Decorations...

Last year, Terry had said, that he might not have the get up and go to do all the decorating.  He put the boxes where he could get to them just in case he could still muster up the oomph.  We made one huge mistake.  True we were prepared that it might not work out BUT we did not prepare a minimal box.  One that had a garland, the nativities and a couple of other things that we enjoy.  IF we had a single box, just for minimal decorations, we would have had a much easier time, preparing  for Christmas the way we like to do it, in a more abbreviated way.  the year from 2013 to now?...the boxes are buried!  somewhere! 

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 The tree still hasn't passed the sniff test and is still hanging out back.  True it has improved but not enough to warrant a permit slip for entry indoors.

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One wreath smelled so good and we usually have two...one indoors and one on the front door...so I bought another but forgot to pick up the hangar as the regular ones are buried in the garage so Terry hung it on the doorknob and I think that is it!  I put the two nativities out and the rest are also buried in the time capsule aka our garage.  We feel the Spirit and that is what matters.

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so we have been doing a lot of thinking and a lot of talking and Terry has been doing a lot of struggling (in a brave way! with a lot of neuralgia pain this last week which renders him sleep deprived).  He is unable to do what he wants to do.

Those are things that we needed to address.  We have job descriptions and divvy things up.  He is rather adamant that what is his to do, is his, and not mine.  I'm not to touch anything on his to do list!!  (Viking thing!)

So he rakes the leaves and I'm not to help.  Actually it's more like he starts to rake the leaves, I'm not to help, with what didn't get finished, because he will do it.  It's his to do etc. etc.  He moves the chairs off the front porch but I'm not to move the tables or rug or leaves as he is going to do it, because it is on his list. 

The big vacuum cleaner box will be moved.  By him.  Also the tools over by the fireplace that were used on the heater repair.  And the two big boxes the air filters came in...that need to go to the garage.  Don't touch them.  Oh, did I mention he does ALL the dishes??  Still!  But...if he's not able to do them...might I take care of that???  Uh, no.  He will do it.  

Inside or outside.  Hands off.

So...it was getting a bit smoky in here.  Not high heat with flames but a bit scorchy.  He was in bed for the morning after a sleepless night and I hauled and carried and moved and did dishes and just sort of general tidied up things that had been quite a bit of time piling up.

When he woke up...he did not run and buy me flowers and thank me for helping.  So the Missourian Mule and the Nordic Viking had a rather animated word battle.  Not pretty.  Thank heavens for being empty nesters and no one here to witness such rude behavior and loud voices.

Calming down, you have to do that to endure each other and make that eternal marriage goal, we regrouped and it turned out marvelous.  The Lord is so good to all of us as we plod/plunge through mortality, don't you think?

We decided to just be thankful.  Just be grateful for whatever got done. Not wish it was more.  Accept with gratefulness whatever got done by whoever could do it. If one of us couldn't step up to the plate and hit a homer then the other would pinch-hit.  We would both just be totally thankful that one of us was up to the task at hand.  No selfish talk of ...but that is mine to do!  not yours!  We aren't fighting over toys here or who is right and staking out territory and putting yellow crime scene tapes to set a trap.  We are partners and we want to work together.  In harmony.  Can you hear the little bluebirds of happiness twittering/tweeting over here??

We hugged and kissed and got back in our somewhat rickety wagon, for our sometimes very bumpy mortal ride. 

Then we had a stupendous event happen!!

We were so moved by the monumental shift we had made in who does what, and just expressing gratitude to each other,  that we decided to watch a Hallmark Christmas movie!  Saving the North Pole.  We both, in our tenderness, were feeling teary.  Yes.  Teary over the North Pole!!  And right then a loud knock got our attention. 

Imagine my surprise...no one was there BUT this precious gift of love!  So then we were tearful over 6 cookies with a sweet note!!  I'm sure others got some but no one could possible be as thankful for that sweet thoughtful gesture as us.  I cherish the plate!

"Tis the Season...

 Figuring out my life this last while and ended up at one point this week, reminding myself that life is truly fleeting, and also remembering what Auntie Mame said in that hilarious old 1958 movie, of the same name- Auntie Mame... Live! "life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!" I was thinking it's time to pick things up a notch.  Being somewhat crazed?-- Perhaps so.  I did the thing that lots of females do in a time of perceived crisis...got online and ordered a dress!  A plus size bright red dress!  Insane! 

 

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    So things are different and that is fast becoming just fine.  It was nice to send out this note to our family and get such a fun response back.  

