Christmas Eve - We found LIGHTS

Michael was home today - which is always a bonus. He got busy on a project - adding a stabilizer to the trailer. He got the back done and will do the front some other time. 

While he was busy with this, the girls and I worked on meal plans for the upcoming week, a grocery list, baked a cake for tomorrow and then Krista, Stacia and I went grocery shopping. Yeah - not the best planning. I only got hit four times by other shopper's carts. ::snort::  Arielle put the mighty stock of food back in the pantry as we were finally able to declare it ant-free this a.m.

We spent the afternoon playing games.  Scrabble Scoop - which I'd forgotten we had. This is more a game of chance than skill....I thought maybe we stood a chance in this version of Scrabble.

 

Krista brought a new game down - In a Pickle. It was a lot of fun. I'm sure we'll play it more.

 

Arielle found the traveling men today. We thank Jesus because He's picture perfect.

We enjoyed the Christmas Candlelight service tonight and then we went in search of Christmas lights. We found the right neighborhood in Yuba City!  I only had my phone so the photos are wonderful but the memories are. LOL  They had lights strung across the street from roof to roof.

Stacia reminded me it's "tradition" for me to make cinnamon rolls on Christmas Morning. It is a GOOD thing she reminded me because it wasn't even on my radar screen. She's in bed and made me promise to wake her up to bake with me. I love it.  Krista isn't feeling well and is also sleeping. The men are reading. I'm about to join them.

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Krista's Home

Our big news of the day is that KRISTA IS HERE! ::grin::  We are simply doing "ordinary" things but it's fun to do them with new people in the house.

We continue to read our "Advent" book - it has readings which will go through to 6 Jan. Krista thought it very funny that we try to sing the hymn each  night. We had no clue at all tonight - so Michael played the melody for us on the piano.

 

They KNOW if they don't sing, I will make them sing a solo....so we make a very fun and joyful noise....not often near the original hymn but we're trying.

 

No comment at all - though I tried and deleted four. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Invasion of 2014

Well......the title of the post comes from an incident below, but this photo serves to share we are eagerly anticipating and preparing for the arrival of family. Krista will arrive tomorrow. BreZaak and my parents on the evening of the 25th. Michael told the boys to switch out water in the hot tub. LOL  Yes, we are awaiting the invasion of the family.....

We were NOT anticipating, nor are we eager for the INVASION OF THE ANTS. These little pests are HUGE pests around here when it begins to rain. We've had them coming in the patio door and making a trail to Yuuki's food in winters past....  There are thousands of them who are making their home in the Far West Library. This is disgusting and the base etymologists say there is nothing they can do at this time of the year.  I was happy that they had NOT made any appearance at our home. I kept checking the patio....but we found THIS today.....All over our pantry. The kids entered the pantry, threw out packages they'd breached and cleaned. We sprayed. We put out traps....and all the food sits in the middle of the kitchen while we prepare for family. ::snort::

We didn't see any more last night. (Monday night) We put out traps....and this morning.....this is just one trap. FULL. I am trying to find the little strips which others have told me work well. These liquid traps are all Walmart had.  I'm going to have to go buy more spray and traps.....because this does not look like a pantry ready for more food.

We booked flights for Michael to fly to Colorado for Mike the Elder's Vigil, Funeral and graveside services.

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

A Final and A First

Today marks our final Christmas Program in the Air Force.  Three of the kids participated this year.

 

Arielle was the narrator.

 

Zander was a wise man and Stacia was the star which led  to the manger.

This evening we attended our first Marty Goetz  concert. This was a Chanukah and Christmas celebration at Auborn Calvary Chapel. Marty is a Jewish believer and wow - can he SING and play the piano. We had a great time.  If you are ever able to attend one of his concerts we recommend it. They are fun, lively and more like a worship service than a concert.

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Hobbits, licenses and bread.....and a Christmas Letter?

In our home you have to read certain books before you can see the movie version. Stacia has worked hard to finish the Hobbit before it was released.

The result of Stacia's accomplishment was that we all found ourselves at the movie theater bright and early this a.m.  It was a good movie. We still think the books are better. ::wink::  After seeing this one Stacia asked if the Lord of the Rings movies were like this. When we told her pretty much - she responded, "I'm not sure I'll keep reading the Lord of the Rings books."  ::snort::  Seriously they spent a whole, long movie on things that took one or two chapters in the book. LOL 

Other exciting news of the day is that Arielle received her FOR REAL license!!!!

