Symbols of Christmas

1982 Our First Christmas togeather.
Thos clogs have a great story. Beloved killed a cock roach for the sales clerk and got 10% off:) Wow we still have his old lunch box. I wore the clogs out though.

1984

1986
The first year in our second home.

In 1997 this is the match Photo we received for Christmas. It is Beauty. We had to wait a long three months to hold her in our arms

1999 Our First year in this home. This is all for one child! Nuts!

2000 A little girl in paradise.

Her favorite gift! A "Moses stick" I whittled for her and dried in the attic. I sanded it down and she adored it!

2001 We returned from Russia on December 15th with our son. What a Gift!

2002

2003

This year my family received a Mother alive. December 21st, after I was hit by a man who fell asleep at the wheel and struck my car doing in excess of 120 mpr.
However I was out of action for several months to come.
This has an amazing story behind it os God's intervention and protection.

2004

2005

2006 We totally splurged and answered a little girls prayer. A bonus made us able to give her a pony. We did not have to feed it or clean up after it. Youth fades so quickly.

I once had a tree decorated with forest birds hanging from fishing lie from the ceiling laying popcorn carlands around the tree. The tree was full of bird nests and dried flowers.

Many symbols of Christmas are absorbed from Pagan origins and assimilated into Christian customs. The Christmas Tree is one of them. Like the pumpkin of Halloween it has its roots in paganism. There was a time when I had a large wooden cross in my living room in opposition to the tree. Then as I looked back I became aware that it is a symbol of torture (the realization of it has made me not to fond of wearing a cross either having known torture personally). I much rather see Him on the thrown :). I use a Tree as a place to put reminders of our life time together on display for the holiday season. Because Dash and I have asthma we use an artificial tree. I sorta don't get into the thing to cut down a tree for my own self if I am not going to burn the wood and use the resources, but thats just me. Living trees pose a lot of insect and mold issues. A couple of years or so ago we were fortunate to find this tree at a reduced price. Our former tree was dwarfed by our high ceilings and this one is tall and skinny so we keep the much loved floor space.

He is so pleased to be trusted with the glass ones .

Beauty is placing her "1st Christmas "

The children had so much fun. For every year of their life I have made or purchased an ornament that was applicable to the year lived and a token of remembrance. Prized treasures. I need to make them this year (we are being VERY disciplined to conserve our funds to go back East next year, pay for Beauty's braces and an tooth implant for me) We all love them (the memories and ornaments). The kids did all the decorating except the ribbon and the lights and star. I put a few of the very top things on. Beloved helped a while and asked to be excused because he wants to clean the kitchen for me to have a fresh start in the morning. How sweet is that!
My children have grown so quickly. These days will be a blur soon for the years are as a vapor in time. Treasure the years you have with you kids. They are a sweet gift. We are going back now to our roots for it is vanity to continue to splurge like this. I will make them a nice Christmas. It is time to stop the over abundance and now we live within the lesser means made available to us. We had fun when we were in the money... It will be fun now too. Just take a little getting used too.

Sunday Smiles

Wow! Another morning of up at 8:15, showered dressed and granola bars in the car, sitting on a pew by 9am. This in itself is astounding in that I went to bed at 4:40 am, awake in prayer all night. Kids had a real challenge with fear of the child care and sat with us at service. They are so challenging over childcare. We never really left them anywhere where or really with anyone for the most part. Only people we really know well and even that very seldom.
We thought they wanted to do a childcare in Dash's age group with a mutual friend(who is also adopted as is his sister) from school. Dash bolted afraid that the kid would not be there, but that little tidbit was left out of his ability to explain his fear until way late in the process of our attempts to encourage him to keep his word. Beauty then (after the assurance was given them both that we would come and double check on them to see if they were alright. Dash agrees sorta to stay then Beauty bolts. ) We are all, after all this, are sitting on the pew as a family of frustrated folks. listening to a great message on the Spirit within us (that choice of spirit) being our self control. We met the couple and sat with them who had the kid known to our children.
After services another woman approached me she had a son (who is also adopted) in Beauty's class at the elementary. She told me I could stay with Beauty and explained the Sunday school class to me. She introduced herself and I had her son at the rock museum the other day. I am begining to feel a little panicked. I am concerned about remembering all these people, so Beloved set up a text info file for me to make myself some notes of people/events and reminders. I so want to go run into my cave rather than be set up for more memory dysfunction humiliations. I have to face this fear in the eye and stand.
I was invited to join a cliq, It is a funny thing in that it is a Spiritually based bloggers "cliq". I'm still not quite sure what that is so "Hopeful Spirit" if your out there I need better understanding of what you have invited me into.
I just came back from making Taco's for the kids.
Beauty just came to me and apologized for running away from her actions. SHE ACKNOWLEDGED it!

