Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.

I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.




November 29 - Thankful for My Part-Time Job
Today, I am thankful that I have a job that I can do once in a while.  I am a Substitute Teacher at the Middle School/High School in our town.  I can work when I want to work.  I am on the exact same schedule as our children.  I work with awesome teachers whom I learn something from everytime I am there.  I still get to use my brain once in a while.  I am reminded what it is like to be a teenager and what it will be like to be a parent of a teenager(s).  And, most of the time, I get paid to have fun with some awesome students!  It is the perfect situation for me and my family right now and I am thankful to be a part of such a great school district!

November 30 - Just Thankful
Thanks for sharing in all my blessings this month.  Today, I am thankful for my parents who raised me in a loving home and gave me the values I cherish today, including giving back to others.  I am thankful that I met my husband, Pat, 13 years and 7 months ago.  I don't know where I would be without him.  I am thankful for the 3 beautiful, insightful, happy kids we have been raising together.  Patrick, Bennett and Reagan each have their own unique personalities and each of them complete the puzzle of our family.  I am beyond blessed.  My life is truly a blessing each and every day and my cup overflows with love. 

Monday, November 28, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.

I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.




November 28 - Thankful for Our Piano
I took piano lessons my whole childhood and have continued to play off and on as an adult.  Due to some stiffness and pain in my fingers I took some time away from it.  But, I am currently practicing again to play for our choir at our Christmas Eve service.  I forgot how much I enjoy it and how much it can relax me.  It is a talent I have been given and I definately need to play more.  Both the boys are taking lessons and are quite talented as well.  It brings such joy to hear them playing and knowing I am carrying on this tradition with them.  I know how anxious Reagan is to start playing as well.  She loves to sit at the piano and plunk out some songs. 


A Giveaway From Our Friends at Energizer

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. THANKS FOR ENTERING!



On this Cyber Monday, have you been shopping?  Do any of the toys or electronics you purchased need batteries?  Well, I have something just for you.  One of my readers will win a specially marked package of batteries.  These specially marked packages will offer you the batteries for your holiday gift giving as well as a code for a free online movie on demand that can be redeemed from Blockbuster.com, Amazon.com, iTunes.com or the YouTube Store.  These specially marked packages will also be offered in stores. 


Once you receive your batteries, follow the instructions on the box by entering the code at www.energizer.com/movies.  This free movie offer expires on April 30, 2012.  This offer is available for one reward per household/email address. 

To enter to win the giveaway of 2 packages of either AA Lithium or Recharageable Batteries or combination of the 2 you must do the following:

Required Entry - Leave a comment with which 2 packages of batteries you prefer and how you will use the batteries.

Extra Entry - Leave a SEPERATE comment telling me you are now following or have been following my blog.

Extra Entry - Leave a SEPERATE comment telling me you now follow or have been following me on Twitter Sincerely Stacie

Extra Entry - Leave a SEPERATE comment telling me you now follow or have been following Energizer on Twitter.

This giveaway is open to US residents only.  The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM on Thursday, December 15, 2011.  I will choose a winner using Random.org on Friday, December 16, 2011.

I was provided with a set of batteries for our family.  I wasn't compensated in any other way for this review. 

A New Nativity

A few years ago, I decided I wanted to collect Nativity Sets.  There are so many unique sets available and I love looking at them.  As part of my 40 Before 40 Challenge, I decided I wanted to get a new Nativity set to add to my collection.  But, instead of me purchasing one, I was given a set by my dear cousin, Melanie. 

Melanie is very talented and can create something out of nothing.  She definately got the artistic gene in our family.  Melanie had been felting some things with her mom and kids and so I mentioned that I had seen a felted Nativity set and wondered if someday she wanted to make one for me.  Little did I know that she would do it that next day!  At our family Christmas a couple weeks ago, she gave me this sweet set!  Aren't they adorable?!?!



I have no need to get a new set, this one is just the perfect addition to my collection.  Thanks so much Melanie and Aunt Susie for creating this sweet little family for me! 

Scenes from Our Week - Week 8

The kids enjoying the pool after our Thanksgiving meal.

