a quiet Saturday evening

This is what happens when you ignore a crunching sound from the other room while washing dishes:
1. They were barefoot, so it was a tactile experience.
2. There was no butter on the popcorn, only salt.
3. I saw it happen; the biggest bowl tipped just out of her fingertips...
4. But the rest of it wasn't a mistake.
5. Big deal!
6. The vacuum cleaner was efficient when set on "high carpet."
7. Daddy-o was at a meeting until late. (Whew!)

And speaking of vacuum cleaners, what is it about turning one on that makes them screech like banshees and run screaming from the room? They're not afraid of it - I even say, "OK, girlies, I'm going to turn on the vacuum; don't yell." And they start hollering the minute I've pushed the button. They run laughing with their arms in the air up and down the hallway like pingpong balls in a bingo basket. I give up. The funny thing is, though, Andy came home about 10 minutes after this picture was taken and was none the wiser. If he noticed le aroma du popcorn, he didn't mention it!

Oh, and for what it's worth, here's the view from our loo: Its not the Virgin Mary, but -

Maybe a Righteous Reindeer?

weather

The first thing I did after rolling out of bed this morning was check the thermometer in the carport. It read 2. The second thing I did was grab an armload of wood. I smiled. It was 2. I like saying that. "What shall I wear today, dear?" "I think you better put on a jacket, it's 2 degrees outside." "What's the weather like up there?" "Oh, its 2."
Last year, when the wood stove was new and somewhat of a novelty, my ever lovin' husband would gallantly keep us well supplied with firewood in the house and dutifully stoke the coals each morning to ensure we girls had a roaring blaze by which to warm our sleepy limbs.
Not so much anymore.
Hmph. No. Instead, he spends several hours a month chainsawing felled trees, loading them in the truck, hauling them down the mountain, unloading them, splitting them on the log splitter, stacking them and engineering the design of the stacked wood so that it doesn't cascade on our heads when we pull from oldest to newest. Of all the nerve.
Which is why I was checking the thermometer - to see if I could balk at my chore, especially on this freezing morning - and to judge whether I would be able to garner any sympathy in a blog post. However, instead of raising an objection to the frigid concrete under my bare feet, I was a little giddy at the prospect of a high temperature of 12, a mere 10 degrees over the chilly 2 at 5:45 AM. Outside. INSIDE was toasty and quite comfortable.
Made me appreciate free firewood...the wood stove....my dear husband....and the pile of logs stacked neatly beside the hearth.

Something to look forward to

Hannah said today she was "house sick." I told her she meant that she had cabin fever. So I packed 'em both up and we haded over to Douthat State Park to enjoy the 29-degree cold and get out of the house for a bit.
BUT!
Before we left I was perusing a day-old Virginian Review and there in the Letters to the Editor was the first glimpse of summer! A letter mentioning that Magic In The Mountains will be in Clifton Forge beginning June 19, 2009 - WOO-HOO! I promptly jotted it on the calendar - now, you go put it on yours.....
But then, when we got home, there was the Maple Festival brochure for March 14-15 and 21 and 22. MMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, maple doughnuts....maple syrrrrup.
That is the great thing about the Highlands. There is always something going on to bring the kids to. This year I think I'll have some sort of entry in Magic in the Mountains. Either that or I'll set up a craft table.
Remind me, OK?

ick and crafts

The girls are sick. Again.
It started with Abba's launch of supper at BK before church on Sunday night. We were so careful not to stain their clothes with ketchup that....I won't finish that thought.
Then last night, in the middle of a blizzard from our Little House on the Prairie: The Long Winter reading, Hannah let loose in my bed. I closed my book as Daddy-o rushed to the rescue with a towel.
And today, I feel as though I am on the brink. Maybe the antibiotics for this sinus infection will stave off any nastiness, and maybe its the Breakfast of Champions (black coffee and a hard boiled egg) that is making me want to follow my daughters' leads, and maybe its just being cooped up in the house.

Enough pity.

Here's a project I've been working on: actually a late Christmas present for a neighbor. I don't know now, though - up close they look a little elementary - its been awhile since I've stamped and I just feel a little rusty. I used Diamond Glaze, Liquid Laminate or Mod Podge on the "water" in the vases. I added iridescent pigment to some of them and Tiny Glass Beads (those are the ones that are super-reflective in the photo below) to others. It gives them a nice 3-D effect. I wasn't sure about the black cardstock, but these are winter-made cards, so black seemed appropriate. I like the pink ribbon best - that was my original inspiration, believe it or not.

Anyways, I finally finished them last night except for the insides - I need to glue in piece of white cardstock for a writing area. Nothing fancy.

And, in case you didn't see them in person, here's the girls' Christmas Eve presents:

I am hoping to start a new tradition of new nightgowns as a Christmas Eve present. Abigail's is the one that I finished up that afternoon. Once I got the hang of it, I am able to make up one of these in about an hour and a half (if I am uninterrupted/undistracted). That's good news because this pattern is very flexible - it makes nice peasant tops for spring and summer.

That's all for now. I need to get laundry done (including my quilt - yuk!) and entertain the little ladies.
Bye!

