what can you do punchinello, punchinello?

I can do it, too, Punchinello, little fellow. I can do it, too, Punchinello, little man!

doorbusters

King and I went to get a Christmas tree this evening. On our way, we passed buy an electronics store that had a half full parking lot and tents set up all around the building. People were scattered about, sitting in fold-out chairs, all bundled up in their parkas, sipping their Starbucks double mocha cappuccinos ready to be the first people to be let inside the door.

Wouldn't it be great if there had been a line like that this morning to get inside the doors of church?

anybody else see the irony in this?

This was in a sales flyer for Black Friday.

I guess, just in case things back there in the toy department get rowdy.

happy thanksgiving

Blessings are simply innumerable.

We are grateful for each of them - from the biggest to the most microscopic.

I do wonder, though, to whom are atheists thankful?

friends who have cancer....

.....are a gentle reminder from God that we shouldn't hold grudges.

We then are able to love a little deeper,

stay a little longer,

and hug a little tighter.

oh yeah, forgot to tell you about these

My friend, Tori, and I went to a craft show yesterday. There was a wholelotta stuff I wasn't interested in. Probably the thing I was the least interested in was called a "Redneck flashlight" which consisted of a block of wood with a match stuck in one end. I mean, we may be redneck, but we do at least have wonna'eeze big yalla thangs:

Ennyhoo, I fell in love with the artwork of two people. One man was a pen and ink artist. His work was beautiful. He adds a tiny bit of color to the piece once the design is finished. I couldn't mentally find a place for his framed artwork in our house and the note cards, though gorgeous, were not practical. The other dude actually won me over as far as I dropped a wad'o money with him. He was a paper artist. Originally from China, his grandfather taught him the art of using an Exacto knife to carefully cut out silhouettes. My favorites were these.

Yes, those are kids trick or treating.

I don't care if it is a jack o'lantern. I think it is beautiful. And I am just eclectic enough to leave it up all year.

The top piece is children standing in line to give St. Nicholas their wish list. The piece on the bottom is a silhouette of a mom tying her daughter's hair bow. Sugar sweetness, n'est pas?

So, my plans are to make this little back hall into the world of silhouettes. I want to try my hand at paper cutting and make silhouettes of my children. There are several online tutorials about it. I can do this. Right?

coasting into a very thankful time

This year we are staying home for Thanksgiving. For that I am thankful. I do wish we could spend time with family, but everyone is scattered about the southeast and, for the most part, has plans to stick close to home. Everyone needs a bye year, right?

The thing that brings me close to tears because it will be so wonderful, is the relaxed do-what-you-want pace we are planning. King will be playing golf with a very good friend of his, our #2, and their #1. I will no doubt be sewing something and perhaps will venture out and "save money" by shopping on the most insane retail weekend of the year. But maybe not. I have only "done" the day after Thanksgiving sales once - last year. My partner in crime who talked me into climbing on the roller coaster ride that is Black Friday will be someplace way far away.. I think near where Dorothy and Toto live.

Here is just a handful of things for which we are thankful:

• God's grace
• family whose love is unconditional
• friends (the family you would handpick if you could)
• our health
• the sheer beauty of God's design

May you be abundantly blessed by Him not only this time of year, but always.

Look at the beauty just outside our front door!

wakka wakka

let me just get this out there

God bless the person who invented cheesecake.

And may God abundantly bless friends who bring it with them when they visit.

update: number 5

My God, if she gets any cuter, I am going to have to implode....

...just sayin'

why is it ....

.... that whenever someone starts scratching just the right spot on your back, the next thing you know it itches all over?

but why?.... you feel so rotten the next day

Recently a friend of mine, a police officer, went to speak to a school about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. When she got finished with her presentation, she opened up the floor for discussion and a Q & A session. She said the kids had a lot of questions, but the one that stuck out most to her was when a fourth grader asked if it was true that "parents needed to drink each night to be able to deal with their children".

Now, of course this lends itself to a myriad of funny comments, but just ruminate on it a bit.