I'm smiling!
That was a big step in the right direction for her.
Dash just came and after complaining about lunch apologized and asked me respectfully for what I offered, and how he might be of help to me.
Wow! O.K. I'm smiling now!

Time to SEW on, and on and on and on and on...:)

Mother and Daughter Blog Carnival due nov25

My Daughter is asleep now on the couch. She is troubled by a dream. She is feeling insecure and a bit stressed. Her and her brother for some unknown reason decided it would be an idea to throw rocks at the marble bath tub surrounds walls. "Daddy man", much to his anger, discovers the children in the act as Beauty was trying to get Dash to comply with throwing one a little higher to break the bathroom window. Now my best guess is that she saw something on a morning show or perhaps just wanted to get her brother in a heap of trouble. However Dash was too willed for her and refused. That apparently is what started the rough that brought the "dad" to the scene of the crime aforementioned.
Well I was on a long distance call with another blogger when I heard Hubby in his fury over the event and just had to excuse myself to go see what was the issue.

Does anyone else have a sweet beautiful daughter who acts out the things in her mind as if she had not a clue as to the effects or consequences. Ten might just be that golden age of development that we begin to see more of these things. A greater rift between siblings is occurring in our home and this is a great concern to me. To most folks it appears to be chalked up to being just normal stuff. I think that the delta in the intelligence between them is a real hurt to Beauty who pales intellectually (we just had all that testing for the IEP) to Dash who is also very precocious about things. It must hurt her to know that at 6 years of age her brother is just leaving her in the dust. Hubs and I try real hard to hide our amazement at that little guy and what he comes up with but everywhere we go it is noticed and folks are startled by Dash. Intellect is a doubled edge sword. Dash is boarder line genius or well into to it IQ wise. He is 6 however and he is very immature too. Beauty has strengths that are more subtle and charming. She is a very strong reader. She is an introvert by nature and must be pulled out. Avery much of a caring person about others. She has been in a lot of hot water lately though. Her heart is beautiful but it is toying with resentment and that is not good for her well being.

We as Mothers to daughters have so many concerns to address. What about a little girl who wants to marry and fantasizes about it, normal yes. My Sweet child wants to adopt.
We recently had a guest; a little boy who was the son of a nephews date. They spoke (beauty and this child) of marrying. The boy is a year younger. Beauty has had this idea of marriage for several years now. Well she came to me so cute in a very strange way, and declared.
"we are going to marry, but because he is my cousin(he is not really) we will adopt. We don't want to have our own kids because they will have 6 toes".... I sitting there with jaw lax thinking where in the world would she get this?..I sputter out well..."you are really not cousins... She chimes in..."oh well I still want to adopt my kids". She is boy crazy and has been for a while. It does concern me. I just cant say how many many times I have explained to her that she is WAY to young to be concerned with such things. She still has crushes on boys (The bad boys...arg) This terrifies me! She loves a boy with bravado. I think perhaps she needs adventure in her life.
The heart of a woman or even a girl desired adventure. We do not want to be the adventure we want to share one.
Perhaps this is where I must look to address my daughters heart.
Oh, the heart of a daughter...

Photo Hunt *Hot*

1984
He is "HOT" to me...
He is my heart throb and has been for over 25 years now!
Beloved on our third Christmas.
That is "Jazz Cat" Jasper our first pet together. Long gone many years ago.
This was our first home.
Beloved purchased it (before we met) as a 20 year old
by buying and fixing and selling used cars. It was 900 sq. feet of paradise on earth.
We still have that red mechanics stool I gave him.
The bear lamp was one of my early creation, there is one in the far background too. I could just kick myself for selling it!
The wooden chair in the back ground was made by his grandfather. Same goes we gave it away.
That carved coffee table was from my youth my step dad brought it back from the Philippines.
He was a Merchant Marine in the 50's and 60's.