"HOW TO" & a grammar lesson

I love comments to my posts!!
You can comment directly to the blog, though, and not have to go back to my email by doing the following:
1. Under "Post Comment", type your comment.
2. From the drop-down menu that says, "comment as", choose "Name/URL" or "Anonymous"
3. If you selected "name" type your name and leave the URL space blank
4. Type in the code letters that pop up in the provided box
5. Press "submit comment"
6. You're done! Your comment will post below the blog entry.

Its just that there are so many funny and relevant comments coming to my email that I wish everyone could see!

And, as an aside....

"Giving up the ghost" is correct.
"Giving up the goat" is incorrect.
Unless you are referring to a transaction in animal husbandry.


"Don't let it get your goat" is correct.
"Don't let it get your groats" is incorrect.
Unless you are referring to a member of the Bovidae family about to consume your hot breakfast.

TWOG

Here's a funny video that my pal Andrea forwarded to me - and it is

especially relevant to ME, since I can't find my "travelling" Bible for the life of me. It is in a book cover with handles, and the fabric has khaki-colored flowers on a blue background. Please let me know if you've seen it! I am afraid I've left it at the Lake or something, but it could be anywhere. I've searched all the cars - and I wonder if I've just left it somewhere. Either that or I've put it someplace "safe" so I wouldn't loose it....you know how that goes.

An anecdote: I remember when, years ago, our Sunday School class was getting together to put up lights at RRR or something - anyways, we carpooled, and someone not in that class had left her Bible in the back seat of one of the cars. Well, the owner of the car (a person in leadership, no less), chuckled when they saw the other person's Bible in the back seat. They said, "Oh, I see that 'Carrie' (not her real name) left her Bible in my car after I gave her a ride home last week. I can see that SHE has not been in the Word for awhile!" Then he kind of laughed it off, I guess realizing how this comment had sounded.

But you know, I remember the name of the person whose Bible was in the back seat. I will ALWAYS remember her name - because she was being judged and criticized for not "being in the Word" or reading her Bible. Now, the person who said that had no way of knowing whether Carrie had a stack of Bibles around her house from which to choose to read daily or what. He should have known better, too, but certainly as a Christian this person should not have been so judgmental - and certainly should not have pointed it out to others. It is THIS kind of behavior that turns off others to Christianity - the fear of being judged or looked down on because they are not good enough - or do not follow "the rules" well enough or whatever. Bottom line is, though, that ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

That event - over a decade ago - taught me to one, keep good track of my Bible and not leave it at church or in others' cars (!), but mostly to try to not pass judgment on others. Of course, I still do, and I catch myself up short more often than not. I don't want to, though...and mostly because I don't know the whole story, and above all because I don't know anyone's heart - I only see the outward appearance. I know there are hundreds of ways I could be judged for my actions and my appearances (and you'd be right!). Unfortunately, being a fallen sinner, I end up often giving in to the temptation to set myself up above others through judgement. That is the fallen, sinful nature of the flesh.

My earnest prayer is that the Holy Spirit will help me to resist the temptation to judge anyone - for I am no better than anyone else, it is just that I have been saved from the curse of Hell and have been promised eternity in Heaven with Jesus Christ and other Believers who have asked Him into their hearts. It is so easy to speculate about others - we have a wonderful brain that can think and come up with all kind of creative ideas and thoughts - but as Christians we are commanded to keep our thoughts under control and submit them to the Lord, not be tempted to think poorly of others.

So, all of this to say, would you please call me if you find my Bible? I have some reading to do.

Why the Internet Works for Me

As someone confided in Andy in a discreet yet direct manner yesterday, I have been slacking off my blogging, as I haven't had a new post since December 18 - of lastyear! Whew! And here's two in one morning! That's what a sleepless night will getcha.

I've not abandoned the Net by any means. I've been following a couple sites for crafting ideas, mainly since most of my Christmas gifts were home-made, and I am gathering ideas for next year.

And by the way, I will NOT wait until December to get to work on Christmas. This year was NO FUN! I am going to have my lists ready by February 1 and I will be FINISHED by November. Thanksgiving at the latest. I just won't do what I did this year. On December 26 I was wrapping presents to take to Tidewater - and leaving that afternoon. Now, that is just crazy. I was so focused on getting them done that I lost two presents en route and forgot to give three others. No, no, no. But I digress.

The site on which I've been lurking is One Pretty Thing, and if you want to see what you are getting for your birthday, Valentine's Day, Christmas, etc., then pop over there and take a look. I am so hooked on this site! Its not just the site, you see. Follow a craft project link to the creator's site and then look at their other crafts and posts. Then take a look at the blogs and sites they follow, and soon three hours have passed and your husband is snoring (if he snores, of course mine is adamant he doesn't) (yeah, right) in the background as the clock ticks off into the wee hours.

But that is what I like about the Internet. You pick up a thread and follow it to where it links, choose another thread, follow that one awhile, go to the next and so on. PERRRRFECT for those of us with short attention spans. And those of us who like bright shiny pictures.

I'd like to do more sewing this year, and finish at least two quilts: a denim one and a scrappy patchwork quilt. I'm motivated by this - and the fact that I realized WalMart has a great serger by Brother for...wait a minute. It was on Rollback before Christmas for $204 and now its at $232. Oh, well, I guess that means I'll have to save up a little longer. But that is my goal, anyways. Feel free to donate to My Cause - just write "serger" in the memo line of your check :)