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Friday, September 7, 2012

Pink Saturday and Thankfulness

I found this pretty pretty pink flowering bush in front of Cowley College. I had to share it with you for Pink Saturday. I hope you will visit Beverly and other pinkies this weekend. It is always fun seeing what everyone posts. Have some pink fun and visit soon!
OK this is the before picture. Before I had to cut my nails! Sigh! Noelle has the bottom long nails and I am the middle. Hannah is purple! After heading to Kansas on a wing and a prayer I decided I needed to make some budget cuts! I can't show you my new short nails! They are very sad looking! Sigh! Plus one of my nails still has remnants of the pretty yellow Kansas motif sunflower painted on it! Sigh!But real love is cutting your nails so your college boy can eat and buy extra food for the times the cafeteria is closed!
I take awful pictures when I am sad! I also need to rethink my clothes! I have some pants that are getting to loose. A good thing for sure. This was shot moments before Nick headed back into his dorm and we headed to an early night before heading out at 3:30 A.M. for the drive home.
Who are these strange gals? Ha Ha! Hannah in black and Rebekah is pink and white. Oh that would be the tiny diva dog Roxanne (see her pink collar?)! She snores! She is sleeping on the bed with Sweets while Bandit, the old man, is snuggled up against me as I type.

No pink but wishing Zach and Rebekah a happy one year anniversary of steady dating! She cooked dinner for us (chicken enchiladas) and black and white cheesecake! Aw.....

I am not a huge fan of Oprah but I like this quote! I am very thankful today. Nick found out a gal he knows from high school XC is attending the university he wants to attend. She red shirted which means she walked on but can not participate in XC until next season. It insures the athlete an extra year of college. Nick is very excited because he wants to attend the same college. He is keeping his grade point average up so he can go there too. The coach has a saying that you can go to the bigger schools and be a little number or come there and be part of a family! Plus Nick knows some of the other kids there so he would be really comfortable. He does like his room mate. He is working hard so he can run in the Olympics for his homeland. They get along very well.
I want to say Thank You to everyone who stops by. I appreciate you and treasure knowing you here. I noticed a few new followers and for those I am very grateful. It is always wonderful to see new faces and make new friends. I am happy to be here.

Ephesians 6:10-18

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against[a]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of thisdarkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 [b]in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 [c]With all prayer and petition [d]pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, [e]be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,  .
Today I knew my job was going to be stressful so I printed a copy of this and hung it front and center on my desk. Every time I looked up I saw it there. It helped me a lot. I found a new brand of cottage cheese. It is made by Daisy who makes some great sour cream! It was on sale and I bought a small carton. It was delicious! I had it for my morning snack with a few Triscuit crackers and mandarin orange slices. Yummy! Later Hannah told me she did not need a ride home from work! Yea! She works far away! Friday traffic always stinks! So I was thankful to get home early.
Tarrah's pretty pink flowers. Just because Andrew loves her! Aw....sweet!
Ha Ha! Laugh Out Loud! I am so sorry! This is de ja vu! When I was in the kindergarten and painfully, horribly, terribly shy I was put in the naughty corner! I thought I covered my mouth and stuck my tongue out at the teacher! I forgot to cup my hand and she busted me! Off to the naughty corner I went!

I know I get crazy and post lots of things but I have so much to share with you! I hope you will share with me what you are thankful for. I am thankful for my health, for my phamily and for the day I just spent watching the rain and helping a patient or two ! I feel much better for sharing and now I can go off and have a nice cry about Nick. Not out of sadness but rather for being so proud of him for working so hard to make his dreams come true.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