Pat and I

Bennett and Reagan were excited to get up on the roof
with Dad while he was hanging the Christmas lights.

Our house all lit up for Christmas!


Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.

I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to ignore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.



 
November 26 - Thankful for Safe Travels
After traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday and staying in a hotel, eating out, and shopping at all hours we never had one bit of trouble.  Our hotel was pleasant, driving was smooth (Thanks Julie for being our shopping chauffeur), food was great (Except for the one hair in Bill's food) and everyone had fun. 
 
November 27 - Thankful for Pat putting up the Christmas Lights
Pat spent last Wednesday and today putting up the Christmas lights on our house.  We really debated putting them up and making the move to LED lights.  They are expensive, but knew we would have them for a long time if we got them.  Then it was the debate of what color.  Last year we got these blue and white trees that go along the south side of our house, so we wanted to match those.  Pat took great care to make sure every light had its own clip and they just look wonderful.  He set it off by putting blue bulbs in all our outside light fixtures too.  Our house has a Griswald kind of glow and it is beautiful. Thanks, Pat!
 

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.

I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.




November 24 - Thankful for A Wonderful Stress-Free Meal
For the last few years, we have decided to travel for Thanksgiving.  We found out Cracker Barrel restaurants offer a wonderful meal on Thanksgiving so we travel to places that have a Cracker Barrel.  Their meal includes drink, turkey, ham, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green beans, cranberry relish, biscuit/corn bread, and pie all for $8.99.  No stressful cooking and no clean up!  We spent our meal with Pat's sister's family.  We scored a nice big round table so we could all sit together and visit easily!  It was a wonderful meal and another great time with family!

November 25 - Thankful I Survived Black Friday
Since we are in Des Moines, my Sister-in-law, her teeage children, and I decided to brave Jordan Creek Mall at midnight.  Oh my! I wasn't prepared for the mob of people waiting to attack the stores and shop!  It really was quite the site to see and experience.  The Victoria's Secret store was so crowded you couldn't move and I decided I needed to get out of there immediately.  The lines were long and stores we crowded, but everyone that I interacted with was pleasant and kind.  I took special care to thank each of the employees I had an interaction with and let them know I appreciated them working these crazy hours.  I was able to get some really good deals and I made it until 3:30 AM.  We went back out in the afternoon and the shopping was much more manageable.  During our midnight shopping, the mall had hired some carolers who were amazing.  It was such a nice surprise to hear their Chrismas hymns and songs carrying over the din of the crowd.  It was a way for them to remind us of the REAL reason for Christmas while the greed in the mall seemed to overshadow it.  As I focus on my lists and shopping over the next few weeks, I am going to try to find ways to keep the CHRIST in CHRISTmas.  Stay tuned.........



Thursday, November 24, 2011

From Iowa?


I saw this posted on Facebook this week and thought it was pretty funny:  Not all of these apply to me but most of them sure do! 



IOWA, according to Jeff Foxworthy:

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you may live in Iowa.
If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't even work there, you may live in Iowa.
If you've worn shorts and a jacket at the same time, you may live in Iowa.
If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Iowa.
If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Iowa.
If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day and back again, you may live in Iowa.
If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Iowa.
If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both doors unlocked, you may live in Iowa. If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Iowa.
If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Iowa.
If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Iowa.
If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you may live in Iowa.
If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in Iowa.
If you find 10 degrees "a little chilly", you may live in Iowa.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.


I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.



November 22 - Thankful for A Date, A Deal, and A Hug
On Tuesday, I was able to spend some time alone with my husband over a delicious lunch at Ruby Tuesdays.  We don't get that one on one time very often and it was a treat to be able to meet for lunch.  While I was in town, I was getting some shopping done and pricing heated blankets and mattress pads. We had decided we wanted to get these for the kids for Christmas.  So far, in my shopping, I had found these to be anywhere from $60-$80+.  Ugh!  But then I went to Target and to my surprise, they were running a 4-Day sale on them for $25!!!  I couldn't believe it!  I snagged 3 of them and spent nearly the same for 3 that would have for 1....Thanks Target!  I had also decided, since I would be getting groceries, I would get all the ingredients necessary for Taco Night for supper.  Bennett LOVES tacos and had been asking for them a lot, but I never had the ingredients or the time to make them up.  When Bennett found out I was making tacos for supper, I got THE. BEST. HUG!  

