Cozy night...

These are the nights that I don't mind winter at all! It's been snowing all day. I have a toasty fire crackling in the fireplace, I rented some movies and I am making nahcos for supper. (Jim is thrilled!) We have nothing on our plate until Sunday, so a weekend in is just perfect!

I have some projects aroubd the house to tackle tomorrow.

We are also about ready to start some kitchen remodeling. Nothing drastic, but nonetheless it will be nice! New countertops are going to make a world of diffence. I will post pics as we begin the project. What's holding us up? Finding the right light fixture. We are putting in a beadboard ceiling and until I find what I am looking for... we are at a standstill. Of course this project will also require me to strip the wall paper in the back hall and paint. Oh... and I have not picked out a paint color for the kitchen yet either.

So tonight as I relax by the fire I will look through my new Country Living magazine, watch a movie and enjoy this quiet evening the Lord has so graciously given me.

I hope you are all warm, safe and cozy tonight!

Winter Blues...

January is quickly coming to a close. It's been a cold month, a wet month and we have gone almost 2 weeks w/out a peek of sunshine. Well, the sun did burn through some clouds on Sunday and provided enough blue sky to make kitten britches. It was short lived, but it felt and looked wonderful. The temps warmed to almost 50, so I acutally threw open a window and let some fresh air into the house. Alas, the temps tumbled, the winds are howling a a bit of snow fell. I will take the snow... it's covering the brown, blech of an Indiana winter.

I have been gazing out the windows of my house thinking about spring and enjoying the garden. We use the winter months to plan our veggie garden. I asked Jim if we could expand it a bit this year. I love to can and freeze veggies for use in the winter and would like to incorporate more to the garden. We will see if he complies.

We also have some interior home projects we are ready to tackle. We have lived in our home since May of 1992. I love to cook and the only room in the house that still shows the age of my home is the kitchen. So this year the kitchen gets a bit of a face lift. Not a huge project - no new cabinets. We will be sanding and re-finishing them. I might be saying "we should have just replaced them" after this project. We have lovely, solid cabinets and frankly can't afford the price to replace them. We do have newer appliances, so we don't have to worry about that expense. New counter, new backsplash and fresh paint. We are putting up a beadboard ceiling and have found a lovely ceiling fixture/ light to finish it off. New paint on the walls as well. (haven't picked a color). The back hall off the kitchen is wallpapered. That is coming down and fresh paint for the walls and the trim. The Dining Room and Living Room need painting - that might wait until fall.

I am excited to freshen things up a bit. Jim and I enjoy doing a lot of our own work. We are ambitious that way! LOL...

What do you have planned this year? Any home improvements? I will get pics posted as we progress if anyone is interested!

The page of the Calendar turns again...

One minute to midnight, one minute to go
One minute to say good-bye before we say hello

Let's start the new year right, twelve o'clock tonight
When they dim the light, let's begin

Kissing the old year out
Kissing the new year in

Let's watch the old year die with a fond good-bye
And our hopes as high as a kite

How can our love go wrong if
We start the new year right?

"Let's Start The New Year Right" by Irving Berlin

I am a big Irving Berlin fan and "Holiday Inn" is one of my favorite movies. It showcases many of Berlin's songs (White Christmas, Easter Parade etc.)

That song has been ringing in my ears for the last few days. 2010 has arrived and 2009 is behind us.
I am not sure what 2009 held for you. Some of you may have journeyed a difficult road, some a more smooth path. Each one of us I am sure had our fair share of ups and downs... but what remains constant is our Lord's love for us and His desire for us to be in complete fellowship with Him. My theme verse for 2009 was Romans 8:28 ~ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Yes, in all of 2009 the Lord worked good in all things! It was a blessed year indeed... the good and the bad. January started off with the real estate market in the tank! I was a ball of nerves, fear and anxiety. Through that storm God spoke to me and I grew in a huge way in my trust of Him and that He will provide. That lesson continues to sustain me into 2010.

Each year as I open a fresh, crisp, new calendar and begin to write important dates and milestones on the pages I refer back to the year I just journeyed... A year's worth of to-do's and memories. Births, deaths, hellos and goodbyes, appointments, birthdays, anniversaries, get-to-gethers dotted the calendar. I am blessed with a very full life. One with family, friends, laughter and tears. How thankful I am for the gifts the Lord has provided.

I was able to capture (via and application on FB) a compilation of my year in a few pictures. Although there was so much more that went on... this photo does show a glimpse of 2009  A year filled with Adventure Races, Cycling, Family, Friends... I am blessed indeed!

This year my theme verse has yet to be spoken to me... right now Ecclesiastes 4:12 "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." is echoing in my heart... perhaps this is the one... He will tell me soon I am confident of that! 

I pray you all have a wonderful 2010! 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

As the song says - "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!" And for me it certainly is a wonderful time! 2009 proved to be a much better year in real estate and I am feeling much more at ease this December than December of 2008. I am thankful that the Lord continued to provide and bless and that He gave me the strength to trust Him.