P is for People Person

Please stop by Ms. Jenny's and visit all the participates for Alphabe Thursday! I love people so I am a people person! I must have inherited it from my mom! Back in 1988 as my brother, sister-in-law and mom crossed the Colorado state line and drove into Kansas on their way to my nephews wedding in Pennsylvania, I went into labor with our daughter, the middle! Nothing like having your mom 1,450 miles away when you are getting ready to deliver a baby! LOL! I told you this to lead into how I became so much like my mother! At my nephews wedding two different pastors officiated. A Catholic priest, as my nephew is Catholic and his wife's pastor. At the reception there is my mother seated in between these two religious men sharing conversation as if she knew them her whole life! My father was a quiet man, and he was not as outgoing as my mom! Ditto this phamily! I am peace, my hubby is quiet! I love to talk and learn about others. so part of my share here is the fact that on Sunday September 9th I am driving to Pueblo, my hometown to have lunch with high school girlfriends.
This is Lynette! She is the ring leader! Having known this woman since the age of three I am pretty sure I know all her secrets! Ha Ha! She looks marvelous! That is because she never married and Logan is the nephew of her honey "Snook". He prefers his nickname (he is a railroader) to his given name, Stanley! My friend is a middle school teacher and she knows how to handle kids! When we were 16 her dad passed away unexpectedly at a Denver Bronco game he was attending with her younger brother! My sis had a little car that had four on the floor! Now I hate a stick shift! I never learned to drive with the clutch and all that other stuff! That is another story for another time because having nearly killed my sister while she was trying to teach me....sigh. I will tell that story another time! My sis threw the keys to me and off I raced to Lynette's house to be with my friend and cry with her. As I sputtered and bucked that car all the way to the St. Charles Mesa  like a brahma bull,  all I remember is praying that God would allow me to get there in one piece so I could comfort my friend. She means a lot to me. We did some crazy things when we were younger and we pick up right where we left off! Whenever we talk we just start in and go with where we have been! I am excited to see her Sunday! She is planning our lunch!
This is Bridget! Ah, nothing like an Irishman to get a good Catholic girl into mischief during high school! She lost her mom Elizabeth who was 98 last week. This is the last family photo of Bridget, her mom and Bridget's son Alex with his daughter Alaina. She is really hurting and very sad. Bridget has led a colorful life! Married after high school to a dear friend Gary. I was the maid of honor and I was pregnant with my first daughter! Sadly they divorced and a few years later. Gary was killed in a car accident which seriously injured another good friend. She was married to Lewis, Alex's dad and now is with her third hubby Rusty. She and Rusty are having some real tough times. She was laid off from her job a few years ago and they may lose their home. Prayers all around are in order for Bridget and her family. She once took her dads car, without his permission, so we could ditch school! The darn car (shift on the column) died in front of our high school. The principal, Sister Grace Miriam came charging to the car and banged on the windows! She was yelling that we should open the doors and she was going to call our parents and as sure as she saw us there God would banish us to the bowels of hell with the no account public school boys she knew we were sneaking off to see! LOL! Goodness she was a mind reader that mean ol nun! Bridget's father James was a product of Ireland and grew up in Boston. Aside from being so handsome he had that Boston accent that I loved to listen to! He always had a story to tell us. Bridget and I shared many good times and if she is not up to coming to the mini reunion I will be sad but I will understand!
This is "Y" or as her given name says Yvonne. She is as pretty as she was in high school! No fair. Here she is with her cute mom! She is one of those gals that everyone loves. She was smart and funny and was very kind to everyone. We reconnected two years ago at a high school reunion and keep in touch. She and her honey Jerry love the Rockies baseball team so they spend a few weeks in Arizona each Spring watching them at Spring training. I asked her to send me a postcard and for two weeks she sent me a new postcard from all their travels primarily along Route 66! Is that a cool friend or what? She sent Nick a birthday card with a lil something inside and made me cry when she said attending graduate school at Arizona State University made her cry for two solid years cause she missed her parents! If think this picture is evidence of that love and devotion. She adores her folks and is very blessed to have them both! I am excited to see her! Plus she is a breast cancer survivor! Yea Y!
This is Charlene. She is going to be our guest of honor cause she is traveling all the way from San Diego to be with her home girls! She is pretty like her own mom was. But she has struggled with health issues. This girl can make you giggle. She has two grown daughters and is divorced. She was married to a golf pro and she lives with her ex mother-in-law! I giggle cause MIL is a San Diego Charger fan and has a team flag flying over their home! Being a Colorado native she loves her Denver Broncos but during any game when these two teams share the field Charlene has to go in the closet! She whispers on the phone to her dad in Pueblo and they chuckle over the football fanatics of her MIL! It has been many years since I have seen Char and I an anxious for the reunion. She was a friendly gal with a big personality when we attended high school and she got along well with everyone.
Carol is on your far left! She is pictured with Betsy (middle) and Lynette (right). She and Lynette and I were always in mischief in high school! Carol is a school teacher and she is a great gal! She was widowed in 2002 and her husband Joe died way too young leaving her with five kids, four daughters and a son. She runs two businesses and has a really serious side to her. We rarely get together and I am hoping she can make this little reunion.


