Since I haven't blogged since last Friday, and I had a few minutes, I thought I would update.
First, the Christmas tree is still in my living room. But, it is ornament-less. All of the Christmas stuff is in boxes, just about ready to be packed up and put in the attic. Do you think the tree will come down before February?
Or should I leave it up and decorate it with hearts for Valentines? Honestly, I am tempted. :)
We are wrapping up hunting season, with this being the last weekend in Mississippi. Jake has gotten in a couple of hunts this week, and hopefully Sara Beth will be able to get one more in this weekend.
Looks like my blogging time is up. I have made the kids go outside because it is so beautiful today. But it has been so long that they are bored already. Gotta go see what we can get into.
Happy Weekend!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Confession
See this lovely tree? It is our Christmas tree. I loved it this year. I sorted through all my decor and decided to do things a little differently this year. Between what I had and my sister-in-law's store (and 6 other hands to help decorate), this is what was produced. I like it.
It is still sitting in my living room.
I actually took this picture this morning.
It isn't that I like it that much. It is just that, ever since Christmas, there have been other things that have taken it's place as my focus. I really loved looking at it during the holidays. Now I just ignore it.
And I also am ignoring this beautiful arrangement as well.
Well, this one below gets mostly ignored.
It does get attention when it gets shoved out of the way for Latin tutoring.
I just had to get that off of my chest.
I feel better now. I hope the rest of you with your tree up feel better, too. There is comfort in numbers.
My confession of the tree in my living room is complete.
Oh, wait, one more thing.
I have absolutely no idea when the thing will come down.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Seek.Share.Serve.Ski.
About a week ago, I came to the conclusion that God wanted me to stay home this past weekend. A day later, it was confirmed that He didn't want me at home. Instead He wanted me to spend the weekend with a great group of teenagers, hanging out until the wee hours of the morning, learning what it means to seek Him, share Him, serve Him. Oh, and throw a bit of midnight skiing in there.
As always, when I am where He wants me to be, blessings abound. Being around these kids from our church youth groups is always such a blast and I always come away loving them even more. They are good kids, who love Jesus, and know how to laugh and have a good time in the process.
The main reason that I felt that God didn't want me there was becuase for about a week before, I hadn't had a whole lot of sleep at home. I was dog tired and felt that I needed to not get behind on my sleep even more. Things were behind at home and I felt like I didn't need to get behind any more. I knew, from past experience, that sleep would be little on this trip. So, how could this be good for me? (Do you see a trend here? The first person pronoun emphasis?) After a brief conversation, on Tuesday, it was obvious God had other plans. Better plans. And I knew He would get me through. He always does, so why would this time be any different. And yes, He was faithful!
True, if I hadn't gone on this trip, I would have gotten more sleep. I actually calculated the number of hours I did get sleep. I won't share the gory details with you. But, if I hadn't gone, I would have missed.......
* 5 minute arrival warnings ("we are 5 minutes closer than we were 5 minutes ago")
* randomly handing out about 120 candy canes on the bus ride
* realizing that I need to stay close to the Vine in order to grow
* lots of snow
* pink fuzzies
* seeing kids really think about what God wants for them and from them
* new friends (Brittany, Kirsten, Samantha, Rachel, Isaac, Kate, to name a few)
* the excercise walking up and down great hills
* learning where I need to be serving
* helping these kids learn how God has uniquely made them to serve
* Mr. Potato Head
* 4-On-A-Couch (ummm, can we try that again sometime? When I've had more sleep?)
* hanging out with friends (you know who you are....)
* actually seeing clean tables after a meal
* hearing beginner skiiers tell me about their black diamond adventures
* handing out a gazillion quarters and fighting with the lockers at the lodge
So much more, but you get the idea. What a blessing and joy! Yes, I am still recovering from sleep deprivation, but it was totally worth it. It is every time. God is faithful!
Hey, Andrew, where are your gloves?
As always, when I am where He wants me to be, blessings abound. Being around these kids from our church youth groups is always such a blast and I always come away loving them even more. They are good kids, who love Jesus, and know how to laugh and have a good time in the process.
The main reason that I felt that God didn't want me there was becuase for about a week before, I hadn't had a whole lot of sleep at home. I was dog tired and felt that I needed to not get behind on my sleep even more. Things were behind at home and I felt like I didn't need to get behind any more. I knew, from past experience, that sleep would be little on this trip. So, how could this be good for me? (Do you see a trend here? The first person pronoun emphasis?) After a brief conversation, on Tuesday, it was obvious God had other plans. Better plans. And I knew He would get me through. He always does, so why would this time be any different. And yes, He was faithful!
True, if I hadn't gone on this trip, I would have gotten more sleep. I actually calculated the number of hours I did get sleep. I won't share the gory details with you. But, if I hadn't gone, I would have missed.......
