A special visitor...

Son Jordan has come to visit for a week! We got home at 2 a.m. this morning after picking him up from the airport in Minneapolis. After sleeping late we got up for a late breakfast and have just had a great day of visiting, babysitting and more visiting!

Jordan treated us to some of the worship music he plays at his church as their worship leader.

Audrey did some coloring...

 

 

and Uncle Jordan did a quick sketch of her using her crayons!

 

 



Odj also enjoyed trying out Grandpa's binoculars!

Hazel had fun rolling around on the floor, swinging in her swing and jumping in her jumperoo, in addition to lots of holding and cuddling time!

Here are a few random photos taken in the last week. We've gotten a LOT of snow. I guess we need the moisture, but it does make things challenging. The horses had fun with it!

 

 

 

 

Hopefully, I'll get more photos while Jordan's here. We're so glad he could come and so proud of the great person he's become.

 

Shalom!

 

Paint Lick, Kentucky becomes important in our lives...

Son Josh called this morning to update us on their move to Kentucky. It turns out that their mailing address is Paint Lick, Kentucky! Sounds intriguing, don't you think?  I found this webpage with some old photos.

http://www.lyndonirwin.com/paintlic.htm

He doesn't sound too excited about the rurality of their new abode, but there are several larger towns nearby where they can find some "culture". It doesn't sound like they're going to stick around the area indefinitely; just until they graduate and he finds a job. But it's always fun to  learn about a new place!

Time to get ready for work. Shalom, y'all!

A good weekend to be home...

Glad it's my weekend off because I probably couldn't get out of the driveway anyway!

 

I took this earlier this morning. The horses are taking shelter under some evergreens. Notice the horse on the far right. She's picking her feet up high to clear the knee deep (horse knees that is) snow.

They were having fun chasing each other through the deep snow. It doesn't look very deep in this picture, but in some areas it's much deeper.

 

 

 

This was taken later in the morning when there was a little more light.

 

Josh, Jess and family made it safely to Berea, Kentucky yesterday where they will be making their home along with Jess's folks and siblings. We're looking forward to seeing pictures of the farm, complete with alpacas! When we get some photos I'll share them here.

 

It's a nice quiet weekend for us. I'm doing a little house cleaning and making up the sleeper sofa in the back bedroom for Jordan who will arrive from Texas onTuesday night. Bob and I will be making the trek to Minneapolis to pick him up about 9:30 p.m. so it will be late when we get back home. We hope to get in some good visiting until he returns to Texas on the 19th. That will involve another trek to Minneapolis to catch a 6:00 A.M. (!) flight. I've arranged my hours at work so I can catch up on my sleep! (He's worth it!)

 

I'm also reading through all of the materials from my Long-Term Nursing Care class so I can take my CNA (certified nursing assistant) exam in May. It's been 3 years since I took the course, so I was concerned that I would have to take the class again before I could take the exam, but the instructor said I could challenge the exam without taking the course over. Yea! CNA's don't make that much more than I do right now at my deli job, but I think it would be rewarding work without the extreme responsibilities of a registered nurse. I'm aiming for working in a nursing home or home health, NOT a hospital.

 

Other than that, I'm getting in some art time and enjoying home life when not working. I'm determined to trust God for that looming student loan, but He can take care of that better than anyone. After all, who, by worrying, can add one cubit to his stature? (Where have I heard that before?)

Oh, and here are two photos I just came across while changing my grandkid photos on the sidebar. See a similarity here?

 

Starry and Nathan at the zoo...

 

 

Audrey (on the right) and her cousin, Cali. (Don't lose your drawers, Audrey!) This is the picture window on the end of Micah and Adam's trailer and Audrey is pointing at the horses in the pasture. I thought these two pics were really cute!

 

 

 

Blessings on your household and may you be filled with shalom! :)

My boys...

 

Just a photo that popped up on Facebook of my son Josh and his little guy, Nathan, who is being held by his Uncle Jordan. I'll put up a few more for you, Glenn. :D

 

 

Jordan is a good uncle...

 

 

Little Starry, aka Ellie...

 

These were taken on a recent field trip to an aquarium in Dallas. Did we tell you that Josh and his family are moving to Kentucky? Apparently, Jess's parents and siblings are moving there and Josh and family are going with them. Jordan will be the only Texan. Funny to think how that all happened! Jordan has lots of good stuff going on where he is and lots of friends who treat him like family, so I'm not worried about him. He's planning to come up for a visit next month.

 

Well, I had better go see if Bob needs help with getting hay to the horses.

 

Y'all be good! ;)



Ahhh, this is the life!