Must read her post!

Chrysalis Has a very good post up!
A purposed Driven Christmas, A must read!

A wonderful day!

Black Friday...
"It's the worst day of the year...to go shopping!"
My view on it anyway :)

I would never dream of going shopping. I slept in and just enjoyed my Hubby next to me , the kids came in and we all enjoyed the slow morning. I cleaned up all the dishes and hired the kids to gather all the fall decor and paid them a $1 to do it.
Hubs had a good friend come over and the two men took the decorations bins out of the attic for me! All of them In the garage “it is so amazing”! They just did it for me no issues no complaint! I put all the fall stuff back in the attic bin as they handed it up to me. It was so awesome! The men even put the tree up for me NO QUESTIONS JUST MATTER OF FACT!
Hubby filled the tires in my bike and the kids and I went for a ride. His bike had a flat tire (bad tube).
I enjoyed doing some sewing and really loved Beloved presence in the room. He did a back up on my computer system. I tinkered in my findings fixing up the ribbons in spools and all the items of like kind together. It is so nice now that the kids are old enough to have a little me time.
Then we decorated a little bit.
Daddy man took the kids to Costco to get some supplies and To Wal-Mart to get a tube for his bike tire. They had a few $ burning holes in their pockets.
I plated the left overs on our plates and the kids had hot dogs. Afterward we all had a movie night (The Walton’s on DVD).
Kids had bath time and I tied a few heart strings with Beauty and read to her during her bath time. It was sweet. Now markers busily cover over white paper while the boys are off in the Dad's office. Bed times approaching for them quickly.

Please pray for Denise, She is not feeling well!

Aloha Friday

Kailani over at Island Life Aloha Friday go check folks out.

My question...
Have you ever gone from flooding the kids with gifts(year after year) to a bare bones one or two gift hand made except one big gift,Christmas? If so, what tips can you give me...


If you’d like to participate, just post a question on your blog . Don’t forget to stop by and visit the other players at Island life

Thankful Thursday

Thankfully I was able to sleep until 9 am Of course Thankfully the alarm went off at 6 am to go put the turkey in the oven. Thankfully I had it all ready to put in the oven yesterday. Bagged in the oven bake bag and all softened butter covered.

Thankfully When I awoke I had enough wits about me to make Dash the "Top Hat" he so desired.

Thankfully a wonderfully full and abundant package from Dee...From the apron exchange greeted me as I entered into the kitchen. Graciously it was so full of so many good things. In it were the most beautiful hand embroidered table cover "Give thanks" so cute! Now I have been pining over "Gracious Hospitality's" needle work and here ...What a thoughtful and gracious gift from Dee...How did you know I love needle work? Also a great hand crochet wash cloth a little bird must of told her how much I love these things( Jaye is that so amazing? Dee I told Jaye I wish I had some of these... A wonderfully penned note too. Your work is beautiful Dear Lady and your heart so kind. Thank you Thank you Thank you! Mary Englebright notepad that is so me with a Victorian porch, bird feeder and gardening tools and a sweet little frame of Mary Englebright design. A girl putting a heart into a box labeled life. Now this is amazing I had these in my hands a few weeks ago and was going to purchase them as Christmas gifts, but in my diligence and respect to budget replaced them on the shelf at the store with a little "God these are so cute ...but I let them go..." Hear they are Dee right back in my hand! too perfect. Oh Oh and on the envelope... a SUNFLOWER!

Oh The Apron! Wow it is so beautiful. I wore a matching dress! I have a beautiful purple apron! Just beautiful! Sweet little buttons adorn the bib, and sweet green buttons the straps and ties. It is so vibrant and I felt so good in it today! It looks like part of my dress. I had the picture in my jammies.


What a beautiful apron she sent me made with the loving kindness that rang out form her hands.
"Daddy Man" let Beauty use an old camera to capture the day

Thankfully the potatoes all got pealed and the yams slices The stove cooked an steamed out the joy of abundance. Thankfully at 10:45 I had a hot shower to go and bask in, while my guest who were due at 11 am were delayed. When I got out of the shower One of the prettiest Turkeys I have ever done awaited me in the oven!

