Our darling granddaughter, Grace, made this cute litte girl ornament for my Christmas present this year. She used sandpaper as a medium and adorned it with lots of glitter. I treasure it greatly!

     My one & only 2009 New Year's resolution is to read the Bible in one year, following the daily reading guide found in the back of my ESV Study Bible. So far, I am lapping up the Word of our Lord in the early morning hour before DH wakes up. The daily reading guide is divided into the following four reading segments: "Psalms and Wisdom Literature," "Pentateuch and History of Israel," "Chronicles and Prohets," and finally "Gospels and Epistles."      

     Ice is dancing outside on our windows as I write this. We will experience a wintery mix of rain, ice, and possible snow before the day is over. I have a doctor's appointment this morning and am hoping that the roads are salted. This check-up is with my neurologist, who has no idea how to help me with my afliction: Erythromelalgia. I am wearing shorts to the appointment in order to better illustrate my plight. It's 29 degrees outside and I have a long warm coat, but from my knees down to my calves will be uncovered, susceptible to the freezing temps. 

     Update on Doctor's appointment: when he saw me in shorts, he asked if I was traveling to somewhere tropical after the appointment. Seriously, as Head of Neurology for a large Indy hospital my doctor does not know what to do for me. He wants me to increase the pain medication and see if this makes a difference with the stinging pain in my knees. I sure hate to put more medicine into my system but will follow his advice for at least a month. This is a brand name medication, no generic, and is costly. I prayed over my knees asking for my Father's help.       

      I wish you all a very Happy New Year! May our 2009 days ahead be blessed with God's grace and love. DH and I are staying home today, as he is recovering from a head cold. I'm making chicken vegetable stew and corn bread. I promised myself that I would also finish reading a book that I have wanted to "get lost in" for some time now. Of course laundry beckons.   

        These are some photos of our 2007 Christmas Cookie Making Day at Jenn's home. We had so much fun! The children even danced around the kitchen in between batches of delectable delights. This coming Monday we are once again gathering together to make our traditional Christmas cookies, but this time at my home.

     We plan to do gingerbread men, cut-outs, peanut butter hersey kiss cookies, milion dollar bars, and chocolate fudge. Jenn is making the gingerbread and cut-out doughs ahead of time as they need to be chilled in order to roll out and cut into shapes.

     I'll have some Starbuck's brewing in the coffee pot and we'll doctor it up with flavored creme so Jenn and I can keep moving to the beat of the mixer and oven timer. I am excited! I'll take this year's photos and post them, probably by the time next week's Friday S&T rolls around.

      I hope you all have enjoyed my S&T today. Please go to Mary 's blog and check out more S&T posts, as they are all so wonderful and worthy of your read.  I pray that your weekend ahead is blessed with God's amazing Grace. He is so faithful. 

Happy Cat!

     Jenn captured this moment between Ry and my male cat called Truman. Ry has a way of putting our cats to sleep by massaging them. Who wouldn't enjoy this treat? They look forward to his visits.Truman's sister, Abbey cat, lives with Ry and family. Truman looks like her except he is about 8 pounds heavier. We are a happy cat family!  

    Today, even though there are still icy roads to contend with, I am making my way to my parents home. Bills have to paid or else not heat or lights - tomorrow is the deadline. I'm taking some rock salt to use on their wheelchair ramp. My plans, which could change in a blink of an eye, are to make us lunch, pay bills, address Christmas cards, and then head for home before rush hour traffic.  

     I had planned to visit my mom and dad today but the weather changed that idea, as winter mix of ice and snow threatened Indy.  I even rode to the bakery with my hubby instead of driving on my own because it was safer. Mom and dad were okay with my not coming, but I need to help them pay some bills that are due real soon or they will be without gas and lights. I called Vectren but couldn't do anything because I am not on their account information. That will change when I visit them on Weds., God willing.

     DH and I had a wonderful weekend with the grandchildren. We all stayed very busy! We played games, had computer time, played Camp Meerkat, watched two movies, baked, played paper dolls, and sort of slept... the first movie that the boys and hubby watched was Indiana Jones. This was a bad idea, as it kept them up later than we expected. Gracie and I played paper dolls.

      Sleeping arrangements were okay but need to improve for the next sleepover. Gracie had a rough night - I didn't realize until too late that she was afraid to sleep by herself on the air mattress. Trev slept in bed with me and Ry slept on the floor in his sleeping bag. She cried off and on until 11pm. I am sorry that I didn't rearrange things. It was too late because the boys fell asleep around 10:30 pm. We talked about it in the morning and she seemed okay, just worn out. Poor baby.