Tony the llama and his horsey friends decided to take advantage of a demolished round bale. A nice warm bed to nap upon...

 

 

I'm doing my studying in little spurts with lots of breaks today. I think I have a slight cold which is making my brain a little fuzzy, so I'm taking it easy.

 

Sorry I'm neglecting this blog, but I know how many hours can fly away when I get into it too much. I look forward to spring and summer breaks for more time to do fun stuff!

 

Stay cozy!

 

 

 



Pom-Pom treasures and the girls...

I received a special treat in the mail a few days ago; a package from my art pal, Pom-Pom! (We keep her true identity a secret, of course...)

 

Pom, as always, I love your drawing style! Should I color the black and white drawing? I will have fun cutting out the baby paper dolls and clothes. I will make a pretty box to store them in until Audrey is big enough to play with them. (I think it might be a disaster if I give them to her too soon!) The stationery with the cranberry crisp recipe is so cheerful and I love the oak leaves and acorns. They fire the imagination!

 

You choose such an interesting variety of quotes to illustrate. I can see you writing a children's book and illustrating it, but also using your beautiful handwriting for the text. You must! ;)

 

Bird ornaments! What a good idea! They also inspire me to try my hand at a watercolor of birds!

 

 

I love this gal! Was she done for the art class you were doing? I'm going to find a frame for her and put her on the wall near my art desk for more inspiration!

 

 

You are the kindest of friends. I will have hours of fun perusing this wonderful book. The calendar is on the wall over my art desk and I'll use it to keep track of my exercising. I've got a streak of one whole day going! (Right now I'm just doing flexibility exercises from a book called Pain Free, which helps us older folks prevent stiffness and pain in joints.)

 

 

By the way, I've taken over the corner of our bedroom with my art space again. I still have my nice office/study/library in the other bedroom, but it feels too much like I'm in school when I'm in there since I spend so many hours studying there. So, I'm moving some of my photo album stuff and my painting and drawing supplies in here where I think it will be more fun to do creative things. :) Besides, I had this old desk that has moved from place to place with us, and I wanted to give it a useful place in our house. It's kind of old and beaten up, hence the tablecloth!

 

 

 

Miss Audrey came to visit while Mom and sister Hazel went to town on an errand. We made her comfy on the couch to watch cartoons with her dolly she has named..Hazel!

Here's Miss Hazel at her house. This is her first time to drive a jumperoo! Micah says she was squealing and smiling and having a great time. Time to work those leg muscles! (And Mom's arms can get an occasional rest!)

That's all for now. I had more pictures of other things, but all of this uploading to Picasa seems to take a lot of time. Discouraging when you want to upload lots of photos, but I don't know how to do it faster or to upload multiple photos without going through every step, every time. Anyone out there got some hints?

Have a lovely day, Pom and Glenn. (You may be my only two readers on this blog!)

Shalom from Minnesota!

The Christmas Photos...lots of 'em!

Christmas was a snowy wonderland of fun!

 

 

 

And then the little ones arrived!

 

 

Audrey loves her blanky! She's such a fun little person.

 

 

Next comes little Hazel in her elf jammies. She brought her mom along for the fun!

 

 

Sittin' in daddy's lap.

 

 

After dinner Audrey was ready to practice her new paper ripping skills.

 

 

Don't cry, Hazey!

 

 

So far, a zebra and a horsey...and a bottle for Hazey.

 

 

Oooo, a silky little blanky is always welcome!

 

 

What are you gonna open next, Audrey?

 

 

Audrey continues her patient ripping...

 

 

Pajammies for Hazel...

 

 

Oh, look! That dolly is the same size as Hazel! (We're hoping it will act as a decoy. Audrey is a very good big sister, but we have visions of her dragging her little sister around by the foot.)

 

 

She's a big hit with Audrey!

 

 

Time to play Mommy...

 

 

Audrey got a Sit 'n' Spin from her mom and dad, so, of course, her dolly has to try it out. Note her cell phone on top of it. ;)

 

 

This gift stuff wears a girl out!

 

 

Sleeping in the Pack 'n' Play...

 

 

Later that evening, Audrey demonstrated her stacking skills. We've seen her stack these little Jenga blocks three high on end like this...more than once!

 

 

Visiting with Grandpa on the phone. (Grandpa was sitting about 15 feet away.)

 

 

 

She loves to climb into Grandpa's recliner...

 

 

 My apologies to anyone who doesn't like to look at expired deer...

 

 

These were taken a few weeks ago, but they're so cute!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good-bye for now from snowy Minnesota! Love you all!