November 23 - Thankful for a Day to Sleep In
There was no school today and we didn't have anywhere we had to be, so everyone was told to sleep as late as they wanted to.  Pat got up at 5:45 to go to basketball, but for once, I didn't even hear him get up and leave.  I was able to sleep until 8:00.  That was a treat.  I was still behind on sleep from last weekend and I know this weekend I will be short on sleep again due to Black Friday Midnight Shopping!  So, being able to sleep in today was a treat! 


Monday, November 21, 2011

Christmas Giving Around the World

Several years ago, when Reagan and I were in MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) our group was responsible for an Operation Christmas Child box.  After doing that, I knew I wanted to give boxes as a family.  I even made it one of my 40 Before 40 Challenges and we accomplished it!

Operation Christmas Child is a part of the charitable organization Samaritan's Purse. Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan's Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.


Courtesy of Samaritan's Purse

So, the first thing you do is get a shoe box. You can use one of your own, or purchase a plastic one with a lid.  They are only $1 at Walmart. Then you fill it with items for either a boy or a girl in the age groups or 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14 years old.  Some items you could put in the shoe box would be small toys like cars, stuffed animals, kazoos, and dolls. School supplies like pencils, paper, calculators, colors, and markers.  Personal items like toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, washcloth, and comb.  You can also include hard candies, gum, t-shirts, socks, jewelry, and hair clips.


Girl age 5-9 box

Boys age 5-9 box

We had a lot of fun filling the boxes with things that our kids love.  We also included a letter and picture from us talking about our family, what we like to do, and where we live.  Next year, I would like to do boxes for the older age groups as I would expect they are likely the least to get filled.

Photos like this one below, make my heart break.

Boy from Phillipines opening his Christmas Box. Photo courtesy of Samaritan's Purse


I know there are kids in our own country that have needs, but the conditions in other countries seem to be so unimaginable.  When kids in other countries are asking for things that we take for granted like shoes and socks and pencils and paper, my heart says, I can do that!  Our family will also be contributing to children in our community by purchasing toys and food baskets for the Christmas giveaway at Mission of Hope



The Operation Christmas Child boxes travel all over the world to some of the poorest places like Mongolia, Phillipines, Africa, and India.  Our family is hoping the children that received our 3 boxes will take a moment and write back to us.  We can't wait to hear where our boxes traveled.

The shoe box drop-off for this year has ended, but you can still donate money to help pay for the shipping costs to send all these boxes across the world.  My mom will be traveling to Minneapolis to one of the warehouses where all the shoes boxes will be packed into larger boxes for shipping.  She said there is always a need for money for adding items to boxes and for shipping.  To make your tax deductible donation, go to http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ !  Be a part of bringing Christmas cheer and the love of Jesus to a child today!

Scenes From Our Week - Week 7


This weekend was our annual Jones Family Christmas.  My mom and her four sisters get together with all their children and grandchildren every year.  We usually get together in November before the rush of the holiday season.  Plus, the weather usually cooperates better for all the travelers.  We rent out a place, this year renting the Beulahland Bible Camp and moving in for the weekend.  Enjoy the photos from the Christmas as well as from our church choir on Sunday.  Have a wonderful week celebrating Thanksgiving and all you have to be thankful for.

Cousins hanging out and watching a movie

Me with one of my favorite people, my cousin Melanie

Cousins Elise and Reagan

Reagan with our newest family member, 4 month old Aleya

Sunday morning's breakfast included a smoothie shop run by the kids!
They had a blast coming up with their own menu and even earning tips!

The sisters in their new sparkly visors! Eileen, Cynthia, Susan, Kathy, and my mom, Tricia
Aunt Susie was the host this year, so she was super busy with breakfast prep and hadn't changed clothes yet!

My loot this year from the gift exchange! YUM!!!

