Friday, November 23, 2012

Read it!

You can read that title as 'I read the book,' which I did, and also as 'you should read it,' because that's what I'm recommending.  I'll admit I wasn't sure where he was going with the first few chapters, but wow.  Gripping.


Thanks to Catherine Friesen for the suggestion!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Give a Book a Chance

I was in the middle of two books the other day.  One I had picked from the library because it was set in a different time and place, and we had just finished a great one like that for book club (Cutting for Stone).  It was interesting for the first couple of chapters, then got pretty tedious and strange, so I left it and started another one.  This one was recommended by a friend, so I was expecting a winner...  It, too, was a little hard to get into.  But because it was recommended, I thought I'd stick with it and see how it turns out; before I did, though, I went back to the first one, and give it a chance, too...  I finished that one, and am farther into the second - the first, while I would not highly recommend, did pull together somewhat satisfyingly.  The second is showing more promise - I'll wait till I finish it to declare it recommendable or not.

On a different level, we just got these winners from the library and I highly recommend them!



Friday, November 16, 2012

The Influence of Parents: A Spiritual Treasure

Over the long weekend, M spent a night over at her Grandpa's.  She came home the next day with a treasure:  One of my old Bibles!  I guess at one point between moves we left some books there.  She had been going through the bookshelves and brought home Little Women and Jane Eyre, too; some good classics.


I took some photos of all my old Bibles with the set now complete (the one she brought was that second one) and got to thinking about what message they send... I think there's a few, but what impressed me most was about the influence parents have.  Those first three Bibles?  They all have my Mom's handwriting on the dedication page, with my name and the dates of when I was five years old, nine years old, and for my 15th birthday.  They went from the King James to the Children's Living Bible (easier to read), to the New American Standard Bible (best mix between readability and literal translation).  The fourth, the New Revised Standard Version, was new from Neil for our wedding, since the middle one saw me from 15 to 22, including four years of Bible school, and was falling apart, and the last one that I'm using now, is a TNIV (Today's New International Version), from Sean for our wedding, when we both got new ones (also because my old one was falling apart again...)

Parents and spouses - people in your life who should encourage your spiritual self; I'm so glad they did for me.  Thank you.


Madeline got a kick out of the spine that had fallen off and that was stuck as a bookmark in the text: "I will read 3 chapters and a Psalm every day and on Sunday 5 chapters and a Psalm..."  I read that Bible from when I was eight to when I was 15.  I wonder what she thought of that commitment?  I wonder if it made her think about her own commitment to read?  We try to encourage her to read first thing in the day, before she reads anything else just for fun, but you can't be legalistic about something like that.  I just hope and pray that God's Word becomes as important to her as it is to me.  As it always has been to me.


Pray with me, won't you, for our children, that they would have a love for God's Word, a desire to commit both to him and to the good habit of reading it?  I will pray for you as parents, that you would influence your children in a positive way and leave a legacy that lasts.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

That's Snow Fun!


Sunday we spent a good chunk out in the back yard, all bundled up.  Nolan didn't show much expression at all - just taking in another new experience.  Madeline tried to get him to make a snow angel, but he might be a little more playful later on...


His swing was piled high with snow, so we just plopped him on top - I think he enjoyed the ride!  That's a great snowsuit - both the hands and feet have flip over ends, so you can use boots and mitts, or just pop them over and let life be easy!  That's how we did it today - I pulled out the wagon and we walked up and down the front sidewalk for a while soaking up the sun.  He thought that was pretty ok.  I sent a photo to fb from my phone if you want another peek at him.


This is from this morning - he got a little cut on his thumb, not sure from what - a paper, maybe?  But there was a little blood so we washed him up (notice the wet jammies) and stuck a bandaid on it.  It kept him entertained for a good 15 minutes before he had it just about chewed right off, and by then it had stopped bleeding anyway.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Thankful for...

Veterans and all those who have sacrificed so we can enjoy peace and freedom.
A day off with the family at home.
Hours playing and enjoying each other.
Bright fabrics.
Online shopping.
Etsy.
Quilts.
A win for M's soccer team.
Sleepovers at Grandpa's.
Brownies and cookies and desserts.
Pinterest and new ideas to try.
Small group friends.
A new niece arriving soon.
"Dada" and "Mama."

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Life in the Snow


Here's what I was looking at a moment ago - this is the view from my back door after two days of snow.  There was nothing on the ground when we woke yesterday, and now it feels like Christmas.

I got some great shots of Nolan and the Snow when it snowed earlier this week - that link will take you to see them on Facebook.

I'm feeling quilty these days.  I got a quilting book from the library yesterday, snagged on my way to check out my other books (I keep a list of recommended books on my phone, and found two - looks like some good reading this week!)  This sparked my interest and I started browsing fabric online...


 I tweeted to see where my friends buy fabric online and was sent to Etsy, which I forget has supply stuff like fabric - I always think of it as a 'finished product' marketplace - and I placed an order!  Ah, shopping online.  So great to get stuff in the mail!  I've ordered a few scrapbooking things lately, too.  I ordered from the Surly Sheep shop and got an email that it shipped today.  Can't wait!

Here's another favorite book lately:


We got it from Jamie, an old friend (and blog reader!).  It's been the before sleep story of the week - he always grins at the first picture of a cat and my meow no matter how tired he is.

Madeline has a soccer tournament this weekend, and Nolan and I made it to last night's game and will make it to tomorrow's, but had to miss both of today's.  We did go for lunch with the team and all the other parents, though - it's good to get to know some new people through that.

Well, there you have a slightly scrambled snapshot of life here right now. While N is sleeping and the others are still out, I'm going to go finish sewing up some magic bags and perhaps pull out some material and the quilt pattern I'm thinking of starting...  Have a great weekend!


Thursday, November 01, 2012

What is a Colon?

Mom:  "Madeline, you're not moving."  (She was supposed to be cleaning her room.)
M: "Yes I am!  My heart's beating, I'm breathing, and my colon's moving...  What is a colon?"

We made her look it up and read it out loud from the dictionary.  She had to read the word rectum, too!