     I'm trying to get Christmas cards done. It is all happening so fast.  Jenn and little ones are coming over next Monday to bake Christmas cookies. This will be so much fun! Can't wait. And then, it will be Christmas Eve....        

     DH and I decided to invest in our health by giving each other the gift of exercise in the form of a recumbent bike for Christmas. Notice one of my Siamese cats being lazy on our sofa? These cats sleep about 20 hours a day and stay in pretty good health for being around fourteen years old. Why don't they have to exercise to stay fit?   

     Anyway, back to the recumbent bike...the first time I tried it I lasted about one minute! Boy, am I out of shape. My DH is now up to 10 minutes and climbing. We decided on a recumbent bike because we both are "up there in years" and it seemed to be easier on our bones than the old treadmill that sits upstairs gathering cobwebs. 

     I hope you enjoyed my S&T today. Please go to Mary 's blog and check out more S&T posts, as they are all so wonderful and worthy of your read.  I pray that your weekend ahead is blessed with God's amazing Grace.

     I am so thankful that my daughter, Jenn, came over last evening, choosing a visit with us over a hot steaming cup of Starbucks' peppermint mocha latte. Her sharing time at our home, while her little ones were at Awana and her DH was studying for a tax class at home, made me feel very special in her eyes. Maybe, we can share Starbucks together soon?

     I am so thankful that all went as well as possible yesterday when I visited my mom and dad. I was able to grocery shop for them, cook a lunch (clean the kitchen  a little too), ferry them to and from her eye appt, and then arrive safely to my home. It was a long day, but I need to be with them at least one day a week. 

     I am so thankful that my sister will visit with mom and dad this Friday. She is helping mom with Christmas cards and is bringing them a homemade sweet treat. 

     I am so thankful that my DH is working so hard to bring our bakery new business. 2009 promises to be a better year, if all goes according to his plan.

     I am so very thankful to God for His merices, His Grace, and most of all for His faithfulness.  I truly wish to remain steadfast in His Word.    

    Today Mom, Dad, and I are off to visit her opthalmologist whose office is in a town south of Indy.  She wants to see if there is any hope for the blindness in one of her eyes (I can't remember which one). I'm thinking there is nothing he can do but she needs to hear this from him. After her appointment, I want to take them both to the old neighborhood where we lived in the '50's. Did I say old? I am praying for God to please plant a hedgerow of proctection around us as we travel through busy traffic and wet roads.

     She stills has issues with the "men" living in their attic.  This madness frustrates my dad but he will not condemn her to a nursing home yet. "They" used to bother her only at night. Now, they are with her pretty much all of the time, except when she is away from home. Last week when I visited she told me that the men were mocking me, that they repeated every word I said to her. I'm getting used to "the men," I guess. Last night when we talked, which was hard to do because their phone kept cutting out due to not being fully charged, she told me that the "men" had her teeth and wouldn't give them back to her. She seriously believes this. Talking with her made my heart fill with sadness. 

     As far as work at the bakery goes, we were forced to lay off 8 employees on Monday. My DH had to face each one in the eye and deliver the bad news. It was so hard on him, and of course on them. This is the first time in 28 years that we have had to lay off this many people at once. We need more production orders to keep the bills paid.  I hope and PRAY that our remaining 35 employees can stay with us. DH is creating new business ventures to help keep the coffers filled for payroll and bills, so we look to the future. Dear Father, I pray for mercies be showered on the 8 employees that we had to lay off, I pray that Your Grace fill their souls and protect them during the difficult financial days ahead. Amen.  

Please Click on Canadagirl and join us for S&T Friday.

     What does nana and her grandaughter do on a sleepover? We bake a cake, that's what! Gracie loves strawberry cake and for this sleepover she wanted to make a strawberry bundt cake with white frosting, and she knew exactly how she wanted to decorate it too. For a little nine year old girl, she sure is decisive.  

    We did cheat a little bit by adding eggs, oil, and water to a Duncan Hines cake mix. I love my Kitchen Aid mixer...it sure makes baking easier.

     Gracie poses with the strawberry cake batter ready for the oven. Notice the flour on her dress sleeve and the comb? We baked the cake early Sunday morning before church services, so she was busy getting ready while baking.  She is learning how to multi-task at a young age!

      Her cake was ready to be frosted and decorated when we got home from church. She did a terrific job of icing a difficult bundt cake with all of its angles. She had a cup full of hot water to dip her spatula in, which helped spread the frosting around the cake (a decorator's tip for smooth icing).

     Gracie worked out her own design, which included pink rose buds, green leaf stems, and purple dots. She asked that I show her how to make  rosebuds and then practiced before putting them on the cake. Very creative and pretty!

