Highlight Reel November 22nd-28th November 29, 2008

Saturday-  Went Christmas shopping in St Cloud, got a lot of ideas now but didn’t come home with much because the person I had ideas for was with me!

Sunday- Went to church, taught catechism then had a short teachers meeting after class.  Then I rushed in to town to get to the scout fundraiser/wreath sale.  We sold almost 20 less wreaths this year then last so the boys have a few more to peddle door to door.  Anybody need a wreath?

Monday-  Boy Scout meeting tonight.  We practiced our patrol and troop skits for Court of Honor next Sunday, and had a guest speaker talk to us about how to pack for a backpacking trip.  Thanks Andrew!

Tuesday-Delivered some of the wreaths and had a quiet rest of the evening.

Wednesday-My cousin Janeen came over and we sat and figured out what we are going to attempt for our annual baking extravaganza.  We get together to make our candies and some cookies every year. And we sample…lots!

Thursday-Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!

Friday-Had to be to work at 3am for the busiest shopping day of the year.  Ahh the joys of working retail!  Came home in time to watch the Wild game (we won!), made supper and am now installing my new Office program.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!! November 27, 2008

                                                                 

 

What a beautiful day!  I’m not talking about the weather (which was beautiful as well) but about the day in general.  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because there are no expectations.  It’s not a gift giving holiday like Christmas, nor a candy giving holiday like Halloween or Easter.  It’s just a simple holiday that gives us a chance to take a step back and realize that there is so much in our lives we have to be thankful for.

I was able to attend church today because we are blessed to have freedom of religion in this wonderful country of ours.  I think of people in other countries who could be slain for owning a Bible and I am saddened that they are not able to gather together with others of the same faith.

I was able to gather at my parents home.  I think of other people who are homeless and do not have a warm place to gather with family and friends and I thank God that I have never had to live on the streets.

 

I was able to enjoy a wonderful feast prepared by my mother.  I think of men, women and children for whom the pangs of hunger are a daily occurence and I feel blessed that my husband has always been able to provide for us so that we have never had to go hungry.

I enjoyed conversation with my parents, husband, children, aunt and grandparents and I think of those who are far from home and alone, or those who have no family to share the holiday with and I am thankful that all my family is healthy and can be together like this.

When we get down it’s easy to wonder why life doesn’t always go the way we’d like it to.  But in times like this (and especially on Thanksgiving day) we need to think about all we DO have and all the many blessings the Lord has given us and bend our knees and thank Him.

“Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High”          Psalm 50:14

Feeling Old at the Bowling Alley November 24, 2008

   

 

  Friday night our Boy Scout Patrol decided to go bowling.  The patrol leader and assistant patrol leader in all their wisdom decided it would be fun to go moonlight bowling.  So 10pm Friday night found me at the counter at the alley paying for bowling and picking up our shoes. 

     We had just got our balls picked out, our bowling shoes tied, and had stepped up on the lane when the lights when out and our shoes started to glow.  The black lights had come on.  I looked at the people in the lanes on either side of us and wondered how any of them got here because they all looked too young to drive.  Then the music was turned up to a jaw rattling volume and the night began.

     I had a ball!  We bowled 4 or 5 games (I lost count), had unlimited pizza and pop, and joked around all evening.  I even bowled my best game ever.  I only bowl about once or twice a year so I rarely break 100 but I bowled a 124!  I was rather impressed with myself.  We ended up closing the place down that night.

     I guess I realized you are never to old to have a good time.  These boys have a way of keeping me young and I enjoy the time I get to spend with them.  I can’t wait to see what they plan next!

    

Highlight Reel November 15th-21st November 22, 2008

Saturday-Stayed home so I could be nearby if Zach got his deer (he saw one but didn’t get a shot in). 

Sunday- was a lector at church this week and taught a very small catechism class due to a lot of the kids still hunting.  The rest of the day I spent catching up on dishes and laundry.