* 5 minute arrival warnings ("we are 5 minutes closer than we were 5 minutes ago")
* randomly handing out about 120 candy canes on the bus ride
* realizing that I need to stay close to the Vine in order to grow
* lots of snow
* pink fuzzies
* seeing kids really think about what God wants for them and from them
* new friends (Brittany, Kirsten, Samantha, Rachel, Isaac, Kate, to name a few)
* the excercise walking up and down great hills
* learning where I need to be serving
* helping these kids learn how God has uniquely made them to serve
* Mr. Potato Head
* 4-On-A-Couch (ummm, can we try that again sometime? When I've had more sleep?)
* hanging out with friends (you know who you are....)
* actually seeing clean tables after a meal
* hearing beginner skiiers tell me about their black diamond adventures
* handing out a gazillion quarters and fighting with the lockers at the lodge
So much more, but you get the idea. What a blessing and joy! Yes, I am still recovering from sleep deprivation, but it was totally worth it. It is every time. God is faithful!
Hey, Andrew, where are your gloves?
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Randomness
The coffee is kicking in after a long night of tossing and turning, so before I head to the couch for some time with the Lord (I knew if my coffee didn't kick in, I might fall asleep praying today!), I thought I would blog.
1. I love my kitchen scissors. Don't know how I could live without them. I actually have two pair and sometimes they are dirty at the same time. I have used them two nights in a row so they are on my mind. What are the glorious uses? Cutting crusts, cutting toast/sandwiches in half, cutting pizza, cutting up chicken into smaller pieces. See its uses are endless.
2. I gained a few new kitchen pieces over the holidays. I have a new love - my one touch can opener. I am can-opener dysfunctional. Seriously. And personally, I don't like the kind that sit on the couinter. So, I have been using the twist kind, but they kill my wrists, when I can get them to work. :) So, David found me one that you put on top of the can, push the button and do nothing else. Marvelous! It worked while I browned meat last week. Hee. And, thanks to my girls, I look really cute in my new red and black apron with scalloped hem, and nice yellow oven mitts. Bliss!
3. I got a Starbucks card from Jake for Christmas. After my nights sleep last night, I might use the whole thing today.
4. Alot of time was spent in thought and planning on how our first week back to school was going to be. Organized, disciplined, no screen time till everything was done (including chores, etc). First day went great. Second day, I ended up with a sick one. After a very long drs visit, we headed home with some movies because said child had coupon to blockbuster. There went that grand plan.
5. Okay, Jesus is calling. Get it "Jesus Calling"? If you don't have that book you need it! Love it, love it! I have been doing that and my Bible Study lesson in the mornings. Our first lesson of the semester - Time Management. Haaa, haaa. I find that somewhat humerous, esp given that I tried to manage my time this week, but then it got managed for me. That's okay. That is why we get to start over each day.
1. I love my kitchen scissors. Don't know how I could live without them. I actually have two pair and sometimes they are dirty at the same time. I have used them two nights in a row so they are on my mind. What are the glorious uses? Cutting crusts, cutting toast/sandwiches in half, cutting pizza, cutting up chicken into smaller pieces. See its uses are endless.
2. I gained a few new kitchen pieces over the holidays. I have a new love - my one touch can opener. I am can-opener dysfunctional. Seriously. And personally, I don't like the kind that sit on the couinter. So, I have been using the twist kind, but they kill my wrists, when I can get them to work. :) So, David found me one that you put on top of the can, push the button and do nothing else. Marvelous! It worked while I browned meat last week. Hee. And, thanks to my girls, I look really cute in my new red and black apron with scalloped hem, and nice yellow oven mitts. Bliss!
3. I got a Starbucks card from Jake for Christmas. After my nights sleep last night, I might use the whole thing today.
4. Alot of time was spent in thought and planning on how our first week back to school was going to be. Organized, disciplined, no screen time till everything was done (including chores, etc). First day went great. Second day, I ended up with a sick one. After a very long drs visit, we headed home with some movies because said child had coupon to blockbuster. There went that grand plan.
5. Okay, Jesus is calling. Get it "Jesus Calling"? If you don't have that book you need it! Love it, love it! I have been doing that and my Bible Study lesson in the mornings. Our first lesson of the semester - Time Management. Haaa, haaa. I find that somewhat humerous, esp given that I tried to manage my time this week, but then it got managed for me. That's okay. That is why we get to start over each day.
Monday, January 3, 2011
The Mail Lady and the Letter
Okay, I have all these things I want to blog about - the new year, school, Christmas but my brain is just not there. So that will have to wait. But I will tell you about the mail lady.
I have not yet personally met the mail lady. She and I have waved back and forth occasionally. But I like her. She seems nice when she waves. (Much nicer than our previous one.) She likes my front door.
