Pete Thinks Bree Might Need a Rescue...

The temperature of the pool water....

And the crazy girl who jumped in it. Petey is very concerned, can you tell?

Candy Cane Disposal

Bree and I are taking down the tree today...I like to leave it up until Christmas vacation is officially over: that's today. I just love having it up. I love awakening in the dark, walking down the hall and switching on the tree's soft light to welcome the morning. I enjoy arising early and getting some tea and having my quiet time with God next to the tree. Some years I've left it up so long that I've been tempted to take down the Christmas decor and put up Valentines on it.

We traditionally put up the (artificial) tree the day after Thanksgiving...it is a big production. Every year lately, I say that I want to get a pre-lit tree...the lights take so long to apply and it is a job I greatly dislike. This year, Bree put about 2/3 of the lights on and I actually enjoyed doing the rest! I like so many lights on the tree, that if we did get a pre-lit tree, I'd most likely add more anyway.

Stringing popcorn is a tradition that I just love...we strung popcorn when I was young: a happy memory! It really doesn't take THAT long to string it and I like having something to do with my hands when we are watching all of those Christmas specials on tv! There is just no garland that looks so adorable...kind of rustic. Sometimes we add cranberries. This year we did just the popcorn. Because we have two rather large dogs, we cannot put the popcorn all the way to the bottom of the tree, otherwise the pups would help themselves to the handy snack. This morning, the strings of popcorn have been removed from the tree and are hanging on our squirrel feeder out in the yard. Hopefully our squirrels will help themselves before our next batch of snow falls and turns the popcorn into mush.

We buy our kiddos each an ornament each year, so that when they fly the coop, they'll have some ornaments for their tree in their own homes. In years of late, they have delighted in going to a local store called 'Hobby Lobby' and picking out their own. Our tree is not a themed one...it is a hodge-podge of memories...very casual and just fun. We just pile everyone's ornaments on and reminisce and enjoy them. For now, as we are taking down the tree, we just piled everyone's ornaments in the same containers together. Soon it will be time to separate them and for each to go his or her own way. (sigh)

After taking down our tree today, we have a few dozen candy canes leftover. At the beginning of the Christmas season, I could not buy candy canes fast enough to keep them on the tree 'cause everyone was chowing down on them. I guess the novelty wore off...the candy cane consumption has slowed considerably. But I found this website that should help us out: http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/item/33_candy_canes/ These suggestions will make it easy to utilize the leftovers, but might make it tough to stick to our healthier eating resolutions!

Happy Anniversary, Babe!

As of last Friday, June 27, David and I have been married for 21 years!

I'm amazed at how opposite we are...how the Lord has put us together to compliment one another.

I used to think people were SO old when they'd refer to something that happened twenty years ago! I AM getting old because twenty years doesn't seem like a long time at all.

Dave is DEFINITELY my better half and meeting him at the Omaha Bible School in 1981 was one of the highlights of my life. He is a great man of God, a kind husband, a loving father and a blessing to me everyday.

I thank the Lord, for you, David!!! Love you!

More Tree Removal Pics!

TIM-BER!!!

Oh, my aching back! We had a violent storm blow through last night around 5 pm as David and I prepared to go out to eat to celebrate our anniversary. The weather person was saying that the storm was packing some big winds, but WOW...one of our trees cracked and blew over! I was in our living room at the time and saw some movement out of the corner of my eye...it was our tree falling toward our home! It was about thirty feet tall. The trunk was 35" in circumference. We are so grateful that it missed our air conditioner, that it did not fall on our fence or our neighbor's shed, that no one was nearby to get hurt! Our damage is small, by the way, compared to many in our city.

David and our friend, Rod, did the chain saw work. Bree and Elly and I gathered the branches, broke them into manageable lengths and bundled them together. We also made a woodpile out of the future home-warming chunks (we heat our home with wood). I was surprised that it only took a couple of hours from start to finish. Amazing how small the bundles of branches look out at the street as they await Monday (trash day!). Also amazing, the very small woodpile. We worked hard (like beavers!!)...and I believe I may be sore for a couple of days. Lots of squats. Lots of lifting, stretching....probably better exercise than a boot camp!

Hail to G'ma Curtis!

Today is my mom, Judi's birthday!!! She is newly transplanted in Southern California. She'll be living her fabulous, retiree-lifestyle in Alta Loma (Ontario area). =) For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of knowing her, Mom is a Jesus-loving, grandkid-enjoying, card-playing, quilt-sewing, book/magazine-reading, cookie-baking, ever-learning machine! I know God's got great things for you there, Mommy! You are greatly missed here, though. We can't wait to see you this summer. Have a happy, happy birthday. I know Jesus is so pleased with your life.