This is Vivian! Although she is not part of the original Seton High School girls she is a dear friend! I have previously stated that I would have to kill Vivian before she would be allowed to reveal any deep and dark secrets about me! Wink Wink! When we were young she had long black hair and she still has this little grin that makes you think she may be up to something! She is a real hero. This girl survived ovarian cancer! She comes from the sweetest family and recently she moved into a new house! I am excited to see her this weekend and hopefully get to visit her new place! She has a kind heart for pets to as you can see here!


Now here I am with my middle! I am the glue that keeps this bunch together! I have a very persuasive personality and I can use that good old Catholic guilt if I have to to make these ladies behave! LOL! Someday I will take our high school photos and set them side by side with our current photos. Thanks for letting me share my people pleasing friends with you.







Sunday, September 2, 2012

BLUE MONDAY/LOVE IS...



Bridal Veil Falls! Doesn't the water have a tint of blue?
Hannah having face time with little brother Nick! He is surrounded by blue!
The water at Blue Mesa looks blue indeed!
Maxine shares her sentiments for Labor Day! She wore her blue pants for Blue Monday!
Blue Mesa Dam. Did you know that the Blue Mesa Reservoir/Lake is the largest body of water in the state of Colorado? It is 20 miles long and has over 100 miles of shoreline. The Dam is 390 feet tall!


Although I am blue for my college runner I was a little homesick for my state too! Here is Nick, not wearing blue, in his college colors of orange and black! He ran his first  6k in college yesterday and we were very proud of him! It was good to be there and see him run! See the blue skies behind him!

Come visit Sally and visit all the blues this week!
We love our phamilies! We love our pets! We love and when we do we love unconditionally. Come join Love is...with Marydon and show us your favorites too!

Friday, August 31, 2012

Fall Flowers and Gods Work

Since we are in Kansas to enjoy seeing Nick run in his first college XC meet I am limited as to what I am putting up. But earlier when we made a quick stop at Walmart for a few items I saw their fall mums  and decided to find some other fall flowers to share. Stop by Beverly's and express your thanks for her hard work each week getting us into the Pink Saturday mode! Then visit other pinkies and enjoy all the pinks!

I love decorating in the autumn or fall! The colors are so rich and vibrate. This centerpiece is perfect.
A field of flowers. Always glorious in a spectacular array of colors!
The cooper containers add such a festive touch to the fall flower selection!
Look at these colors. The coleus is a very diverse plant. Plus the fall colors really pop!


October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.
~George Cooper, "October's Party"


Before I close here is a beautiful sunrise we saw while traveling through Limon, Colorado this early A.M.

17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
  18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
  19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Genesis 1: 17-19



"Oh Lord, how many are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your possessions. " Psalm 104:24
John 1:3 Through Him all things were made.; without Him nothing was made that has been made." 
I just had to share all the photos I took because I like the way the sun is rising over the horizon! It is such a splendid example of God's goodness.

I hope you will join Charlotte and the Spiritual Sunday participates too. I thought these photos would fit into the theme of God's love .

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

"O" is for Ordinary

 

I love ordinary! People! Places! These are a few of the ordinary things I enjoy! I love knowing people with a history! My mother was pretty ordinary if you meet her on the street! But she was an amazing lady! An outstanding cook! A very strong willed and kind hearted person! She cared for her phamily and had a true love for the Lord! I miss talking with her on ordinary days! She always knew exactly what to say!