The Goodbye Hug

Whoops!  Keys locked in my cousin's car. 
The men tried to get them out, but unfortunately they had to call a locksmith. 
Our parish choir debuted on Sunday afternoon at our special Thanksgiving service.
 It has been such a joy to be a part of it.  We'll be singing again on Christmas Eve.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.


I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.



 November 18, 19, 20 - Thankful for family, memories, and traditions
I spent the entire weekend with over 50 members of my family.  Every year, my mom and her 4 sisters and their children and grandchildren get together to celebrate Christmas.  It truly is a blessing to get everyone together and catch up, laugh, eat, laugh, exchange gifts, laugh, eat more, and laugh more.  I know how rare it is for families to stay connected in this way and I enjoy every moment of it.  We rented this beautiful Christian camp, Beulahland Bible Camp and moved in for the weekend.  I can't express how much I love my family and the memories and traditions we are building for our children.  I look forward to celebrating for years to come.

November 21 - Thankful for no phone call
As a substitute teacher, the phone can ring at any moment for a sub job.  Yes, I have the ability to say no, but I do always feel guilty when I have an appointment and can't agree to a job that day.  But, after the weekend and hardly any sleep, I was praying that I would not get a sub call this morning.  I still have lots of unpacking to do and needed to get caught up here at home.  Thankfully, there was no phone call this morning and I am taking advantage of that by knocking things off my list at a rapid pace. 

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.


I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.




November 16 - Thankful for Customer Service
Today I had several errands to run in a very short amount of time.  One of my stops was to Carlos O'Kelly's for a gift card.  I didn't want to have to drive back to the west side of town after other errands, so I stopped there at 10:30 AM and they were still closed.  The manager was thankfully picking up outside and even though they were still closed, he let me in.  He turned on the cash register and computers early and allowed me to purchase the gift card.  I was very appreciative and grateful for him taking a few moments to make my time flow a little easier.  As someone who used to work in customer service and has found some very disheartening customer service acts lately, this is one that I will remember.  Carlos has always gotten a lot of business from us and they will continue to get more from us in the future!

November 17 - Thankful for Birds
The birds have returned to our feeder.  As a child, my parents always had several feeders all around our yard and I loved watching them.  Some of my favorites were the blue jays, hummingbirds, wrens, chickadees, and gold finches.  Our bird feeder is right outside our living room window and as I am typing this, the birds are so happy, flying around, playing with each other and snacking on the suet cake and bird seed.  It just makes me happy. 

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Movie Review: VeggieTales THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY



In this Veggie-version of a holiday classic, Junior Asparagus stars as The Little Drummer Boy, a lonely child who finds the true meaning of Christmas when he stumbles upon the birth of the baby Jesus. A story of generosity, hope, and love, this timeless tale will warm the hearts of children everywhere!

I showed this movie to our Kindergarten - Second Grade kids at our After School JAMS program last week.  As I talked about the movie, I was surprised how many kids hand NOT heard of the story of the Little Drummer Boy.  Some of the kids did recognize The Little Drummer Boy song once they heard it in the movie. 

VeggieTales and Big Idea have found the magic way of telling Bible stories with that unique way of entertaining the kids and the parents.  They find a way to insert grown-up humor and tell the story with a modern twist to get the kids involved.  When I asked the kids afterwards about the movie, they were right away able to identify lessons on forgiveness, anger, and being kind.  As a parent, I appreciate the ability to tie in those lessons to real life. 

If you are looking for a new Christmas story to enjoy this year, THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY is one to choose.  This DVD is available for $8.99 HERE or at your local Christian or discount store.  Prices are subject to change.


This review is my honest opinion.  As a VeggieTales Ambassador, I receive movie kits with the understanding that I will share them with our church community as well as letting others know about their movies.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  I will not review any products that won't benefit myself or my family.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.

I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.


 

November 14 - Thankful for Books
As an avid reader, I am so thankful for books.  They give me an escape from the stress of daily life.  They educate me.  They expose me to a world outside of my own.  They make me laugh. They make me cry.  I LOVE BOOKS.   