Dad is ready to give his Christmas houses away.  I know each of you have several so don’t need any duplicates or any more.  Anyone of the next generation want one or so or more?  If we don’t hear back then he’s gifting them to others.  first choice is for you and yours!!! 

 

love to each of you from your Mom

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 Oh no! Why?  Are they ones that belong to our series?  Putting up the houses are the boys favorite part of decorating.  I would love to be able to pass those down to them for their little families.  It's so special.  I hope I'm not too late!
 Love, your DIL💛💙💜💚

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Hi! We would be happy to take some. We packed poorly one year and a lot of ours broke. Grace absolutely loves them and she's sad that they are broken. 

Let me know!!

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Grandmama and Grandpapa, I would love to have a house or two, they are my favorite :)

Love you

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We would love one. The kids would cherish the fact that it was yours.  Love you xoxo

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Good morning.  The girls expressed an interest in them. 

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Our boys enjoy those houses. We'll take them if no one else in our family does.

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(our lone daughter, she that requested several years ago-- please, stop sending them. We have no more attic space.)

Thanks so much Momma!  But we are bursting with houses and are all set here. xoxo 

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Our eldest son said...

I would love to see them go to kids and families who are less fortunate this holiday season...

(He will maybe be surprised that his daughter-in-law wants 3! we'll probably give her 4!)

So that is taken care of.  Well, step one!  Now we have to find, sort, send.  But it will be fun is what I'm thinking!

 

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 Decorating inside?--

The tree is still airing outdoors...the wreath is still hanging on the door knob...the Nativity is still where it sits year round... as is the other Nativity...as is the metal snow flake, decked out with a pine cone and a sprig of green pine needles...as is the house  with it's little tiny Christmas tree that reminds us of Halibut Cove. 

So year round we have these touches that make us feel cozy and sentimental and when December rolls around we feel Christmasy.  technically I could claim that we have Christmas decorations up year round.  They do remind us of home, family and the Savior.  So I'm thinking we are about set.

I'm really so fed up with all this holiday talk in the media/stores and leaving Christ out of everything.   It seems counter productive to me to buy more stuff or receive more stuff when I'm trying to get rid of stuff.  I have thought of what I want to do for my sisters I VT.  I have a rather bizarre idea (is that my norm??) but I want to do it.  IF I don't do it then I'll tell you what I wanted to do.  IF I do it then I won't tell you what I did.  I mean it's a gift after all!

 This morning I had a great visit with a dear friend about the poor and giving and all that goes along with that subject.  We are both on the same page and that is always nice to know that fact and confirm how you view things from the same vantage point.

Later on I remembered 2 blogs that I did in 2011.  Some of my favorite scriptures and a couple of incidents are shared.  If you are new to my blog you might not have seen it.  If you are old to my blog you might enjoy reading the references.

Spot of Beauty  here  

 Poor/Rich    here

(I'm loving my life and the newness of it each day, as I figure out how to shift gears, get off center and move along.  How long can a person be figuring things out on one subject...life!)

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This is what the core of life is all about, isn't it???

    
                                                                     

good morning!

I'm up.  Terry is still snoozing.  I went to bed snarly and woke up nice.  You know how restorative a few hours of good sleep are.  I tried to find that blog.  I'll just do another one but not at this moment as I need to tend to doing things like using our new Vacuum.  Merry Christmas to us!!

I don't know if you saw this but in case you didn't, I wanted to share a comment from Jeanne (the one in the hospital trying to not deliver a preemie).  here is her note...

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Sweet Nancy, thank you so much for the prayers you have sent and the prayers requested on our behalf!! Baby is doing good. My blood pressure is being controlled, and my headaches are able to be less severe with medicines. I KNOW it is because of the power of our Father.

I am so very thankful that we have the ability to call down the powers of Heaven on our, and others, behalf. When I was on my mission, I was reading about prayer in the bible dictionary. One phrase that has stuck with me is that "The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them."

Oh how I see this principle in my own parenting! Naomi is famous for not wanting to have her diaper changed. There are times that I take over and just change her when needed, and there are times that I just wait until she asks for me to change her. I see the Father doing the same thing. I'm sure there are many times that He steps in and just blesses us because He loves us. But there are also times where Father is just aching to help us, but will not intervene until we humble ourselves and ask.

I've rambled on long enough. :) Thank you for the prayers, and know that I am praying for you and your family too! 

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I took the liberty of enhancing the part that I so believe in.  Isn't it wonderful to read what a woman of faith, like Jeanne, puts into her daily life?  In a round about way that BD definition fits in with Elder Uchtdorf Woman's Conference quote.  Sometimes we block the blessings.