I like simple places! They may seem ordinary and mundane but I know their secrets!
 On the road to Gunnison, Colorado. It is a small community with an out of the box feel! Beautiful and filled with people moving at a slower pace.
My mother (in the middle) with her siblings. I often look at this photo and wonder what they were thinking. Their father was a miner and ultimately died in a mining accident with my mothers oldest brother (Tony on your left). They had so little and yet they had everything that was important, faith and  phamily.
A blue moon. Perhaps not so ordinary but coming to you on August 31, 2012. I think we often take the moon for granted yet there it is shining each and every night. Lighting the sky for some and surrounding others in darkness.

Some time trees annoy me! Their roots can get into your plumbing! Their leaves litter the lawn in the fall and birds use them for free housing! Yet trees are so marvelous and all of them have a special quality! They have beautiful blossoms in the spring and some have pine cones we use for holiday decorating! Some produce fruit and others just stand stately and majestic  reaching for the heavens.
Not very ordinary. Just stunning and incredibly peaceful.
Multnomah Falls, Oregon. Breathtaking and beautiful!

Now head over to Ms. Jenny's and enjoy the other outrageous, outstanding and one of a kind posts from all the participates!








Sunday, August 26, 2012

FAITH, PHAMILY, PINKNESS,LOVE IS....BLUE

Oh My Goodness! This weekend has nearly disappeared into a new work week! I don't like to gripe on my blog, but I have to pray to have a strong mind and faith as I prepare for the work week. I have just accepted the fact that God is keeping me there for a reason, and that reason has to do with faith. I talk to God a lot! He knows my strong will. He knows I share my opinion too vigorously sometimes and I struggle with what comes out of my mouth at times! But for whatever reason, he is keeping me where I am! So I surround myself with His word and I go about my day!
Some pinkness for my pinkies! I so love being part of Beverly's weekly fun! She is a wonderful lady with a beautiful heart, who leads us into pinkness each weekend! Thank you Beverly and all the wonderful pinkies who participate. I will be visiting you between today and the rest of this week!
This is my photo! One day I am going to learn how to use my cool Canon Rebel camera and write my Phamily Blog on my photos! This is Kansas. How about that blue sky? As we headed out there earlier this month to set Nick up at school I shot this.  Sweets and I love windmills. Not bad for a girl in a coffee coma traveling in the darkness with her Sweets and youngest son! Sigh! Come Friday morning my Sweets and I will steal out into the darkness and back to Kansas. The Lord already told me I can not sell my soul to go to all of Nick's XC meets so we are going to this one and if my Princess House sales are high enough, we will head out for one in October and the final in November. We were sad because we like the hotel we stayed in at Ark City but all the rooms are filled this weekend so we are staying in a vintage place in Winfield. Reminds me of my early childhood. In the 1950s!

As long as our room is clean and the staff pleasant we will be fine! The rate was really low! It also had some high marks on the review page! I do love those blue skies!

Wondering where I have been instead of posting Pink Saturday and Love is... Oh heavens! Our garage! Gee, how the heck can a phamily of 7 have so much stuff?! The kids say it is all mine. But that is not true! Lots of things, memories, dolls, Princess House, you name it, we have it! We should open a business in our garage! Good stuff, low prices! I love that big blue tube in the background!

So far Rebekah and my Sweets and I have sorted through a total of twelve Princess House boxes. Three belong to the kids, three are mine and the rest on the selling block! We have so many beautiful things! If you know anyone looking for something from Princess House, call me first! I see blue here too!