No, she really does.
My lovely sister-in-law sells these really cute letters for front doors, walls, etc. Really cute. And for fun, I got one this year for Christmas for our front door.
It attracts lovely attention and has started a note passing event with my mail lady. She liked it and asked about it. I gave info back, etc.
Fast forward. On the years we actually do Christmas cards, I like to give one to the neighbors. We live in a cove, so in an effort to not hurt anyone's feelings I put one in everyone's mailbox. Whether I actually know them or not. We "know" our neighbors, but aren't on a first name basis with many of them. Or last name for that matter. So, I put our cards in envelopes with just Merry Christmas across the front, lest I get anyone's name wrong, and a return address label on it so they would know who those crazy kids in the picture were or who in the world the Pritchards are anyway. I then taped a Christmas ornament to the card and sent my two delivery people out to make all 11 deliveries.
So how does the mail lady fit into all of this. Not exactly how you would imagine.
I did spend a bit of time worrying if the she would take it out of someone else's mailbox, not wondering what it was ect. But I was surprised when a few days after our card delivery, I received the sweetest thank you note from our mail lady, saying how much she enjoyed the picture and how cute the ornament looks on her tree.
Umm, at this point I was completely baffled. How did she get one? I drilled my delivery personnel, asking multiple times if they put one in our mailbox too. I double counted the neighbors making sure I didn't do too many. In talking to David, I think I figured it out. (Talking usually helps me in that way. That is why I talk so much. To get my brain in order.)
See, here is what I think happened. One of my two lovely immediate next door neighbors must have gone to their mailbox. Seen this beautiful Christmas card and ornament (without a name, remember) and a return address label with our name on it. Thinking it must have been put in their mailbox by mistake, did a kind Christmas deed, and gave it to the rightful owner. How kind!
(It is better than my other alternative and that is that the not nice lady across the street decided to be a scrooge and refuse the thoughtful gift. I choose the first idea.)
Either way, I have since decided that God has intended for me to develop a sweet note passing relationship with the mail lady. I replied even today. Maybe when the weather is nicer we can purposely hang out in the front yard around delivery time. Then maybe we can exchange words. That would be nice.
Next year, I will put last names on all the cards to my neighbors....and include one for the mail lady. :)
I have not yet personally met the mail lady. She and I have waved back and forth occasionally. But I like her. She seems nice when she waves. (Much nicer than our previous one.) She likes my front door.
No, she really does.
My lovely sister-in-law sells these really cute letters for front doors, walls, etc. Really cute. And for fun, I got one this year for Christmas for our front door.
 |
| Isn't it soo cute?? |
It attracts lovely attention and has started a note passing event with my mail lady. She liked it and asked about it. I gave info back, etc.
Fast forward. On the years we actually do Christmas cards, I like to give one to the neighbors. We live in a cove, so in an effort to not hurt anyone's feelings I put one in everyone's mailbox. Whether I actually know them or not. We "know" our neighbors, but aren't on a first name basis with many of them. Or last name for that matter. So, I put our cards in envelopes with just Merry Christmas across the front, lest I get anyone's name wrong, and a return address label on it so they would know who those crazy kids in the picture were or who in the world the Pritchards are anyway. I then taped a Christmas ornament to the card and sent my two delivery people out to make all 11 deliveries.
So how does the mail lady fit into all of this. Not exactly how you would imagine.
I did spend a bit of time worrying if the she would take it out of someone else's mailbox, not wondering what it was ect. But I was surprised when a few days after our card delivery, I received the sweetest thank you note from our mail lady, saying how much she enjoyed the picture and how cute the ornament looks on her tree.
Umm, at this point I was completely baffled. How did she get one? I drilled my delivery personnel, asking multiple times if they put one in our mailbox too. I double counted the neighbors making sure I didn't do too many. In talking to David, I think I figured it out. (Talking usually helps me in that way. That is why I talk so much. To get my brain in order.)
See, here is what I think happened. One of my two lovely immediate next door neighbors must have gone to their mailbox. Seen this beautiful Christmas card and ornament (without a name, remember) and a return address label with our name on it. Thinking it must have been put in their mailbox by mistake, did a kind Christmas deed, and gave it to the rightful owner. How kind!
(It is better than my other alternative and that is that the not nice lady across the street decided to be a scrooge and refuse the thoughtful gift. I choose the first idea.)
Either way, I have since decided that God has intended for me to develop a sweet note passing relationship with the mail lady. I replied even today. Maybe when the weather is nicer we can purposely hang out in the front yard around delivery time. Then maybe we can exchange words. That would be nice.
Next year, I will put last names on all the cards to my neighbors....and include one for the mail lady. :)
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