My MILove, FILove and BILove all arrived as I pulled it out of the oven. Everything was ready! See the beautiful "Round of Rolls BILove brought. He brings these from a bakery down in Tucson every year. Everyone is so excited about the rolls.
Kailani I opened the Macadamia Nuts they are wonderful and everyone found joy in this delightful Hawaiian treat!

I had the extra gravy that I had made on Saturday ready to heat.

Last Saturday I made the gallon of this delight, I had more time this morning

MILove brought two pumpkin pies made with soy milk just for Dash and I to be able to have them. And lemon merang (two of them) Oh man YUM! She also made cole slaw (so good and fresh and crunchy! Whole Cranberry Sauce too!
Beauty and her did their traditional whipping of the cream, a wonderful grand mother grand daughter time. While the young men (including Dash) went to test drive BILove's new car (it replaced the car that was totaled when he was painfully rear ended at a stop light).


Dash read his TWO books he wrote yesterday and illustrated (Attack of the Evil Pants Part one and two) with top hat, dress shirt and pants oh! he was cute!

Beauty and Grandma had a knitting lesson.
We had a very relaxed afternoon.
I dare say it was one of the nicest Thanksgivings I recall.
We had a great time.
Daddy Man and the kids are playing a computer game and I sit and relax a bit.
In my apron
Thank you Dee, I am thankful to your for you loving kindness and generosity.

Wordless Wedensday *blessed*

Happy Thanks Giving to all of you Dear Readers

Works for me...Turkey soup stock (continued)

this post is continued from here "rendering your Turkey Carcass"
Remember last night with the veggies cooking and then it resting overnight out in the refrigerator out in the garage. Well I cooked them 2 more hours this morning.

Using my trusty masher ( love this old tool) I mash them part way. Just to break them up a bit.

This is an antique ricer. I love this old tool. It was discovered in an antique shop many a moon ago. Placing my Huge pop corn bowl (that was what it was always used for before Beauty got her retainer) from years pass. I will ladle in the vegetable laden broth to be riced. A blender can be used but you do not get the same broth. It would need to be strained in cheese cloth.

It removes all the fibers yet the nutrients are sustained in the base or broth. Toss all the fibers or give them to farm animals if you have them. Do not put them in your compost for there is meat mixed into it you know.

Liquid Gold!

Now if you can it or put it up then wash your jars in the dishwasher.

Some of these are recycled from a popular tomato sauce I got on clearance ( I have so many jars all sizes they are great for all sorts of uses) . There was a day, and will be again, I'm sure when I made my own spaghetti sauce. For now I am doing this:) Drinking China Green Tea with Acai (ah-sigh-EE) Berries Yum!

I use my funnel and over fill just above shoulder (I will be skimming off the fat) it will be lowered after the skim.

For example this is my yield. Do you remember the 6 cups of meat? Fill it up with broth and use a chop stick to poke it into the meat the broth will settle and then fill with a little head room . This will be frozen for use later. I use a wax china marker to label date and what is in it. the 6 cup took 1/2 QT or a pint

Now for soup. Dash requested this so I'll add His favorite things to it. My Herbes de Provence=rosemary,marjoram, thyme and savory Secrete ingredient CURRY Perfect with turkey! I also added some "Hiziki" , it is a sea Vegetable hand harvested wild (it is good for the thyroid. Green beens add the water ,but use a bowl to pour the beans in first to check that the can is pure. Many things can get in a combine. It is important if you are not canning your own to watch out for others mistakes. It would be a bad thing to pollute your soup pot. Carrots I accidentally made mine shredded (the blade was upside down on my processor) so I just went with the flow. sea salt (iodine) Later I will add the abc pasta

Remember the 5 cups of meat I trimmed from the carcass...? Well I used up the bits that are not fitting for a sandwich

Boil this a while and hour or so then add in the Pealed and diced Sweet potatoes

Just a note. I taught Beauty to stabilize her "to be" diced to items first. Saves the fingers.

You will need to skim off the top of the pot. This is the foam from the carrots and the oils.

This is the rest of the sliced meat, I poured a pint of stock over. It will mull in the refer and then... The best , most moist Lunch meat ever!

I have only 1 and 1/2 QT of stock left.
It will be used on the mashed potatoes and the gravy rendering.
Happy Thanks Giving!