Playing Outside...

Maggie and I get home from school around 3:45 -4:00 each day; Sadie is usually already there since Keith picks her up from school.   The recent lovely weather here has given Maggie an opportunity to get outside, where she will usually stay until dark and suppertime.   She has shoes on in this picture from yesterday, which is not usually the case.  I have to go out every few days and collect shoes and socks that have been discarded around the yard.  In fact, I don't think the shoes she has on here actually made it back inside.   She loves walking around and looking for treasures, digging in the dirt, and using her imagination.    Keith has plans to till up the garden this week and plant onion sets and potatos.  Right now the garden is filled with lettuce from last year's lettuce that went to seed.

Packing Valentine Bags

This weekend Sadie and Maggie got candy-filled Valentine treat bags prepared for Maggie's class at school and  Sadie's handbell choir.  They are now ready to distibute to friends!   We really like the "cute" factor of the take-out style boxes, but they were a little tedious to close.   The drawstring bags were easy to fill, but again a bit awkward to close.    Next year we may look to another option.  We bought our candy supplies at Target, and had a few coupons to use.  I think now we are officially ready for Valentine's Day.

Homemade Crayon Heart Valentines!

Maggie is a very crafty kid; she loves cutting, gluing, and glittering.  This year for her class Valentine party, we decided to create homemade Valentines, using only materials we have already.  In the interest of reducing waste, we used up the last of our cardstock, bits of broken crayons, and red glitter.    Maggie and I spent a recent evening peeling the paper from the crayons, which was the necessary but tedious part of the project.   Next we broke them and cut them into uniform sizes.  Maggie filled silicone baking cups with the bits.  (they are non-toxic so I am not worried about ruining the cups)!   We baked them at 230 degrees for about 15 minutes, and after they cooled completely, they came right out of the cups.    I used the die-cut machine to cut heart shapes out of the cardstock and Maggie created her own Valentine designs with the red glitter and then added the crayon heart last with a little tape on the back.  She really loved this project and I loved using bits of this and that and not having any extra packaging to throw away.   They turned out to be very sweet!

If you don't like the weather in Texas...

There is a saying that if you don't like the weather in Texas, just wait a minute because it will change.   That is so true.  Yesterday was beautiful, with the afternoon temperature in the lower 70's.   In the evening yesterday, dust blew in from West Texas and the temperature dropped overnight.  

Keith has plans to till the garden this week or next; it will be time to plant onions and maybe lettuce.   We are spending as much time outside as possible on the gorgeous afternoons.   Maggie's favorite outdoor activity of the moment is bike riding.   She was into tree climbing until a mishap caused her to get scratched up on the way down. 

Another Picture with Santa....

Maggie  told Santa she wanted a toy fox to cuddle for Christmas.   Santa delivered her request on Christmas morning!

Santa Still Makes Housecalls...

Santa Claus made an unexpected housecall on Christmas Eve!  Just before this big event, Maggie was outside scattering reindeer food in the front yard; perhaps this was what encouraged Santa to stop.  He delivered  a dose of Christmas cheer, and also a bag of coal to Keith.

Sadie, right now....

Sadie, right now you are delightful, beautiful, strong, smart, and a joy to be around.  You are playing bells in the choir, you are cooking and expanding your domestic skills, taking joy in tasks around the house like cleaning out the refrigerator.  You amaze me with your compassion, but I am also so proud of your ability to stand up for yourself and put your own boundaries in place.   You have an amazing ability for "sizing up" people you meet, and your inner instincts are usually right on.  You are growing each day in wisdom and patience.  You are our sweet, awesome, loving,  and sometimes slightly weird teenager.   We love you so much!

Our Special Family

Here we are during the 2011 Christmas season at our church.   We are the original Cleaver family, but with Sadie and Maggie instead of Wally and Beaver.  Or maybe some days we are more like the Addams Family.    The last picture is our new preacher, but that really doesn't look like him!  

Cancer, I am really, really mad at you...

My husband, Keith, has lung cancer which has spread.  We have known this for several months.  It has been growing lately, and sprouting new growths.  He is getting excellent care and treatment, but this stupid cancer doesn't seem to understand that God is more powerful than it is. 
I am praying for God's will to be done in our family and for Keith to be healed. 
Sometimes, when there are just no words, it helps to recite the Apostles' Creed:
"I believe in God,

the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen"
 
So, cancer, think you are so big now?    I am powerless over many things, but I know the One who is all powerful.  

Christmas 2012

Christmas Morning 2012:  Santa was good to Sadie and Maggie.   The day was a little chilly, but the girls both had tech gifts that they were absorbed in for most of the day.  

Visiting Santa's Mailbox

  Santa's mailbox is a great place to leave your letters to Santa and Mrs. Claus.  That way, he is sure to know just what is on our minds as Christmas approaches. 

Even so, Maggie didn't want to take any chances on her gift requests, and spent a few days begging me to take her to the store to purchase the things she had asked for.  After she cried herself out, and made everyone miserable, Santa did come through after all.

Day at the Museum

Over our Christmas break, we visited a new museum filled with examples of wildlife from all over the world, plus ancient African artifacts.   The girls were very impressed, and we brought along Sadie's little charge she was babysitting.  He made us laugh, especially as he sang along to the radio in the car.   Maggie was getting over a bad case of pink eye, and you can tell in some of the pictures.   It's nice to have a new indoor place to spend time and enjoy getting out of the house.

Delivering Food Baskets....Receiving Joy

A week before Christmas, we were able to participate in a wonderful ministry hosted by the Ministerial Alliance in our community.  We delivered food baskets to two elderly ladies who had requested this be done.  It was a good community-service project for all of us, and we received wonderful Christmas joy in being able to give of our time.