 We're a bit "off" today.....I'm feeling a bit numb. This has been a challenging year for our family. I was trying to write our Christmas letter yesterday morning and couldn't figure out what to leave out and what to put in.....and was telling God  we'd really like less challenges in 2015.....I decided to think about it a bit more and write it today...then heard Mike the Elder has passed away.

Michael has slept, talked with Bre and worked on sermon prep.  The kids have read and played games. Arielle and I cleaned and ran a couple of loads of laundry.

Stacia and I baked bread - two whole wheat oatmeal, one cinnamon, one garlic/herb and one braided garlic herb.....the smells are amazing as I sit here and blog. Stacia formed her first loaves all alone today.....this is serious business!  She actually did her first when she was 3, but she doesn't remember.

 

This is our second try with this recipe. I used my technique and their ingredients. Two of the loaves rose like I expect. The two with add ins didn't.......I guess I'll have to keep playing with them.

I'm going to have one of my favorite dinners....and then I'm going to sit in the hot tub, look at the stars, sip a cup of tea and remember a conversation I had with Pat yesterday. Before hearing of Mike's death....the take away is that sometimes there are things we really want to do, or things we know we are called to do - those are the things we should quit stalling on..... Really another aspect of the "word" I've been meditating on since the spring...."Live Life Fully...."

 

The "Christmas" Letter can wait a bit longer.  

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Still Traveling

Here are a few more glimpses of our traveling wise men. Each day they remind us to worship Jesus. 

 

We worship Jesus because he became one of us and walked in our shoes! 

We worship Jesus because He saves an accurate perspective of our past (camera bag).

 

We worship Jesus as He is the entrance to the Kingdom and relationship with Father God.

 

We worship Jesus as He is always with us (suitcase).

 

Standing on a stack of vacuum sealed blankets - We love Jesus because He's a soft place to land and He lights our path. 

 

We love Jesus because He warms our hearts.

I didn't do so good this week after our trip. We had SO MUCH to do...and we entered the door running.....but I remembered this a.m.  A good thing to remember on this day of sadness.

We worship Jesus because He stitches together all the threads of our lives. 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

TGIF

The kids joined me at Page Turners (PWOC's Book Club) this morning. We went to a new to us diner in Wheatland.  The owner was very friendly - even though we took two of her tables. We did order meals - which we usually don't.....and I was happy to give her business. I always feel a bit "guilty" keeping a table for drinks.

ANYWAY - four ladies met to discuss A Christmas Carol and five children ate and listened in from time to time.  I enjoyed the discussion. I enjoy any time I can spend with friends and it was fun to make a new friend today too.  I must say that these ladies are sharper than I...but that's o.k. they love me anyway. LOL

Cynthia and I left the book club to go by base and pick up Jerry and Desiree's children and Pat (Desiree's Mom). We had a fun afternoon. We went to see  "Night at the Museum 3" and then we stopped by Brock's Ice Cream Parlor.  The movie was good. I hear the ice cream was good.  I enjoyed meeting and visiting with Pat.

Please continue to pray for Desiree. Remember, she is my local friend who is pregnant and had to have a double mastectomy. Yesterday, they received some of the pathology reports back. It is good that it is not in her lymph nodes. However, she does have Stage 2 cancer. She will not be able to avoid radiation during this pregnancy. She'll see an oncologist in January. She will have radiation after the baby is born. Please continue to pray for this dear family - for Desiree and Baby O especially.

After dropping of the kids, Pat and Cynthia....I checked my phone. Michael had been trying to reach me.

Michael's eldest brother, Mike, has had brain cancer. Yesterday morning he passed away. He is pain free and at peace...we are sad. Please pray for his wife Paula and their daughters.  And since I'm updating on prayer requests - please continue to pray for our grand-nephew Dom, Michael and his brother Earl.

Several have asked about a Mike the Elder and Mike the Younger. They use to be Big Mike and Little Mike until Little Mike grew to be taller than Big Mike.  Michael is the  last child of  his father's second marriage. They had not run out of names by the time he was born...they decided to name him with the names of Earl's other two sons to let them know they are still connected and loved by Earl. So, my Michael carries the names of his brothers.

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...