I am thankful that all our gifts are purchased, wrapped and tucked under the tree. I have enjoyed that our social schedule has been fairly light. We have committed ourselves to not "over comitting" ourselves. I have enjoyed reflecting on our Jesus and what his birth means for us. I have also been looking beyond the manger to the cross! Thinking not only of the Baby Jesus... but Jesus, True God and True Man. The Jesus that was born into this world to redeem the world from sin. The Jesus who came into this fallen world to save it! What joy fills my heart! I know Christmas can be filled with many emotions... some not as positive as others. There is heartache, loneliness, anger, dissension... I am praying hard for those who's joy is dim and heartache is great. I am thankful that Christ will return in God's time and fulfill His eternal plan! I have reflected on John 3:17 quite a bit during these days of Advent. John 3:16 is perhaps the most famous verse in the Bible. Many non-believers even know that verse... however I always tell my husband - I sure wish when someone shares John 3:16 that they share John 3:17 ~ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Hallelujah! God sent His son to save the world, not condemn the world! That's a message worth sharing! Share that message my friends!

Speaking of sharing... I thought I would post some pictures I have taken this year of my home! I have really enjoyed the gift of my home this season and I wanted to share it with you! Sure wish I could have each and e very one of you over for coffee or tea in front of my fireplace!

Last year my dad gave each one of us girls some of my Grandfather's Socony Tavern Candles... I always loved them when I was a kid and will treasure them always!  I have some displayed in one of the guest rooms and some on our mantle!

A few under glass on our sideboard!

Our Godson gave us these ornaments several years ago...

 he calls us Tante und Onkel (Aunt & Uncle in German)

I love these glittery snowflake ornaments on the tree in our small guestroom!

One of my Nativity Sets - I purchased at a craft fair many, many years ago...

& a new addition My Nativity Cross

MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS!

Baby it's Cold Outside...

Friday was my sister and my annual trek to the mall w/ our Grandma to help her w/ her Christmas shopping!

Here is Grandma & Jennifer!





Of course we made a bee-line for Santa so I could give him my Christmas list!
So... I give Santa my list and walk to the other side of the mall... LOOK at what he gave me! LOL


I was so shocked! Can you see the disbelief on my face? Ha!
We had a lovely day shopping. Enjoyed a nice lunch and by the time we left the mall... the parking lot was a zoo! I was ready to get home!
So... I arrive home and the house has an awful smell! Something burning? I was a bit freaked out! The furnace (heat pump) was running very rough and I knew we had a problem. I called Jim (he was in a closing) and I said "you need to get home soon and you need to call Sean!" Sean is our HVAC guy! Sean comes over about 6:30. The fan or something that has to do with the motor is out of whack. He says it should be fine until Monday. We also found out that the person we had been paying to clean it every year... well, he wasn't cleaning it. (another story). Sean leaves, Jim goes to get some Chinese take-out, I contine to stoke the fire I had built when I got home from the mall. Jim arrives home.... we start to eat the yummy food and the furnace makes an awful noise and we could tell the motor locked up! Uh Oh! Did I tell you that the low for overnight was to be 19 degrees? (Baby it's cold outside) Jim calls Sean - Sean says "Jim I can come out for the repair, but the cost for an after hours call provides an extra charge. Not Sean's charge, but the after hours emergency warehouse/supply surcharge. An extra $200-$300. Uh - NO WAY! We told him we will make due until Monday.
So our weekend adventure began. And that's the way we looked at this... an adventure. We continued to feed the fireplace... the living room was nice and toasty. We had 2 space heaters going - one in the kitchen and one in the back hall. We also have an oil space heater that looks like a radiator that we put in the back bath every winter - it was warming the small bathroom. We have a heated mattress pad (if you do not have one... I highly recommend you purchase one or put one on your Christmas list), we periodically turned on the oven, warmed it up, turned it off and then opened the door to help warm the kitchen. We were very toasty Friday night.
Of course we had to go to bed and that meant space heaters off, fire in fireplace would die out and it would be chilly. On Saturday morning I was definitely bundled up in bed. The warmth of the heated mattress pad... ahhhhhhh! The bed was warm and I could definitely feel the chill in the air. I could hear Jim in the kitchen getting the coffee going and then starting a fire in the fireplace. I got out of bed once the house was warm and toasty... well, the living room and the kitchen were.
We spent a cozy weekend bundled up at home. Not ideal, but we survived. Had it been much colder, we would have packed up and gone somewhere else. We had a lot of offers, and are so appreciative and thankful of friends and family.
As I pondered the inconvenience of a broken furnace and the cold air in the house. I thought of those less fortunate... I have a roof over my head, walls that surround, a fireplace to keep me warm. Some spent a cold weekend homeless. Without shelter, without food and the warmth of a blanket, a fire and the love of family. I said a prayer for them... as I know God loves them. Homeless... my heart breaks. I said a prayer of thanksgiving that I have luxuries that can so often be taken for granted. Heat, a roof, a blanket... He provides for our needs. We complain that it's cold, we complain that snow and ice hinder our ability to get to and from work or play. Yes... it's cold, but aren't we fortunate that our beds are not made under a bridge. Perhaps we need to change the way we think. Winter might not be your favorite... but as scripture tells us: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven ~ Ecclesiates 3:1 God has given us nature, and He has created nature to cycle. Should we curse the winter because we are cold & it's inconvenient? Or should we embrace it giving Glory to God, as He is the creator of winter. I choose to change my attitude, my way of thinking. Winter might be inconvienent at times (as is 100 degree summer days in my book! ;) ) but praise God we have the luxury, yes luxury of a furnace, a blanket, a bed...a home! We have the luxury of appreciating one season to the next. Winter is inevitable. No amount of complaining will stop winter from coming. We just don't have that kind of power!
So as winter arrives... I pray you can think of the glass half full and not half empty. Embrace it friends... there is more to do than complain!!!!

PS: Sean is here right now getting the furnace fixed. I am thankful that we have a friend who has the talent, training and ability to fix a furnace!