Hatchimals Aren't for Playing With

Elinore has been collecting and loving all things Hatchimals for about a year or so now.  She's gets them for gifts; she saves her money and buys her own and watches YouTube videos to learn more about them.  We even play a Hatchimal card and board game. 

Last night Elinore told me, Hatchimals aren't for playing with.  They are for looking at, organizing and for setting up.

Of Mess & Moxie

I finished the book a week or so ago.  I didn't love it when I started, but I was a fan by the end.  The humor and relatable real life talk was refreshing and fun.  And I even pulled a couple ideas from it to have my own family start. 

Entering the Passion of Jesus

This was a great read leading up to Lent about Holy Week.  It took some focus and thinking through so much rich Jewish tradition and the stories told from multiple gospels, but was rich in understanding and explaining Holy Week. 

Daniel

I finished the book of Daniel this morning. 

• King Nebuchadnezzar chose Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishae (Meshach), and Azariah (Abendego) from important families of Judah to be trained and become his servants
• Daniel refused the King's food and win to not become unclean; the chief officer agreed to a 10 day vegetable test to make sure they didn't suffer for the diet change, and the 4 excelled and had wisdom when the king asked of them
• King Nebuchadnezzar expected his fortune tellers, magician and wise men to explain his dream to him and tell him it's meaning, when no one could, he ordered them killed
• Daniel prayed to God for guidance, then he explained the dream to the king; King was head of gold and each part below him are his successors, the 4th successor has a divided kingdom
• King Nebuchadnezzar is pleased, acknowledges God and gives Daniel and friends roles in his kingdom
• King Nebuchadnezzar put a gold idol for everyone to worship
• If they didn't worship the king would have them thrown in the furnace
• Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego refused and someone told the king
• The king turned the furnace hotter, had them tied up and thrown in by strong men who died from the flames just throwing them in
• The king saw a 4th man (angel) in the fire with them walking around free and called them out
• King Nebuchadnezzar commanded the worship God
• King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of a great tree that provided much fruit and shelter for animals, birds and everyone but it was cut down and man was to live in the wilderness 7 years then a command goes out that God is all powerful and gives kingdoms to who he wants
• Daniel explain the dream, the tree is King Nebuchadnezzar, powerful, but it is all taken away and he becomes like an animal for 7 years
•  Because the stump of the tree stayed, King would return when he had learned God was powerful and ruler
• Then the dream came true
• After King Nebuchadnezzar, his son Belshazzar is king
• King Belshazzar gets cups from the temple for his banquet and a hand write on the wall, the wise men, magicians and fortune tellers cannot interpret it; his mother tells I'm to send for Daniel
• Daniel tells king he can keep his reward but will interpret it anyway
• God has counted the days of King Belshazzar's kingdom because he was not good enough and the kingdom will be divided
• King Belshazzar died that night
• King Darius comes to power and Daniel is one of 3 supervisors over the 120 governors of his kingdom
• Daniel was excellent at his job and the other supervisors and governors wanted to bring him down, but they found no fault with him
• Supervisors and governors talked King Darius into signing a law that for 30 days no one ma worship anyone but King Darius
• Daniel knew of this and still worshipped God, so they told the King on Daniel
• King Darius wanted to save Daniel
• Daniel was put in the lion's den, but mouth's of lions were closed by an angel
• Darius was distressed that night and went without food and entertainment and had little sleep
• The next morning Darius found Daniel unharmed and removed him from the den
• Daniel's accusers and their families went into the lion's den and the lion's crushed them
• Daniel was successful with King Darius and King Cyrus
• Daniel had 2 visions with unique animals and angels telling of kings and kingdoms to come and change
• Daniel prayed over Jerusalem for grace for their sins
• Daniel saw a vision of a man
• The north and south will fight
• King of the North worshipped power and strength
• The time of the end will bring back life forever or shame and disgrace forever, sacrifices daily will stop

Friends

There was a time in my life when I was in search of friends.  I need my people, who supported me, loved me and where close and accessible. 

Don't get my wrong I have had friends over the years, but life changes impact friends as do moves, and I had a lot going on, didn't have a lot of time, and needed people.

