? Why is there music? How did that happen? Why was there nothing and now there is something? What is true?

Psalm 19:1-4 "The heavens declare the Glory of God: Is Gods handiwork difficult to see? The world will pursue the truth unless it points to the creation. People are belittled and are made to feel foolish if they want to dispute Darwin's theory.

My favorite part of the class was a video of a little girl who had cut her finger and she asked "Did you ever wonder what happens to the blood as you experience a little cut on your finger. A bandaid will stop the bleeding but what really happens to the blood, how does it know to clot.

That is enough....on that subject, but what a way to end our weekend.

Sam took me to our favorite restaurant, Rock Bottom, for Valentines Day and then shopping for shoes at the mall. We have been researching types of shoes that would help with posture, foot problems, etc. The time has come, unfortunately that looking for shoes will be for comfort and great fit instead of pretty and in style. While shopping, we got a wonderful surprise which brought tears to our eyes and the people in the shoe store probably are still wondering about that....

Saturday evening our church had a comedy night and dinner. The funniest was seeing our pastor, music minister and childrens minister sing and dance to "achey breaky heart" That was really funny, I don't care who you are!

Bought some shoes, New Balance 927's...the miracle shoe, I hope!

Oh, Sunday morning was great too! Our pastor is preaching from Colossians which has been great! A few of the points from Colossians 2:1-5 is: We need to regularly show an intense concern for the church. We need to vehemently protect the unity of the church. and We need to continually defend the doctrine of the church.

I am at a loss sometimes when people tell me that they don't need church, they can worship in nature while fishing, taking walks in the forest, etc.....they don't need to be in a church building. Our pastor brought up something I had never heard which I liked a lot.

If you are worshiping and never in church, is the trees, animals, snow, etc. going to be there for you when you are hurting or need a friend?

Enough thoughts for now...

A smile can start a conversation without saying a word

I like the title....which I copied from the lid of the Daisey sour cream I opened.
I have been looking at old photographs and observing everyone's smiles in the pictures. Just looking at the smiles in the pictures, made me want to smile back.

A friendly face and a smile helps me not feel so uncomfortable when I am out and about. It makes a person seem approachable. That is how conversations are started and friendships are made sometimes.

Tomorrow, February 4, 2010, John will be 37 years old. I have been going back looking at old photos of him and admiring his smile. I would like to post some of his smiles, if I can figure out how to scan some pictures in......wish me luck.

Continuation of my lazy day

I am up for a little while and wanted to finish telling you about my day. I read an entire book and skimmed over two others. The book I read was "Chocolatherapy" by Karen Scalf Linamen who lives in Colorado Springs and formerly from Highlands Ranch ( about 10 miles from here). It's about cravings, especially the chocolate kind. What are we really craving though? Did you know that stressed spelled backwards spells desserts.

One of the questions in the book was Do you long to be known? Maybe that's why babies cfome out of the womb wailing at the top of their lungs. Byrum was telling me last time I talked to him, that he came out being able to walk. He said he came out walking and said "WOW"!

The book was a quick read but interesting. One of the other things I will mention from the book was: "Are you spending so much time lamenting what you don't have, that you're missing out on what you do have? How often do you put your life on hold by thinking "If only....then...?

The Hymm "Count your blessings" comes to my mind. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning". James 1:17

In one of the other books I was going through, I read about organic food vs not organic. These are the 12 most important to buy organic: Peaches, strawberries, apples, spinach, nectarines, celery, pears, cherries, potatoes, sweet bell peppers, rasberries, imported grapes.

The ones not as important to purchase organic is: sweet corn, avocados, pineapples, cauliflour, mangos, sweet peas, asparagus, onions, broccoli, bananas, kiwis, papayas.

Sam has been spoiling me today, making sure I am resting. I am feeling better from the rest, sure don't want to go to the doctor.

Guess I have rambled enough.

Wearing my pajamas all day!

I have orders from Sam to take it easy today. I have had some heel pain which has probably caused some serious pain in my lower back. So today, I am trying to rest. I certainly don't want to do to the doctor. I have had opportunity to read a lot today and reflect also. I have been thinking of my family and thanking God for them today. I remember coming here over two and one half years ago. So many things have happened since that time. I remember after moving here, how scared I was. I had opportunities to read and study more since I wasn't working and didn't know anyone. I was given a book which I referred to many times. One of the scriptures that I wrote down at that time was "Go West and grow;" For I know the plans I have for you." Jer 29:11. Another one that I wrote down was 1 Thes 5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances for this is Gods' will for you in Christ Jesus."

