Life With Two Little Vikings (via Mowser)

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Wordless Wednesday: Rock River Flood Plain

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

31 days later

I like my freebies. A lot.

So, when 2011 was coming to an end, I made sure I kept my eyes out for free calendar offers for 2012. And, because of my tendency to forget what or how many I requested, I ended up with several extra 2012 calendars laying around on my desk.

I had also been reading and re-reading One Thousand Gifts over the 2nd half of 2011 and really wanted to be more aware and more thankful for the little things each day that God provides and blesses with me.

So, one of those new calendars found a home next to my bed. Each night, before I turn off the light, I fill that day's square with 3-5 things that blessed me during that 24 hour period. In the month of January, I ended up listing over 120 things! *big smile*

At that rate, I'll have over 1400 things by the end of 2012! I think Ann Voskamp would be proud! :)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Wordless Wednesday: Fox Den Vikings

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

One of my saddest days.

I had one of the very best grandmas. Ever.

Granny B. was a classy lady who lived through some pretty difficult stuff. The one that sticks with me most is that she outlived two husbands - one who died suddenly when her kids were still

little and another on Christmas Day many years later when I was in high school.

Despite stories I heard to the contrary, my experience remained that she never, ever was anything but a classy, positive, faith-filled lady.

She grew up a lady from a good family who attended a Catholic college and graduated in 1941. During those college years, she appeared in

modeling jobs in the photos you see here today.

She was her grandbabies' ever-present cheerleader. She was present for a ton of concerts, plays, performances, and church services in which we all appeared. As far as I could tell, there was nothing in the world I could have ever done that would have dim my apparent perfect-ness in her eyes.

When I had only known my future hubby 5 weeks, I asked her how would I know if he really was "the one"? With a twinkle in her eye, she just smiled and said "you'll know." And, she was right.

She got to meet DaHubby and attended our wedding the following year. She got to hold Flicka when she was a few months old and it was captured in a "four generations" picture I treasure.

Seven years ago today, she opened her eyes in Heaven. I miss her so.

Wordless Wednesday: Walking

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Wordless Wednesday: Meet the Neighbors

Some of our neighbors...Chuck, Round, Roast, Filet, and Prime! ;)

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Fall Into Reading Wrap Up

Wow! How is it another reading challenge is over?!

I started with a diverse list of 8 fiction and non-fiction. I made a dent but didn't finish as well as I had hoped. Unfortunately, the siren song of an e-book reader swayed me away from the hard-copy straight and narrow. LOL

I completed my fiction choices: Lost Hero and Safe From the Sea. I enjoyed both immensely. I also got a fiction wish list granted from paperbackswap.com and also read Redeeming Love.

As for my nonfiction, I couldn't get my hands on a copy of the Carl D. And, when I realized what an enormous door stop Plain, Honest Men was, I turned it right back in to the librarian. LOL I have a minor in American history and have taught it at the secondary level but that book (really, I DID try) was worse than textbook I read in college. LOL

I'm in the middle of One Thousand Gifts but never got a chance to start the Tim Challies book. And, I never got to either parenting book despite the fact I OWN them both and they sit on the living room shelves staring at me the last 3 months!

The upside of this whole story? I got a new little Android tablet with a Kindle AND Nook app! Woo-hoo! I read seven books on it since the challenge started...I did a review here and here plus read two more.

So, to crunch the numbers...I started with a wish list of eight and, while I didn't finish all of the original eight, my final count of completed books was ten (and a half if you count "One Thousand Gifts"! )

Thank you, Katrina, for hosting. Count me for another round in the spring. And, merry Christmas everyone!