In the Storm

Dusting

My sister Sandy showed up to my daughters baby shower wearing white gloves - can you believe it. She ran her petite hand with her long fingernails covered in white over all my furniture and what did she found - nothing! I tell ya, nothing! Absolutely no dust - I found my dust cloth! (Whoo! breathing a sigh of relief)

Just kidding.

We had a heavy dusting of laughter from, oh, say Thursday through Saturday when family (Mom, Mom and Dad, Ash and Brad, my sister Sandy, nieces Amanda and Laura, Elizabeth and Ella) decended upon my house like pollen from the trees in the springtime. All coming together to celebrate either Ashleys birthday or a baby shower for Ashley, or both. Other friends joined us on Saturday to share in the laughter and the coming of a life that is Ian Seth. Family stayed all the way through early Tuesday morning to silence in my abode- until Taco Tuesday night. Here is a smidgeon of my weekend. And when I say smidgeon I mean a few as opposed to 212 pictures. (Forgive the photographer - she's the pits. I'm figuring out that just because you're holding a great camera does not make you a great photographer) Anyways - here is the few, the proud, the marines:

Both Ash and Ella were hits of the party!

She gets her looks from me - just kidding! Too precious for words...

They're why we gathered - Ashley, Brad and Baby Ian

Great Grandma and Papap Geer and Ashley (Papap was praying hard for this punk that Ian would give Ashley as much trouble as she gave him in 1991-92)

My daughter Elizabeth painted this as a gift for Ashley. Ash is decorating Ian's room in Classic Pooh. Wonderful gift.

Aaah, that would be me and my daughter Ashley (don't hate me cause I'm beautiful!)

My sister Sandy and her great niece Ella (my granddaughter). I guess that would be obvious but I wanted to stress the great part. Oh - and Sandy is much older that me. Two years older in fact - well - that's a long time...

My punk grandbaby Ella - again. Of course, she tried to steal Ashley's show - and everyone pretty much let her...

So now that family is gone I can put away my dustcloth...

I am not frantic

I tell you I'm not! what? don't you believe me? Just because, beginning tomorrow, I will have a houseful of family descend upon my humble abode doesn't mean I'm frantic. I really don't know what you're talking about. While I have been doing some unnatural (well - unnatural for me anyways) organizing it's not like I've cleaned the whole house or anything. Well, maybe I'm in the process of cleaning the whole house but it's not like I'm frantic - it's just family anyways. What are they gonna do? disown me or something if they see a little dust. Think I'm a slob. I'm sure they already know that anyway so what's the big deal. Think I'm a horrible housewife? - I never professed to be a good one anyways - so there! I'll say it again - for the last time: I AM NOT FRANTIC! Give me a break already...where did that dust cloth go? I know I used it last Christmas...

Unphotographable

This is a picture I did not take of my granddaughter Ella and I walking hand in hand down the street at a 1 1/2 year old's pace. As we crossed the street to come home she let go of my hand. I reached for her hand and she took it for a second or two and then let go. I reached again, Ella took my hand, and then let go. We did this the whole way home with her finally barely touching my fingers as I reached for her hand - as we walked home. No words spoken. Just a walk with grandma. Just a walk with my granddaughter.

My Word

Is it too much to ask to have our presidential candidates just tell us what they are going to do if they are elected and more importantly how they are going to do it. I don't want to hear how the current president is or isn't doing it. I don't want to hear about the other candidates except from the 'other' candidates themselves. Cut out all the muck, the noise and senseless diatribe and just give me the nuts and bolts of who you are, what you are going to do and how you are going to do it. And then I'll decide who to trust. This candidate bashing is immature and shows a distinctive lack of character. The character of a presidential candidate is important. Character defines a person. It defines a presidency. (I know many will disagree with me) It says alot about how that person will handle the next four years as a president. Yes, a presidential candidates morals, their belief system, is important to me. Where their morality comes from (if they have any) I want to know. And yes, I vote my morals - which find their basis from the Word of God. And that is my word...

Random Ramblings

1) Confessions of a Pioneer Woman is my favorite website. I’d have to say because she makes me laugh and I’m all about laughing.

2) My favorite color is turquoise. Used to be green; for years and years. It’s not anymore – so there! What’cha got to say ‘bout that

3) Love meteorology hate science – don’t figure - hey! I call it like I feel it...

4) My favorite cloud is altocumulus; not that I don’t mind a nice cumulonimbus with anvil in the far distance but unless you live somewhere where the wind goes sweeping down plains a nice cumulonimbus with anvil is heard to see.

5) I recycle printer ink cartridges. I told you this was a random list.

6) I'm adding these to my Christmas list (all sizes!!!)

 

Which can be found here at The Paper Source - makes my heart palpitate

7) You should try to go here every day - and Click it. Go on - do it. You'll be glad you did.

8) These Apple Dumplings are YUMMY!

 

The recipes comes from Pioneer Woman Cooks:

Apple Dumplings

2 Granny Smith apples (I used 3 apples for more apples)
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew ( I used about 1/2 - 1 C of Sprite)

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Then go to confession. Quickly.

9) I'm feeling nauseous, light-headed, and tired. Hum, maybe I'm pregnant - just kidding!

Pilates

yippy. I did it. Another day of Pilates. Feels good

Unphotgraphable

Sharing our Taco Tuesday night with Stacia. We've known Stacia for 4 years. She first visited our small group from church with three other college girls who go to SCC too. We were studying the Purpose Driven Life and everyone was encouraged to get into a small group. Shortly after their first visit to small group we invited all the girls to our house for tacos. Stacia's brother Adam happened to be visiting then too so he came also. We had a blast. The boys were in rare form (NOT!) that night. We shared so much laughter! And my tacos were a hit. For the next couple years, the girls came and went from small group (when they were in town because they were all college volleyball players). Somehow it was Stacia that stayed. We became her mom and dad away from home. Her parents even consider us that way too. Of course, on our invitation to Stacia's graduation party her dad put on it "You've had her for 4 years and we want her back!...(but we don't want to let her go!!!!) She'll start nursing school in South Dakota in August. She has not only been like a daughter to us she has been like a brother to John and Jarrod. When she comes over, she listens to them, talks to them, plays games with them, whoops them at air hockey, teases them, and loves them. I will never forget her or the impact she has had on my family.

65 degrees

temperature...about 7/8 sky of stratocumulus...The Best of Avalon in my headphones...1/2 mile walk, 1/4 mile run, 1/4 mile walk...felt good...got a loooong way to go baby. Hoping one day Hoosier Man will be knocked over, jaw dropping to the floor, eyes going cross, heart pounding a mile a minute...just because my body walked into his line of sight.

Pilates

I've had Winsor Pilates DVD's for years. Used them years ago. Pulled the beginners 30-minute routine out this morning. Ouch. Follow through is a big problem for me, especially when it comes to working out and losing weight. We were talking last night at small group about our bodies being our temples and that for me that is a difficult truth to grasp and change...I know my weaknesses...it's another sin when I ignore it right. Yikes! I'm batting a thousand here. Ok - I'm on my knees, "Lord, please help me......"

Unphotographable

This is a picture not taken of a man and his two boys who spent 4 hours Saturday morning at church. They didn't sit in a pew, attend a bible study class, or sing praise songs. They served quietly outside, trimming tree branches on the church property so cars can see pedestrians walking when service lets out. They performed acts of secret service to care for, be good stewards of, what God has given.

*Note: The idea for this post, and probably many more, came from this blog.