Some of the other things I wrote down to always remember was; to have a friend, you must be a friend. Be a good listener, Be available, Be approachable, Take opportunities that God gives you.

(Sam is telling me I have to go back and rest so I can't finish this, but will be continued later)

Dad's latest stitches and upcoming scar

The story of too much sun exposure while young continues as we both have places on our body zapped! Sam's latest is in on his arm. He wasn't expecting to have such a huge area taken out, but everything seems to be doing just fine. It seems to be healing nicely and will be another scar to add to his collection. Scars are not bad really, they are beautiful as they tell a story about us.

We had a busy weekend, even though Sam was taking it easy. I went to our annual volunteer brunch for Sky Ridge Hospital on Saturday and Sam went to church for an evangelism conference. Sunday was busy with Greeting, Sunday School, church and lunch afterwards at Los Argos and back to our Truth Project class on Sunday evening.

I am pretty lost in the class but am trying to be a good listener. Sam seems to be understanding more and can participate in the discussion a lot better. I enjoy all of the discussion and it does make you think. Here are a few of the topics we discussed Sunday:

Who is Man?
Why is there evil in the world?
What is evil?

I would love to get your answers on those questions. Some of the scripture that was referenced was Galations 5: 16-17, Romans 7: 15-25

Also, in our discussion, we were told that the movie, The Book of Eli, is a good movie if you can get past the bad language.

Happy Presidents Day!

Busy Days

As January, 2010 continues to pass, I think about what I have been doing to be so busy. I didn't keep any of my new years resolutions, so I haven't been busy exercising and eating right. It seems that I have been eating more with activities around here which always seems to include lots of eating. I injured my heel some way, so the exercise has been not the best. Today, I am going to begin again whether my heel hurts or not.

Sam and I have been keeping busy with a new class we started taking at church, entitled The Truth Project. I never went to college, but Dad said this class was like sitting in on a college class. We do watch a video of a teacher in his classroom. It is a little deep for me but great stuff! The purpose of the class is to "gaze upon the face of God" The bible says that God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the spirit and the belief in the truth" At the end of the first session we were asked this question: Do you really believe, that what you believe is really real?
(Something to ponder). As we continue with the class, we are asked questions like: "Is an act right because God said it, or did God know it was right and told us about it?" What is right? What is wrong? At the end of that session we end with Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Anyway....enough about that. (But don't you think it sounds good so far?)

Another activity we will be starting is a small group with some friends from church. We began this week with a surprise birthday party for a friend and huge meal to decide what we wanted to study together. Elsie really knows how to feed you. She had hot apple cider, cheese, other appetizers, huge barbeque sandwiches (not as good as NC barbeque, but good), homemade baked beans, slaw, relish tray and dip, potatoe chips, and birthday cake and ice cream. Our group decided that we would do a class on "When World Views Collide" We watched a video as it began and that will be very interesting and informative.

As usual, I am keeping up with my girlfriends here as we go to lunch to celebrate birthdays (today is Sharon Frazier's) and we will be going to Mimi's. I still love my volunteer jobs at the libraries and the hospital. The library is very busy on Tuesday's and I love being a part of the busy. It also gives me a chance to find new books to read. Just finished "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana DeRosnay. It is fiction but there is truth also in the book as it tells about the Vel'd'Hiv" roundup, the most notorious act of French collaboration with the Nazis. I finished "The Last Song" a Nicholas Sparks book recently too. That is probably one of my favorite ones that I have read by Sparks. I have been wanting to read more from Colorado writers to learn more about the history of Colorado. The most recent one was "Prayers for Sale" (I need to find that one on audio so that I can buy it for Grandmommie) She would like that one, I know.

I have been on the phone more than usual recently keeping up with the status of Marcie. So happy that she is doing a little better and may be able to go home from the hospital soon.

I always LOVE spending time talking to my children and listening to my grandchildren talk to me or at least listen to them in the background, laughing and playing.

One of my favorite things that I have done lately is shop for clearance bargains. I shouldn't but do love to go out looking. I have found a few and will share these with my Grandchildren very soon!

Sam and I never get tired of looking at the beautiful scenery that surrounds us. I saw a gray wolf recently but have not been able to have my camera ready to take a picture. One day, I think that I saw a mountain lion sunning on a rock from a distance, of course. These are a few of the latest pictures that Sam took of the snow covered mountains.