Drats!!!

Well, that is utterly irritating!!  I wrote a post and somehow or other when I went to get the story below, the post was gone when I came back!  it's 12:45 and I'm going to bed.  I will sleep off the mean and wake up nice and put it back together.

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President Hinckley quoted this and I so enjoyed it then and now!  I underlined what I really wanted to share.

“There seems to be a superstition among many thousands of our young [men and women] who hold hands and smooch in the drive-ins that marriage is a cottage surrounded by perpetual hollyhocks to which a perpetually young and handsome husband comes home to a perpetually young and [beautiful] wife. When the hollyhocks wither and boredom and bills appear the divorce courts are jammed. …

“Anyone who imagines that bliss [in marriage] is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed.

“[The fact is] most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. …

“Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.

“The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride” (“Big Rock Candy Mountains,” Deseret News, 12 June 1973, A4).

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I am glad for the ride!!!

Prayers would be appreciated...

There is a woman that is a regular blog reader.  I think she lives in Missouri.  She needs some prayers.  Her name is Jeanne Towns.  She has had difficulty carrying to full term.  Right now she is  31 weeks along.  She is hospitalized with challenges and prayer would be so appreciated.  The Dr.s want the baby to hold off as long as possible. 34 weeks is her goal.  3 weeks more.  Please put her name on the prayer roll of your Temple.

Thanks to all of you for your belief in the power of united prayer.

I love my blog readers...those I know and those I don't know.  It's nice to know I can ask for help in situations like this.  Thanks ever so much.

Scaled down decorations

Christmas is about beauty....be it music or scents or pictures or memories....connecting with people-close at hand or further away.  Enjoy this beautiful tree that my friend Maurine took in SLC...

t

 

Things don't have to be lavish to be beautiful.  It's an individual thing because we know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The Stake Christmas Concert was beautiful on all counts.  They used the cultural hall to the max.  I loved how they set it up.  Orchestra, Choir, hand-bell ringers on the floor to the right. Marvelous singing and playing.  All dressed white and black.  Red Poinsettia corsage/red ties.  Bethlehem, Camels, sheep, donkey, water well, building ...all amazing!  the costumes...breathtaking.  Mary...heavenly.  the casting superb.  Yes, I loved it. 

I thought about why it impacted me so powerfully.  Partly because it was so well produced and evenly excellent.  no high or low.  all on the same level of excellence.  Also because of the simplicity of it.  All about the Savior and His Birth.  Later it dawned on me that events like this, where someone gives (everyone involved in the production)  and someone receives (those of us in the audience)  are on the same wave length.  We are all being taught.  We are all being edified.  We were unified.
Just like in...

Doctrine and Covenants 50:22 Wherefore he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.

It was a time of celebration, not only for what was performed in such a tender touching real way, but also of feeling love for the Savior and the joy of knowing about Him and enjoying the Gospel.    

Doesn't do any justice to the reality of it!!!

So here is our tree for this year....

It's handmade macrame.  By my Dad.

it has lights and bows and is perfectly done.

I never called him Dad in his life.  It was always Daddy.  Anyhow...he had retired, my Mother was trying to find things to keep him busy (as his health wasn't real good but his brain was always whirring as happens with workaholics sometimes)  so macrame was one thing she got him interested in.  he was great at tying knots so it was a good match.  he made all sorts of things...end tables, wall hangings, lamp shades and then one year in late 70's, he made this tree.  It's been stored for years (it collapses within itself and all the lights and ribbons stay on as is.)  and right now...it really smells and not so good.  We are thinking of hanging it outdoors and seeing if fresh air will outdo our attempts with air filters we have in house.

We aren't going to put up our tree that we love and enjoy.  Nor the houses.  We will put out the Nativities, get a wreath for the door, put a garland over the mirror and that will be it for this year.

This last week, I've realized how much our life has changed and how we need to simplify on so many counts.  I need to pick up my pace and do more.  When Terry said...We can't do Christmas decorating as we have before and then said...I'm going to give the houses away...I knew that he was speaking his truth.  That just isn't going to happen.  A friend offered to come pull boxes out and do it all- and another would do it also but you know what?--in life's scheme, being very independent folks, we want to do what we can for ourselves and that is what we decided on.  It's time for us to step up to the plate and make some rather drastic changes for us.

All of these decorations are about shared memories with adults, that were one time our young children, filled with the wonder of Christmas.  They all now have their own young and not so young children, at home.  Sad to say we don't live near each other.  I'm just saying these things served us well and now we need to cut back.