Monday- Went to Boy Scouts and sat on two Board of Reviews.  We have 2 new Tenderfoots.  Way to go Tyler and Cody!!  After Scouts I visited my mom and brought Zach’s shirt over for her to sew patches on.  If I would have had to do it I probably would have just stapled them on!  I do not sew!

Tuesday-  Went to the Tri-Parish Pastoral Council meeting.  I ended up going home very frustrated.  Too much talk not enough action.

Wednesday-Bernice, Lori and I went to visit Karen.  We brought Thanksgiving to her this month.  We told her it was because we were thankful she was still with us.

Thursday- Bible study tonight focused on the book of Numbers. Good discussion about “to those that much is given, much is expected.”  (Think Moses)

Friday-  Picked up Zach after school to go swimming at the watrepark with friends.  Then our Boy Scout patrol decided they wanted to go bowling tonight.  And since Boy Scouts are boy led we let them pick the time and place.  They picked to bowl from 10pm-midnight! We didn’t leave the alley until 12:40! Those boys always wear me out!

Thanksgiving Blessings November 20, 2008

Last night Bernice, Lori and I visited our friend Karen (she’s the one with terminal cancer that was given a month to live last June).  We decided we wanted to be able to spend our own Thanksgiving with her so we brought turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, dinner rolls and apple and pumpkin pie to her house.  She was surprised and so excited that we were there.  We told her we wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving because we were so thankful she was still with us.  As we gathered in a circle and held hands to say grace Karen thanked the Lord for the three “angels” that always come to visit her (my mother never called me an angel!).  She also thanked God for her illness.  She said her illness was a blessing every step of the way because it had led her to so many wonderful friendships and so many happy times.  She also declared that if she had a chance to switch bodies or change anything she wouldn’t; she would do it all the same.  By the time she was done everyone was a little teary-eyed.  Karen’s attitude to life and her death has always amazed me.  We could all learn a lot from this incredible woman and learn to cherish every day, every minute, every second that we have on God’s green earth.  And not only to cherish it but to thank the Lord for it as well. May God bless her and may he also bless us with her presence for a little while longer.                                                                                                     

Highlight Reel November 8th-14th November 15, 2008

Saturday- Happy Birthday to my Dad!!  I Love you!  Spent the day at home cooking for the hunters in my family.  Tyler’s girlfriend Monica shot a doe!

Sunday-  went to my nephew Seth’s 7th birthday party.  I always love seeing everybody I haven’t seen in a while.

Monday-  helped the Boy Scouts serve at the Sr. Center tonight.  The boys really loved being with the elderly, and the old ladies all thought the boys were sooo cute!  Afterwards I took the boys out for tacos and then we headed to the regular scout meeting.  Zach also achieved the rank of Life Scout tonight.  I’m so proud of him for all the hard work he’s put in to get here.

Tuesday- Book club tonight.  We discussed the Wednesday Letters by Jason Wright.  We all liked the book, but rated it an average read because it was so light.  We had a good discussion on it though.

Wednesday- Spent the evening mopping up water and trying to fix the dishwasher.  Later, I got called in to work for a World of Warcraft “situation”/emergency.  I was there until 10:30pm.

Thursday-Took an hour or so driving around the neighborhood selling wreaths for Boy Scouts.  Bible Study tonight focused on Exodus 19-40 and the 10 Commandments.  We welcomed Dan-a new member tonight.  Came home and watched the Wild game.

Friday- Zach made supper so I relaxed at the end of a hard work week.  I can definitely tell the Christmas shoppers are out in full force because it’s been nuts at work.  Played Guitar Hero with Zach and he smoked me!

Book Club November 14, 2008

I have belonged to a book club for about 8 years.  Through this book club I have read many great books and made many wonderful friends.   We always seem to have a great discussion about the book even if we all hated it!  This month our discussion was on The Wednesday Letters by Jason  Wright.  We liked it but not immensely.  It was a nice light read.

 

One of the fun things we do occasionally is meet at someone’s home instead of a restaurant.  When we meet at someone’s house we potluck it and try to theme it around the book.  For instance, when we read Wicked a lot of our food was green and when we read a book based in New York we had New York Style cheesecake.  It’s fun to see how creative some people get.