Every time I met a new gal I'd think, could she me by friend?  She seems nice?  How can I extend an invitation to start a friendship?  And I was always thinking this way, looking for friends, trying to build friendships to carry me and my family on our adventures.  I knew I needed people. 

I distinctly remember on of the first time I realized I had been somewhat successful at this.  My family had been sick; and a 2nd cousin of my and some folks from the church brought my family dinner.  It was left from a SOUP meal they had served at the church that night, but they thought of us and brought of a warm home cooked meal.  The left that food for us an I remember telling Keith, "we have people!"  And I meant so much with that; we had people who loved us, thought of us and cared for us in a way that I'd been looking for in friendships. 

That was a starting point for us, and I think we've done a wonderful job of connecting to people and building a community of friends for each of us individually, but as a family too.  We have people.  They're people from church; they're family, and a few good friends I've known for many years now.  I believe God wants us to live in community with people who loves us, and we've built that.  Friendships and relationships take time and forgiveness and communication and we've done that.  And I couldn't be happier!  Thank you Lord for these people! 

I've always wanted our home to be a place for people to gather, and I think I tried to push that too hard early on after we've bought our own place, but naturally it has happened over time and we welcome groups of friends, family, friends families, and our kid's friends into the home often.  This past summer, our first summer at our new home, was the epitome of that, and I'm not sure we'll have a summer like that again, but we were able to gather people from all our different areas together celebrating and enjoying each other and introducing our people to each other and it was a beautiful thing. 

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In the last few months I've had this realization; I still think like I did when I was searching for friends when I meet new people.  Maybe I'm misguided, maybe I'm ignorant, but I realized I don't need to do this anymore.  It's not that I'm not open to meeting new people and developing relationships, but I don't have to search so hard for more people.  Quality of quantity right?  I already have my people.  Sure that will change with time and life with change, but I will adapt, our family will adapt.  If I keep searching for more friends now; I need more time for each of those friendships, and I don't want that to take away from the current friendships!  I don't want those to suffer because I feel the need to keep searching for more, more, more. 

Journal

I haven't written much lately about what my lovely kiddos are up to.  My desire is there, but my energy and time haven't been.  It's hard to sit down and just write, but there are times I really want to.  When I was school shopping for the boys a month or so ago, I picked myself up a pretty new composition notebook. 



I've been keeping it in my purse with a pen handing and writing when things move me or I have something I want to remember.  And when I say something I want to remember, I don't mean my grocery list.  I mean real life changing, God spoken messages I need to remember and reflect on. 

I don't write in it regularly, but when I find something I like or want to reflect on, I jot it down, sometimes it's a sentance, sometimes a paragraph and even a page or two!  It's been useful for me, and something I hope draws me closer to God. 

Table

Caleb and Caden's bedroom now houses their Great Grandma Goldie's drop leaf table. Grandma Barb gave it to us. I wasn't sure at first what we were going to do with another table, then I realized we could upgrade the Lego table!

They used to have a toddler sized table in their room for legos and things, but now they get a big kids sized table and a lot more room! Caleb is our big Lego fan and he's really enjoying it. And they have a piece if family history with them too.

Auction Find

On Memorial Day there was an auction down the road a few miles from out house.  We stopped between parades and looked around.  Keith loves auctions, and the kids and I don't mind them either.  (Although our enjoyment of them has a much shorter timeline than Keith's!)

We walked around and comments on things we liked and the unusual things.

This day it was rainy and chilly and the kids wanted to go to another parade, so after we looked around, the kids and I left and Keith stayed behind. 

Later that afternoon, he came home with this!

Best $32 purchase I've had in awhile!

My Grandpa

I was at our church serving the SOUP supper tonight when a man I'd never met before walked up to me and asked if I was Edson's granddaughter.  I thought about it for a second as my Grandpa has been gone for almost 15 years, before I said yes, yes I am. 

He went on to tell me that he had worked for my grandpa when he was about 14 years old.  He said he was hired to do farm work many many years ago.  He talked about how my Grandpa always had a story for everything, and that is so true. 

He told me my Grandpa once told him that marriage was like bath, once you're in it for awhile it's not so hot.

