Curling up with a good book….even if it isn’t great literature

 

One of my coworkers spent the day at home today.  She wasn’t feeling well.  (It is a lot of work making plans for a substitute, so I’m sure she really didn’t feel well.) 

She said she had two things that she would be doing at home: 

Sleeping and reading!

I am feeling a little envious.

(This cute sign is from our school library.)

That got me thinking about how much I loved reading as a young girl.  I curled up with a book almost every night, even hiding a flash light in my bed to sneak a few more pages after bed time. 

(Have cable and the internet ruined me?)

This was my first favorite series:

I loved Nancy Drew!

Later, my mother signed me up for a teenage book club.  None of the books were widely known, but they all had good values and  sweet romances.  I shared them with my friends, and all of my girls and I still enjoy re-reading them.

Some of the titles were:

Cross My Heart

Boy Wanted

I, Judy

Saddles For Breakfast

The Wider Heart

As I got older I fell in love with Mary Stewart.

One of my favorite spots to read was up in the tree. 

I could spend hours up there (and avoid doing my chores)!  What a great spot to relax and hide!

(Just don’t forget and leave your book in the tree- I have one that was left out in the rain.  A one inch thick book became a fat 4 inch thick one.)

I do enjoy reading the classics, too.

One of my favorite authors is Jane Austin.

This little guy loves to read, too!

Well…

I think I just talked myself in to an early retirement.

I have an old stack of books waiting to be reread!

 

A Change in the weather and a little attitude tune-up…

Armed with my camera,

I bravely set out today to seek and find something that wasn’t dull, dreary, or gray.  I didn’t have to look too far. 

The beautiful flowers were a gift from my husband who knew I was needing something  beautiful.

THANK YOU!

The other images were from school.

I just needed to look for them.

 

“Think left and think right and think low and think high.

Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!”

Dr. Seuss

 

Today I had recess duty and boy was it snowing! 

Sometimes life looks a little differently when you are on the outside looking in!

 

These girls didn’t let a little snow stop their jump roping fun. 

P.S.  I don’t think I was the only one who needed a change.

This morning, just as the snow was starting to fall, I looked out my window to see a fellow teacher and her whole class out out running wildly across the playground, doing a “snow dance”!

(It wasn’t even recess time!)

I thought I’d end with one more shot of these beautiful flowers!

January doldrums……

Blah!  I’m feeling the need for some color.

Doesn’t it seem like everything is dull, gray, and bleak outside right now?  (I’d even take a good snow storm.)

I’m really craving something bright and cheerful.

Sort of like this:

(Photo from Google)

I guess for the next few days I will be off hunting for something to “soothe my thirsty soul”.  (I sound a little flaky, but I promise, I’m just restless.)  Maybe I will take my camera and see what I can find. 

Any suggestions?

P.S.  Maybe my lingering cold is starting to get to me!!!!

(24 days and counting!)

A recap of a crazy week (or….. I forgot to mail my newsletter, so here it is)!

 

 January 20, 2011

Dear Family,
     What a week! Whoever said life was boring probably never hung out at our house. This past week included packing up 95 Christmas boxes (or at least enough to fill up the storage room shelves.  O.k., I might have exaggerated a bit), celebrating Karl’s birthday, playing with the family, (including the three cutest grand kids in the world), trying not to notice the three plus pickup truck loads of tree branches in the back yard (I’m not exaggerating), and missing, reporting, and then finding a stolen car. It was just another normal week for a crazy family like ours.

       Liz and Karl came down on Friday to celebrate Karl’s birthday with us, and the rest of the family spent a lot of time hanging out here, too. At times that meant having seven cars/trucks parked around the house. So, having one less vehicle in the yard was not really too noticeable. In fact, we didn’t even miss the car until Saturday around noon when Michelle came by. (Michelle, you are the most observant of us all!) After a call to the police, we realized that Katie’s car was officially missing. Did you know Honda Civics are on the most popular list of stolen vehicles? We spent the next few days getting used to the idea that the car was probably being disassembled, with parts being shipped to the far corners of the state. Oh well, Katie was due for a new car and the insurance money would help with a down payment.
       Wrong! Monday, we got a phone call from the police saying the car had been found in Rose Park. After trying to find the car (we were given the wrong address) and then watching Ken get a flat on his brand new tire, we finally were able to assess the damage. The steering column had been trashed, but the car was intact. Unfortunately, Katie will be out about $300 to get it fixed. She won’t even file a claim with insurance since she has a $250 deductible. What a roller coaster ride this has been. Now we are shuffling around the cars so we can all get to work, but working at the same location helps!