         This is a photo of how it looked after we sliced it for our dessert. It tasted very good. Gracie has decided that she doesn't want a bundt cake for her birthday, but does want strawberry flavored cake. We had so much fun baking, icing, and decorating. It was a great way to spend some time together. We both were pretty worn out by the time she went home. I needed a nap. 

     On Thanksgiving Day, we each wrote down five things that we are thankful for and then took turns going around the table reading them to each other. Pictured here is SIL, who is reading his blessings, my Dad, and DH. We are keeping our blessings in a binder and each year, if our Lord is willing, we will repeat our new family tradition.    

Here I am with darling Grace as she reads her five things to be thankful for.

Here is Trevor and you can almost see Ryan in the corner of the photo.

     Jenn reads her five blessings as we listen. Mom is beside her. She lost her teeth and forgot her glasses, but she is a blessing to us none the less.  

"Battleship"

    Today is my sweet hubby's birthday. He is the love of my life, except for God of course. He is such a creative soul, and his glass is ALWAYS half full not empty like mine tends to be. He explores what is around the corner, and seeks out future business ventures with glee. My man loves the "chase." I love living vicariously through him. He has taught me alot about optimism.    

     He loves peach pie, but unfortunately peaches are not growing in Indy in November. Nothing but winter wheat is thriving in our cold weather. I'll pick up an apple pie for his birthday dessert tonight.  He has started exercising again. He wants to start his new year of life healthier. I pray that he does not get discouraged.We bought a recumbent bike for our Christmas present to each other, and it sits in our family room so that even I do not have an excuse, right? 

Please Click on Canadagirl and join us for S&T Friday.

     Today, I want to share a special friend of ours with you all. Mr. Bob is 82 yrs.  young and doesn't know the meaning of retirement or slowing down.  Over the years, he has helped my DH in countless ways with sage advice and hands on expertise at our bakery, and he is a romantic! I have been fortunate enough to find a fresh rose from his garden on my desk at the beginning of each week all this past summer and fall.  He brought me a lovely white rose, the last of the season, this past Monday. He says that every lady needs a fresh rose in her life. My DH loves him as much as I do, or probably even more, so he enjoys the roses on my desk too.

       Everyone needs a special gentleman like Mr. Bob, but you all can't have him...you'll have to find your own.  

         This is a photo of one beautiful fresh cut rose, a sampling of the many that he has placed on my desk during the growing season. It lasted a week with daily water changings. The vase cost 50 cents and he bought a bunch of them at Goodwill.

       Finally, I want to share with you a photo of our SIL, husband of our daughter Jenn from Busy at Home, taken recently at work. Isn't he handsome?  We are proud to have him in the business with us.  

     I hope that you all enjoyed my S&T this Friday and I pray that you have a blessed weekend. May the Lord fill you with His awesome Grace, always.

     Today I want to honor two special men in my life:  my DH and my DAD. First, dad who served in WWII on a 'banana boat' off the coast of  Panama as a radio operator and sent morris coded messages that helped save our country from infiltration by both German and Japanese forces. Thank you dad for joining the Army in 1941 and making a difference.  My uncle served as combat soldier in Africa and Italy and came home mentally sickened by what he saw and did, and lived out his remaining days in a veteran's hospital. I am so thankful that my dad came home safe and sound.

      Then, my DH served during the Vietnam conflict on an Air Force base in Turkey as a military policeman guarding bombs.  Thank you honey for serving your country during a time period when  "war" was not  popular and servicemen were not honored as they are today. Men were drafted during Vietnam, they did not choose to fight in this political war but were forced to either seek a deferment for health reason, (or, if they were lucky and had wealthy, influential parents go to college), become a draft dodger and run to Canada, or join on their own. MY DH chose to join on his own. What a man!      

Please Click on Canadagirl and join us for S&T Friday.

     I really love collecting cookies jars!  My new "retro" cookie jars remind me of my childhood days growing up in the '50's & '60's. 

     "Surfer Woody"  

     I never experienced "surfing the waves" as a child or teenager, but I loved watching Annette Funicello & Frankie Avelon movies and listened to the Beach Boys sing about how much fun it was to be in California in the '60's!

"Hot Rod"

     Never road in a Hot Rod as a child either, but loved the movie "Grease."    

"1950's Radio" 

      The radio was a major way of comunication and entertainment back in the '50's, before TV's became affordable to families.  I remember sitting near our radio listening to music while playing with my dolls.  

"1950's TV"

We got our first TV set in 1952!  We only had a few channels but were grateful anyway.  "Howdy Doody"  was my favorite show until "The Lone Ranger"  and "Roy Rogers" came along. I was a true pretend cow girl back then.

     Thanks for joining me for my S&T. I hope you all enjoy a blessed weekend.