Saturday, December 18, 2021

Dec 15 -17th

It would appear I "haven't blogged" since Dec 14th. That would be a false conclusion for one to reach.  Our family noticed a distressing trend as we ended 2020. We seemed to go silent every summer and fall and emerge again in late November/ December. Further investigation revealed the silent blog corresponds to the nice weather and the reappearance of the blog to the first snow dates. I still have PHOTOS from all those months - but not a one had been blogged.  When summer/fall hit we are busy outside, playing and working, and I simply don't find time to sit down and capture what is keeping us busy. As this is a family journal (and I don't keep photo albums) this is a trend our family would like corrected.  I set a goal of "catching up the blog and keeping current in 2021."  

I set a daily intention of blogging 15 min a day - regardless. If I don't have time to think, I'd at least get a photo and a caption up - because really kids have an alarming habit of disappearing and showing up a year older. ::Snort::  It seemed like it would work well - except LIFE didn't stop in 2021 because I was trying to catch up 2019 and 2020 on the blog.   By March, *I* was ready to admit the blog would not be totally caught up in 2021. I vowed to keep current and catch up what I could.  What happened? We made it into August before we went silent this year. I thought I had caught up. I knew I had a "few posts" in November to catch up and as the end of the year approaches, I am conscious to find time to catch up so 2021 will be current on Jan 1st.  I was feeling good as I posted the last November post...I knew there were a "few" in October to re-capture...but what is THIS? Not a single thing was blogged in Sept 2021.  Aug was sparse and there was more than I thought to capture in Oct. It would seem we went pretty silent again this year. Facebook makes it easy to think you're keeping up - but Facebook isn't our family journal. It isn't saved in a spot where family can easily re-read the adventures. 

And SO....I am sprinting to get 2021 finished...and I'll carry 2019 and 2020 into 2022. 

This realization came at a good time...just as Bible Babes and Gather ministry are breaking for 3 weeks.  We don't have a gift exchange as a Dec 25th goal and I have free time to focus on blogging.  I have been blogging a LOT the past three days...but I wake up this morning and realize I am in danger of getting behind if I don't keep current in this week too. 

Wednesday  - Allie and Stacia prepared for MAG's Youth Christmas Clash. This involved making snacks to take and coming up with outfits. I did NOT get a photo but Stacia was glorious. She had on reindeer leggings, a cosmos dress from her Aunt Mary, combat boots and an old BDU jacket from Krista's uniform, all topped with a Christmas hat and antlers.  If Allie got a picture I'll add it later.  They took a platter of hot cocoa cupcakes and a plate of Christmas Crack(ers) to group. 


Nolan continues to push in his college coursework and in his local job. Alex works. 

Michael spent a lot of time with Grandpa this week as the rest of us were running. 

I prepped and hosted our Gather Bible study.  Several ladies came with goodies and gifts...what fun. I came home with a plate of Christmas goodies (which we hid from the diabetic in our midst), a jar cookie mix, and a hand quilted "clutch."

Thursday  - Stacia has a weekly nanny gig.  Allie and I drop her at the gig and then go out for our breakfast study.  We have just enough time to work through our material, run a few errands and pick Stacia up.  This nanny gig has only recently started but it's working well for us to have it start before the time Allie and I were already meeting. It keeps Allie and I out an extra hour or so; it simply wouldn't be worth it to drive home, drop Allie off and immediately pull out to drive back for Stacia. It's been good to have scheduled time when I know Grandpa is taken care of and we can run a few errands....in the past weeks we've picked up Allie's glasses, finally ordered new glasses for me, made it to the bank, picked up click it groceries, visited the library and a thrift store...it's a good thing. 

We came home just in time for Grandpa to take a nap and Michael to leave for a doctor appointment. The afternoon was slated for school and blogging...but first....an impromptu tea. We pulled out our hidden plate of goodies and sat down with the drinks we had grabbed in a drive through. 


I tried my hand at making SUGAR FREE CHRISTMAS CRACK(ers) and they are yummy. This has kept the temptation to eat from the "forbidden plate" under control. Stacia made a sugar free naked chocolate cake and Dad has been snacking on that. We do not deprive him - we simply keep the healthier options easily accessible. ::wink:: 

It was fun to hear about Stacia's crafty morning with her sweet charges.  The girls shared how school is going, we chatted about the youth party. It was wonderful to sit together.  Allie and I had found a couple of games we all look forward to playing with Livie. HedBanz is one I remember playing with Maria as she worked to improve her English. Wow - look at her now! That girl is getting her DOCTORATE! So proud of her. ANYWAY....

The girls headed down to school. I put a Christmas coffee house music video on the big screen, grabbed some water, and settled into the couch to blog.... I stayed right there until 5:15 when it was time to get dinner finished up as Michael was on his way home from his appointment and errands. 

I have started uploading photos to google, downloading them to my computer and getting them then extracted to proper files while we watch movies or programs at night. This is just enough mental energy to sort of keep me from falling asleep....and the photos are then off my phone and camera and ready for quick blogging in any spare moments I find. 

Friday - Dec 17th - Stacia and I have Bible study on Friday mornings. We discussed Philemon this week. We have been on the same schedule as Bible Babe and Gather - but both are breaking until January.  I think we'll continue at a slower pace through the break.  We only have the book of Mark to finish, and we will have read through the entire New Testament together this year. 

Michael picked up end rolls of newsprint from a local paper yesterday. I dropped by the girl's homes and left them each with a roll for crafts, an advent book we bought for each family, and hot drinks. It is always fun to scatter surprises. We loved the big rolls of paper when the kids were little - endless possibilities.  Bre sent a photo of the kids jumping at the possibilities. Annie is to intent on her artwork to break for a smile. LOL 

Bella, Annie, Gideon

Michael and Alex left for their Bible study. Grandpa napped. I sat up the music, the HAPPY light, stoked the fire and sat down to spend another afternoon blogging. I have now caught up AUGUST and November. I have one post left and October is finished. I will try to start September today. 2021 will be current. 

The oven repairman came AGAIN. The new part did not fix the problem. They do see some improvement. Now we get some beeps. They are bringing back the first part they brought to see if it will work now that we get beeps from the new part. Bottom line - we still do not have an oven upstairs...but we ARE learning how to work the one downstairs. πŸ˜‰

Fire danger is fairly low - Michael burned something. LOL   Check out the garden beds asleep under the snow. 


As for these blog posts...we really don't expect most of you will care to read them. If you are subscribed to the blog, you will receive notification or an email copy of any posts whenever they are posted - regardless of the date on them. If you simply visit the blog when you have a moment you won't be aware of the movement in the backfield. If you follow the "Courageous Joy" Facebook page, I do post all blog links there. If you are on my personal Facebook page, I post ones that seem they may still have interest like "Josiah and Carrie's wedding" but not necessarily all the back dated posts as we move forward. Several have asked me to post the blog links on my personal Facebook wall, I do try to remember to share current links from the page to my wall. Clear as mud? 

It is 9:51 a.m.  and it looks like the sun may be up "shortly." I'm going to get folks up and moving.