See my pretty blue decorative pillow? I love that pillow!We already donated three car loads of stuff to the A.R.C. and Goodwill! My Sweets will stop me cold if I try to buy it back! Laugh Out Loud! We found a box of Nick's toddler clothing. After I cried into that box Sweets took it away and headed over to the Goodwill with it! I texted Nick! He was getting ready for a run but he laughed, "Glad I'm here!" He is like his mother, he will keep little things from his childhood and I am searching for his first bible. He was a toddler at the Mt. Zion Lutheran PreSchool and Ms Coon, his teacher purchased a beautiful leather like bound bible for each child and they highlighted passages they learned! I found a second hand bible at the thrift store for Nick to take to college with him. We always encourage all our kids to read their bible! Many times we have written these words inside the bibles "This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book."
I have an NIVWomen of Faith  bible one of my dear bloggy buddies gave me! She likes to be secretive but I know who she is and I love her dearly! The Holy Bible encased in blue!
As I was reading my bible this morning and doing my daily study I was reading about Anna Cetas who said when she was 12 her dad retired from the paper mill and was given a Holy Bible inside a cedar chest. She assumed since it said "Holy Bible" it was off limits. So one day she took a peek! As she opened that bible the page fell open to the verse John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but  have eternal life." She said a clear red page fell over the page and a photo of Christ hanging on the cross. As a child she said the red film made it appear that He bled and died. She said when she had the chance she looked at that picture and wonder if that verse were true or if He too was off limits. It reminded me of my own childhood. Not because I was not raised in a Chrsitian home but because my folks had a beautiful leather bound bible that appeared to be crisp and clean and rarely uses. It also contained many of those photos but my father kept his own bible at his bedside. He often quoted the Book of James and as a child in Catholic school I was never encouraged to read the bible for myself. I always heard the words from a priest. It was like it was off limits. But I must have inherited my fathers curiosity because I thumbed through his personal bible many times. I have always felt a very strong connection with my own dad because of his bible. I wish I could have inherited it after his death. But  my darling Sweets who asked me why I didn't read the bible for myself?  When we were dating he gave me my first bible. Today it is a battered old New American Standard bible that is literally falling apart. But I read and re read it and highlighted the heck out of it! I have purchased many bibles since that time but that one is still with me because it means so much to me.
It has been a while since I participated with Charlotte and the gang over at Spiritual Sunday. It is a wonderful inspirational and encouraging group and so today I am sharing my post with all of them too. Charlotte is a gracious hostess and she loves the Lord with a passion I love seeing! I like her blue button!
"No longer do I call you servants , for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. "John 15:15 (NKJV).
I hope those of you who follow Spiritual Sunday will take this to heart. I cherish each one of you and all you share with me. I have missed being part of this group. I love butterflies and this little Hallmark verse says it all. I love giving and receiving cards! Oh my, blue skies and some pretty butterflies!
Do you ever wear your rose colored glasses so everything looks better? As I grow older I realize my time on this earth is slowing catching up with me! So I cherish more, I get emotional very easily and understand all those things the nuns pounded (sometime literally) into my head! I learned way back in the kindergarten that everything good does indeed come from God. I understand why we are born with the ability to choose right from wrong. I have very few regrets and  I value my Christian upbringing. I try to steer myself away from the ways of this world and people who think political correctness is the way to be! God loves each and everyone of us and it is ultimately up to each one of us to decide where we want to be in the next life! I never try to influence anyone with my way of thinking but I am caution around people because each day I am surrounded by people living wrong, being dishonest and hungry for money and pride and power! I pray for them because there is nothing else I can do. I am kind and very well organized in my job. I always smile and listen patiently when a patient has something to say. I respect everyone. I wish everyone respected me. I hope you will join Marydon and everyone sharing their Love is...each Sunday/Monday! When I dated  my Sweets many years ago the newspaper printed these cute little Love is....seven days a week. I cut them out and pasted them onto construction paper and made a booklet for my Sweets. We still have that and I still feel very loved after all these years of marriage! Come and join our Love is...
I fee like Cathy from the comics on Monday morning! I think I love wearing blue dresses the most!  Not a bow in my hair kinda gal though! Even though Cathy's is blue! As soon as my key opens the door those silly phones sound off! It is as if I have set off an alarm! Now I want you to visit Sally. She hosts Blue Monday each week and I hope you scan and read my post today, although it is very long, and find how many blues I shared with you! Sally rocks and she is the coolest Blue of them all!