 

For this potluck we had a book with no definite theme.  Since the main characters of the book owned a bed and breakfast we tried to theme our foods around things that would be served at a B & B.  The food was great.  I made Baked Fruit (click on the Favorite Recipes Tab at the top of page for the recipe).

 

December’s book pick is traditionally a Christmas themed book.  We had many interesting books nominated but the one that won was A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  Although I’m not excited about reading this (didn’t like it when I read it the first time) I will keep an open mind just like I do during our classics month in October.  I will also read the runner up book The Case for Christmas by Lee Strobel and report on that.  When I’m reading I’m relaxed and happy so I guess you can’t beat that no matter what the title is!

Highlight Reel November 1st-7th November 8, 2008

Saturday-  Went to a Halloween party.  They really put a lot of work into it.  They had a haunted cemetery, karaoke, a band, bonfires, fortune teller, and lots of food.  The decorations were really cute!

Sunday-Helped mom and dad finish raking their yard and hauled the leaves away.  Afterwards they took us out for supper.

Monday-Boy Scout leader meeting and then regular meeting tonight.  The boys had a narcotics agent in to speak to them about drug use.

Tuesday-I went to the town hall and got the “I Voted” sticker.  Watched the Wild game (or most of it!  Those late games are hard to stay awake for).

Wednesday-Spent part of the evenng at church.  Zach put in an hour and a half oiling and polishing the pews for community service work.

Thursday-Zach did another 1 1/2 hours on the pews tonight.  They’re starting to look really good! Bible Study tonight focused on Exodus 1-18.  I love the story of Moses and his leading the Israelites to freedom.  Came home and watched the Wild game.  We won 3-1!

Friday-Came home from work and was able to be lazy.  Tyler’s girlfriend Monica was over and she cooked enchiladas for the family.  They were very good.  After supper we watched the movie Get Smart.  It was pretty dumb but I did have to laugh at a few lines in the movie.

Post Election Euphoria November 7, 2008

Finally!  The election is over!  The TV waves are now back to what they were made to do…entertain.  I don’t watch much TV but lately I found that even if I wanted to I couldn’t.  Commercial after commercial after commercial of political ads-and the mailbox wasn’t much better.  Some days I would open the mailbox to find 3 ads from the same candidate!  I wonder how well all that advertising really works.  I honestly did not read a single piece of political mail even from the candidates I was voting for.  The debates and their voting records meant a lot more to me then what one candidate said about the other.

     Now that all this is over let’s hope and pray that all politicians will be able to work together no matter their party for the betterment of our country.  God Bless America.

Highlight Reel October 25th-October 31st November 1, 2008

Saturday-  This was errand day.  Grocery shopping, returning books to the library and movies to the video store, etc.  When I finally got all that done I stopped off at mom and dad’s and helped them pick up leaves for a little bit then went home and did about 4 loads of laundry and watched the Wild game.  Whew!  A busy day.

Sunday- the first snow of the year!  After church and catechism I did more laundry (I’m finally getting caught up), then I mixed some venison and seasoning together for jerky in the dehydrator, sliced some venison steaks and marinated them for jerky in the oven and made some homemade ice cream.  I also scrapbooked one more page,

Monday-  Boy Scout meeting tonight.  We have a lot of boys finishing up advancements before Court of Honor.  What a great job they’ve done!

Tuesday- quiet evening at home after a couple of hectic weeks.  It felt good.

Wednesday-Watched the Minnesota Wild game tonight.  They lost 4-2.  It was a train wreck from the very beginning.

Thursday- Bible study tonight focused on Genesis 25-50.  A lot of reading this week but it was worth it.  We discussed Jacob and the 12 Tribes of Israel.  Great discussion!  After the study I came home and finished watching the Wild game.  Another loss!  (

Friday- Happy Halloween!  Slow night for Trick or Treaters.  I think because it was a Friday night there must have been a lot of private parties instead.  Later we went to my mom’s for the traditional Halloween get together.  Always great food, always a good time.