We chucked and I listened to him talk about the farm work and the people who worked on the farm for a bit.

Later I found out he is actually now married to my Dad's cousin.  They were married last year and coincidentally he and my dad share the same first name too!

A few of my favorite...

...garage sale finds from todays adventures.

ASK FOR PATIENCE

A couple months ago, my husband and I spent an afternoon enjoying each other's company a we ran errands and did some shopping.

We stopped in this great little local antique shop, Vintage Corner.

I picked up a few vintage aprons and Mickey Mouse cookie cutters. As I was purchasing my items, there was a display of bracelets with sayings on them.

I picked one up that read "ASK FOR PATIENCE." To me, that was a reminder to be patient and pray.

I wore it today, and it couldn't have been more fitting. I have had a lot on my mind lately, but when I saw the bracelet, it was a reminder to me that it is all in God's hands.

Treasures from the Past

My grandmother's house is being sold.  My grandmother is still doing well, but she's living with my uncle now.  My grandfather passed away about 3 years ago.  So she is downsizing.  I found some great things that I can't wait to find a place for in my home!

This will be a great new serving bowl.

 

I think there are 12 of these, and they are from 1986 Arby's collection of glassware.

Norman Rockwell Tray

These lamps now sit on the end tables in my living room.  I thought they were ugly, but the longer I look at them, the more I love them!  And they're antiques!

 

My dad made this for my grandpa, his father-in-law, many years ago. 

New Thanksgiving decorations in our house!

More Thanksgiving decorations in our house!

Annual Employee Craft Show

The company I work for has started an annual employee craft show.  It consists of employees and employee family members showcasing their work for the employees.  It's a neat opportunity held just before the holiday season one afternoon and early evening at the end of the work day.

I attended this year with some of the other ladies from our department.  I found some wonderful things!

I have a Halloween pin, I usually wear on my coat, and the same for Christmas.  The boys love it, so I thought I'd add to me collection for the holidays and complete it with the adorable hand made turkey! 

This picture is pretty poor, but it's a navy blue flower made out of a zipper!  Such a cute and clever idea!

Finding a Few Family Treasures

My biological grandmother passed away in the early 70s shortly after my dad graduated from high school.  My whole life it was always Grandpa & Gladys.  They took my brother and I everywhere.  We spent a lot of time with them, and almost always had fun!  My grandfather passed away when I was in middle school about 10 years ago, but Gladys has remained a part of our family.  The past November she passed away.

This past Saturday was the estate auction for her belongings.   My family and I went our for the morning, and really had a good time.  I hadn't given it much thought in advance other than, yes I will be there.  (We moved our weekend in Chicago to be there.)  It didn't really hit me until the auctioneer started talking about how the day was going to run and a bit about the family that was hosting and those that had passed.  As I held back tears as the auction started it turned out to be a good day for my family.  We came home with a few items to remember Gladys by, but also my Grandpa.  

Our first purchase was a set of mixing bowls.  I've always wanted this set of mixing bowls, and it's so much nice to have them from someone who was so special.

Our next purchase was a bit of a surprise for our family to see.  It's a thermometer from my grandpa's business he ran many years ago.  

After we made the purchased I teased my dad about them not being able to spell back then.  Since they're really from Holmesville!  Apparently there was a second shipment of these made to correct the spelling, which resulted in the excess amount of thermometers!

We rounded out the day with a few more purchases. 

We purchased the end tables from Gladys' living room to be put in our nearly completed family room in the basement for our fish tank.

We also found another treasure of my grandpa.  He was a character, who always had something up his sleeve and could tell a story like few people I know, other than my dad and brother who have inherited that trait!  He was a funny guy...

A unique purchase, and for some reason we were the only bidders on it!  May my grandpa and his tricks live on!  My boys were quite insistent this be put up in our yard, and with the help and encouragement of my dad it is now the back corner of my house, facing the state highway we live on.  Come to think of it, maybe that is why everyone was looking at my funny as I mowed the lawn today!  

Our last purchases were some miscellaneous tools and a box of games.  Some ring toss, bingo, and Hi-Q.

It was a good day for our family, and I'm glad we'll have something to remember Grandpa and Gladys by.  Rest In Peace.