November 15 - Thankful for Friends
Doesn't everyone have groups of friends that fill different needs?  I do!  I have my book club friends that I can't wait to get together with every month.  Then I have my church friends who I rely on for so many things.  I have my BFF who unfortunately lives in another state, but our texts, cards and phone calls keep us close.  I have my high school friends and college friends who I don't get to see hardly ever, but thanks to Facebook, I can keep up with their lives.  I have my dear friend, Mary, who keeps me sane and makes me laugh.  I have my Bible Study friends whom I pray for daily.  I have those in my family who I also consider some of my best friends and couldn't get through a day without.  I have friends from home and friends in our community that are such a joy to hang out with.  And finally, I have all my blogger/online friends who impact my life daily, even if they don't know it.  Each one of these friends brings something special and important to my life and without them, I wouldn't be the person that I am.  Thanks for being my friend!

Scenes From Our Week - Week 6

We had another great week and I was able to capture some of it in pictures.

All the elementary singing in their Red, White and Blue for the Veteran's Day Program

Reagan (with the red flower in her hair) singing her heart out

Bennett #33, getting some air on that shot!

Bennett, Patrick, and Coach Dad watching the game

Patrick and his friend, Dylan going after the ball

Reagan and her BFF, Izzy roller skating for the 1st time
There was a great turnout for the PTO Skate Night.  Thanks for all you do for our kids and our school PTO!


Book Review: THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot

THE IMMORTAL LIFE
OF HENRIETTA LACKS

By:  Rebecca Skloot

Published:  February 2, 2010

Non-Fiction

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henrietta’s small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia—a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo—to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells.

Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family—past and present—is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

Over the decade it took to uncover this story, Rebecca became enmeshed in the lives of the Lacks family—especially Henrietta’s daughter Deborah, who was devastated to learn about her mother’s cells. She was consumed with questions: Had scientists cloned her mother? Did it hurt her when researchers infected her cells with viruses and shot them into space? What happened to her sister, Elsie, who died in a mental institution at the age of fifteen? And if her mother was so important to medicine, why couldn’t her children afford health insurance?

This was our Book Club Read for the month of November and I am very anxious to discuss it this evening.  I was so excited we could get this book (we get all our books through inter-library-loan, so newer/popular books are hard to get) as I had been wanting to read it for awhile. 
 
Even though this book is labeled non-fiction, most of the story read like a novel.  Skloot took great care to tell the story of Henrietta and her family and then tell the story of the cells using words and descriptions for the lay-person.  I never once got bored reading through the scientific part of the book, but was instead incredibly fascinated.  Throughout most of the book, I know my mouth was hanging open as I was in shock at the things that were happening to Henrietta and her family. 
 
I found the beginning of the story very fascinating because Henrietta died in 1951, just a few years before my own grandmother died of ovarian cancer.  Even though the 1950's doesn't seem that far away, the world in relation to other races and the medical world were much different that what they are today.  So much has progressed and changed it is hard to take it all in.  I think of my mom and her sisters and wonder if they had much of the same feelings Deborah, Henrietta's daughter, had about missing her mom. I think of my grandma and wonder how she managed her feelings of despair and fear after finding out her diagnosis, knowing she was leaving 5 daughters behind. 
 
There was so much to learn about cancer, cells, and medical research that I feel like I could continue to read on this subject forever.  Even since this was written in 2009, I wonder how much has changed or progressed just since then. 
 
I appreciate that Skloot has set up a scholarship fund for the decendents of Henrietta and that many of them are going on to college - even in the science field.  They are the ones that can change the course of their family's history and make a difference in their own right. 
 
I can't stress enough that this book should be read.  As a woman, as a mother, as someone who receives medical care - this book has opened my eyes and has given me a new appreciation for the research and advances in medical care that we have seen and will continue to see in our lives. 

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.

I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.




November 12  and 13 - Thankful for Weekends
I love relaxing weekends and this weekend was one of those.  There were only a few MUST DO things this weekend:  Boys' basketball game, dinner out with friends/family, church, and rollerskating.  The MUST DO things were fun and there was still plenty of time for football watching, shopping, book reading, tv watching, and good family time.  We all need weekends where we can refresh from the week.  Sometimes the weekends are busier than the actual week and it makes it tough to get back into the routine.  So, I cherish these weekends where life moves a bit slower and we can enjoy the moment without rushing on to the next one.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.