I'm so sentimental and always talking traditions and making memories.  That has been done at various times on many levels.  So I sent a note to the family and told them Dad is going to give the houses away.  You get first pick. I just sent the note and our sweet Granddaughter-in-law is very sentimental also and she wants a couple for her little ones.  Our Granddaughter Grace had some that got broken and she would like a couple.  Remember...all 5 of our children have been gifted with houses and also remember...they finally asked if the gift houses could please be stopped!   Terry will gift remaining houses to friends.  Well, some friends as there aren't a hundred or so houses.

It was a tough week in letting go but I found the answer in the scriptures.  This applies at different times to different situations but for me, this week, it rang true...

Ecc. 3:1,6 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:....A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away. 

I'm thinking cast away is give away!!!

My sweet husband and I have intact, the most precious thing of Christmas...our love of the Savior and our testimonies.

bits and pieces of floating thoughts

 In Homer we had a Natural Food Store.  It was rustic, probably not up to par for inspections but we all shopped there for grains, honey, beans, nuts etc.  Plus they had a peanut grinder that turned out the best freshest peanut butter.  They had loose herbal teas, homeopathic remedies and all that sort of thing.  Homer had a lot of hippie/artistic types and a lot of granola/muesli eaters as they were some times called.  All of us blended and enjoyed the store with it's bins and scoops and paper sacks.

The store in Union Gap was that sort of run down looking Homer-like place.  I was happy when I saw it.  It was not like the Homer store but it had the feel in some ways when we first moved here.  The then owner baked WW bread and other types of that sort.  Gradually it has shifted to bottles and boxes and a few self-serve plastic tubes to dispense the grains/beans/nuts.

Now it has really changed in a big way.  Saturday I was in there looking for something or other.  They have a new clerk.  Older kind woman, pink cheeked, long single braid down her back, Birkenstocks with wool stockings, long loose skirt, simple black long sleeved top.  Thought of Homer again.

Then two men walked in the front doors, looked around and said to her, in a puzzled voice...where is the Marijuana?  She sweetly kindly smilingly said... Go back outside to the end of the building and turn right at the end of the fence.  It's down there.  they thanked her and she said sweetly...have a nice afternoon.  The one fellow laughed and said knowingly...oh, we will.  we will. 

So....  end of the line for my shopping here.  Buh-bye Mill Creek.  I will miss you!



They really decked it all out.  The sign says...

Washington State

Licensed Recreational

Marijuana Retail Store

around the yellow smiley face it gives the name...Mill Creek Natural Foods and the phone number.

Can't help but notice the gay pride rainbow flag also.
* red - life 
* orange - healing 
* yellow - sunlight 
* green - nature  
* blue - serenity 
* violet - spirit
( gay pride used to have  ~~~* hot pink - sexuality & * turquoise - magic~~~  but they removed those colors)

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 so many things tumbling through my mind.  I need to do a sift and sort and then blog.  in the meantime...

I absolutely could not believe that somewhere in our beloved USA a group tried to stop a production of The Nutcracker.  Atheists (I think that was the group) said it violated their rights!  Why?...  Because?... you ask!?  Because it has a CHRISTmas tree!!  Now that is a hard one to take.  They claim a Christmas tree is tied with Christmas.  Christian belief.  What next folks?  what next??? 

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I'm thinking of my granddaughters, the older ones, ordered them bracelets and then went back next day, after ordering, and re-read and it said they were vegan leather.  What on earth??  it looks like a braided leather with a charm on it.  Then it hit me...PLASTIC!!  Don't you think so?  it's probably pure junk.  Plus I mis-ordered and had all 4, sent in two separate packages to one address!!  I'm losing it.  I think I'm losing it!!

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I just can't say enough about the Mom's that get their chicks to Church and all are dressed and looking spiffy.  Then they do the MommyDance for a couple of hours and I just love them so much for doing that very thing!!  I know it's hard and seems endless and you wonder if it's really worth it.  Yes Yes and Yes!!  Today, a Mommy that I love, was trying to soothe her little one in the back foyer, with doors closed she had created a little sound proof square.  I opened the door and held him a minute (I thought he quite liked it!  I did for sure!).  She quickly took him back as he had diaper overflow on his back.

This fantastic piece of art is dedicated to her and all the Momma's that hang in there!!  Thank you so much!!

Any of you that have children not yet out of high school that hopefully are living at home with you...this is also for you!!   Thank you for all you do for your kiddos!

Climbing Mother by Brian Kershisnik