     We hope Karl had a nice birthday! Next up is Irene’s birthday, followed by Katie’s. It seems like we are on a birthday run.
* * * * * * * * * * * *

    It is now a day or so later and I still haven’t finished writing this letter. Katie’s car is now fixed (?), but the steering wheel is twisted so that the bars run up and down. Can she live with it like that? Will it drive her nuts? She will probably have to have it fixed again. (Do you think I need to get some violin music to accompany this letter? Sorry!)

     
     Irene is such a talented seamstress and we are very proud of her. She recently made a new shirt to go with Joshua’s cute suit (a gift from Robbie) since the one that came with it didn’t fit anymore.  It looks perfect! Thanks, Andrew, for picking a nice, talented wife.

     Karl is still waiting for a job, but there has been a lot of movement this week. Keep your fingers crossed.
     Liz and Karl found out what sex their baby is. They had a friend mix up some cupcakes while they were at the doctor’s office and by the time they got home they were ready for the reveal. Yes, roll the drums please……
IT IS A GIRL!

     Michelle did NOT win the contest at work, although she was very close and should have won (at least that's what we all think)! Her team did get a letter from the BIG boss saying that they were the best team in the company right now for booking things. Compliments are nice, but trips might be more fun! Maybe next time!
     Heidi and Ovidiu are enjoying their new apartment. They weren’t too excited when they got their first heating bill, however. but after some maintenance, it is now fixed and should be much better. Too bad they didn’t enjoy all the extra heat blasting out while they were at work!
     Robbie has spent a lot of time this week helping with the after school program. It seems that first graders just can’t get off the bus at the right stop and kids keep getting lost. He and several other teachers have had to rescue several students (with not much help from their parents)!
     My advice today is one of my favorite scriptures:
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:19–21).
      That is pretty true advice! Whenever we have had trials (floods, theft, car crashes, etc.) we are always reminded that material things don’t really matter in the eternal perspective. Yes, they are nice, helpful conveniences, but we can live without them. The most important blessings we have are each other!

WE LOVE OUR FAMILY!

Can you guess where we were? Yes, I’m a little bored……

Can you guess where this picture was taken?  Do you know how many years ago it was?

Here is a clue:

Andrew was just finishing up his mission.   (This cute lady, Sister White, cooked a delicious dinner for all of us and fed us until we were stuffed!)

We also spent some time in this beautiful Rose garden in a near-by city.

So, where were we?
Answer:  Most of the pictures were in Portland, Oregon.  The picture of Andrew was taken in Tacoma, Washington. 
When?
Answer: 2004
P.S.  Yes, I need to get out and take some new pictures, experience something exciting, and live in the moment! 
P.P.S.  Liz and Karl are having another little GIRL!  Yeah!

A long weekend with a little drama…..

We’ve had a full house this weekend.  It has been crazy busy, but fun.

Problem #1:

Saturday morning we discovered that Katie’s car was missing-GONE!  (Actually, Michelle was the one who made the discovery.) 

Of all the kids here and all the vehicles, Katie’s car is the oldest and in the worst shape (sorry, Katie), but it just happened to be a

1997 HONDA CIVIC!

The very nice police man told us that they are one of the most popular cars  to steal.  First, they are valuable for parts and second, they have an easy universal “key” access.

Well…..

This morning we got another phone call from a different, but very nice policeman, saying that they had found the car, abandoned in a neighborhood in Rose Park. 

We hurried to meet up with the officer to see what was left of her car.  It had been fiddled with and the steering column was pulled apart, but it didn’t seem to have anything missing (except the gasoline). 

Problem #2:

Ken got a flat tire as he pulled up next to Katie’s abandoned car.  It was a brand new tire! 

Problem #3:

Does she pay for the repairs or try to sell it and start over?

I guess we will wait and see what the insurance agent has to say!

You think you had a bad hair day-check out this one!

I had a good chuckle tonight as I opened my email and saw this picture.  Some days things just don’t seem to work!

I get to hang out with some fun people this weekend!

I’m excited!

(Maybe I won't even comb  my hair.)