I am certainly no teetotaler, and I am in love with the occasional margarita. But, how many of our children are brought up to think that they are the reason mommy and daddy have to tie one on each night?

Moms get together and laugh about how their kids have driven them to drink and then while they're at it, just to keep things fair and balanced, they bitch about their husbands.

Is it just me who thinks this is all pretty sick?

naptime around here lately....

......... has been like playing a game of whack-a-mole.

um.... wow!

This.

is Utterly.

Amazing.

but the mind is still fertile!

Each time I try to get a project started or completed today, as is the case most days, some certain small people in my life have several urgent demands or emergencies. Therefore, I have decided this phenomenon needs a name:

"Productivus Interruptus"

devotional entry

Back in June, one of my favorite people gave me a book, a devotional, as an early birthday present. The entry for today, November 11, spoke directly to me. Perhaps it will to you as well.

exerpt from

A Cup of Comfort: Women of the Bible Devotional

edited by James Stuart Bell and Susan B. Townsend.

Life in the Light

Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.

Luke 8:2

• When Jesus met Mary, she was trapped in a dark world of endless nightmares. Shunned by the townspeople, she wandered alone and afraid, unable to enjoy even the simplest pleasures in life. Then Jesus healed her and made it possible for her to enter a world of light and laughter. No wonder she became one of His most devoted followers. I'm sure those who had known her before her miraculous change found it difficult, if not impossible, to recognize her.

• When some of the people at church share their stories with me, I find it very hard to believe that they were once the people they describe. Many people have been completely transformed.

• Only God can accomplish such a miraculous makeover. He can turn sorrow into joy, hideous into beautiful, and mistakes into moments of opportunity.

"thank you" falls short

In gratitude for all Veterans, thank you.

Happy Veterans Day/Day of Remembrance/Armistice Day

***

***

In Flanders Fields

by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)

Canadian Army

***

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

***

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

***

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

being thankful

King and kids go to beach this past Saturday.
Car breaks down halfway home.
I am stuck at home, an hour and a half away.
I have a huge event at the high school I am committed to.
I make a few calls.
Two amazing friends and a tow truck come to their rescue.
One takes #s 1, 4, and 5
Two takes King, 2, and 3, plus a friend of 2's.
$800 later, with the car safely in the driveway, I am sitting in awe at some pretty majorly wonderful, awesome people in our lives who, without batting an eye, offer help.

I am stripped down to pure gratitude and thankfulness.

snappy morning

"Daddy, for breff-diss, I want Scrabble eggs."

****************************

Me to #2: "Did you take a shower last night?"
#2: "No ma'am."
Me: "Well, better go ahead and take one this morning, since you wore your uniform last night." (When he got to football practice, he discovered it had been cancelled.)

#4: "Is that why it was so smelly in my room last night?"

silver linings

All of a sudden this morning, just after the big kids went to school, the power went off.

For about an hour I was walking around my house, much like a ball in a pinball machine, bouncing off all the things I couldn't do.

When it first went off, my initial thought was: oh, the kids won't be able to watch PBS, let me quickly think of something fun they can do while I get some more housework done (this is my most productive time of the day). They grabbed a book and a refilled juice cup and I went into the kitchen.

Oh, that's good that the washer is finished, I'll switch the laundry. Nope. The washer is actually NOT done, the power is just off. Stupid!

Well, then, I will vacuum. Nope. Power is off.

Hrm... sew the binding on a quilt I am making? Sewing machine won't work, silly.

Dishwasher? Nope (and who wants to wash them by hand?!?!?!)

Call and report it to the power company? Cordless phone. Duh.

Starting to get the hang of this "bumping into walls" thing, I scooped up my children, fell onto the couch in one great big embrace, and just held them for a bit. We enjoyed giggling together. Then we read together the book "A Bad Case of Stripes" and then we played a very silly game of pat-a-cake where we try to clap really loudly and yell "PATTYCAKE PATTYCAKE. BAKERS. MAN." I guess you could call it Obnoxious Pattycake.

Anyway, so all that to say that despite the frustration in not being able to be productive, I am very glad to have had the opportunity to just sit and do a handful of nothing at all.