I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.



November 11 - Thankful for those who have fought for our freedoms and rights.
Today, on Veteran's Day, I am thankful for so many family members and friends who have served for the armed forces and have fought to protect our freedoms.  Our school gives on OUTSTANDING Veteran's Day program with students K-12 involved.  All of the community is invited and is quite something to experience.  My folks were able to come this year and I was so proud as my dad stood while all those who served in the Army were recognized during their Army Song.  My dad served during the Korean War.  He gets frustrated sometimes when so much focus is given to vets from WWII and Vietnam.  The Korean War tends to be the forgotten war, but my dad's and other vets' service was just as important to our country as any other war.  My dad doesn't like to talk about that time in his life much, but when he does I make sure I drop everything and listen. 

Thanks to our FCCLA chapter, to the Choir, and to the Band for putting on another wonderful program today.  If you have never attended a Veteran's Day program/event, I ask you to put it on your list for next year.  I guarantee there will be one held in your community or very close by.  You will leave moved and with a deeper appreciation for our country.


Thursday, November 10, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.


I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.



November 10 - Blessed with Great Kids and a Great School
Tonight were our Parent/Teacher Conferences and I came home a very proud Mom!  (Pat wasn't able to attend since he and the boys had basketball practice) I was pleased to hear that all three of the kids are doing well academically, but most importantly they are kind and considerate in the classroom as well.  We are so lucky to live in a district with so many wonderful teachers, staff and administrators.  Twice a year it is nice to hear that we must be doing something right as parents!  Thanks teachers for all your hard work, extra hours, extra dollars spent, and extra love given to our kids!  You are truly appreciated!

Shutterfly Christmas Card Review


Nearly every year I get our family Christmas cards from Shutterfly.  This year I had such a hard time deciding because there were so many unique card options.  I really like how you can customize your search options.  I knew I was only going to use one photo so I knocked out several options that way.  Then I knew I wanted the 5x7 Flat Card option.  So, that narrowed it down even more.  You can also narrow it down by color options.  Still, with all those choices, I still had a huge array of cards to choose from. 

This card is the one that finally won out.  I couldn't decide if I wanted black and white or color, but the family won me over with the color choice.  If you want to get 40% off cards right now, enter in CARD40 to get your discount.  I saved over $98 buy using that option as well as the free shipping option...enter in SHIP30. 

Shutterfly does offer the option of entering in all your recipients addresses and they will ship them for you.  I like to be able to write a personal note in them, plus I'm not THAT organized yet.  Anyway, they should arrive next week and I will have them out soon after that!

Check out all the great shutterfly options at http://www.shutterfly.com/

Magical Night Christmas Card
View the entire collection of cards.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Counting My Blessings In November

November is the time to count our many blessings - name them one by one.
 I want to look at each day and name at least one blessing from that day. Something that happened or affected me on that day and not just in general. It can be so easy to igore those little blessings in our day, but sometimes it is the little blessings that can make the biggest impact.



November 9 - Thankful for Reminders
Today after school I helped out at our church's After School JAMS program.  We have kids from Kindergarten through 6th Grade come and have a snack, sing, and learn all about Jesus' love for each one of them.  Today I had the Kindergarten - 2nd grade group during our activity time and I was blessed by one of the kids.  We were watching a movie (VeggieTales The Little Drummer Boy) and often thoughout the movie, this child would respond to something she heard in the movie.  But, one of them stood out to me the most.....The child said to me, "Do you know that Jesus died on the cross to save us?"  I said, "Yes, I do.  You are so right.  Aren't we lucky He did that for us?"

One of my 40 Before 40 goals is to share the GOOD NEWS with someone who didn't know it.  I am comfortable telling kids about Jesus, but not as comfortable telling grown-ups.  This child reminded me how simple it can really be.

DO YOU KNOW THAT JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS TO SAVE ME AND TO SAVE YOU?

Who do you need to share this message with?  Am I sharing this message right now with someone who didn't already know it? 

Thanks to my little friend for that simple reminder today!