Winter Song for You

I may have posted this before, but it really is lovely and my friend Beth recently brought it to my mind again. 

Happy New Year's Eve, fellow travelers.

How to Stay Unhappy

I thought this  was a great blog post.  Just a few tidbits - definitely check out the full post.

#2 - Obsess yourself with all the things that might happen in the future.

#13 - Always be right.  Never let anyone else be more right than you.

#23 - Get four hours of sleep every night and convince yourself that it’s enough.

#30 - Hang out with people who complain about everything.


#31 - Focus on what you don’t want to happen.

Hugging Cousins

111 in '11 Challenge

Choosing to participate in this challenge was a no-brainer for me -- plus what a pretty little icon the host has created!  I'm considering making the challenge for myself to read *only* 111 books in 2011, but who are we kidding?  :)  And there's prizes!

1.  Secrets of the Black Box by Amanda Wolfe
2.
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5.

Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge 2011

I've been thinking that I'd like to re-read my Agatha Christie collection and I'd also like to read more Dorothy L. Sayers (I think I've really only read some of her essays, never her novels.)  So I thought this challenge, reading mysteries written before 1960, would fit well with those desires.  The challenge is hosted by Bev over at My Reader's Block.

I'm aiming for the  Take 'Em to Trial level -- 16+ books.

Mural Making!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Creative Christmas Eve :)

making Christmas tree ornaments with Aunt Vinnie and Eliot

Grandma JoJo helping

My cutest cousin named Eliot

Uncle Craig, my favorite uncle since childhood

Hey all

Today marks a year and a half since I got hit by a car.  I'm here in Indiana, my home state, visiting family and friends -- the first time I've traveled since before the accident as well as since separating from my husband.  It's been a tumultuous visit with lots of firsts and lots of sadness, as well as a bit of peace at times and acceptance from others at other times.

I have spent the past week soaking up time with dear friends.  I was able to visit what I consider my "home church" on Sunday and it was a solace.  I feel no desire to go to church in Colorado, but I think if I lived here again, I would be at Assembly every Sunday.

Tomorrow I will see my daughter for the first time in nearly two weeks.  Before that happens, however, I will be visiting my little brother in prison.  My mother and step-father are picking me up bright and early in the morning for that visit.  I haven't seen him for several years and have had only very brief phone conversations.  For a while we weren't sure that I would get visitor clearance in time and I'm so glad I'm able to go -- my mom worked really hard to make it happen and the people at the prison bent a lot of rules, I think, to get me in during my visit.

After our visit to my brother, we will pick up my daughter and go to my aunt and uncle's house to spend time with them.  I'm looking forward to having some relaxed time there and to seeing my cousins as well.  We will be there for several days.

This is some crazy hard stuff, some crazy hard times.  But again I am surrounded by goodness.

I've been working on a cross-stich pattern for my daughter -- beautifully colored butterflies on navy fabric.  I'll try to post a picture at some point, hopefully an "in-progress" shot.  I'm looking forward to giving her the presents I've collected for her here and there, as well as some fun presents from our friend Dara and two new books from our friend Becca.  I'm looking forward to spending time with my mom.  I'm hoping I can get presents wrapped before Christmas morning but I know that right now I need to be getting ready for bed so I can make it through a very full day tomorrow.

Blessings to you all on this cold and dark December night.

Tremendous Things Are In Store For You

Tremendous Things Are In Store For You/Roald Dahl/Tattoo

:)

Teaser Tuesdays -- December 21, 2010 --Blue by Lou Aronica

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers! 

"'Do you have any idea why this is happening now?' 


The princess lowered her eyes, and when she looked up again, she had a slightly sheepish expression on her face."  ~ p. 91, Blue by Lou Aronica

This book goes on sale January 4th!  It's pretty intense reading for me right now, as it involves a daughter's reactions to/feelings about her parents' divorce -- though that's only a part of the full story.  I feel like the plot is still being set up for me and I'm interested to see how it keeps developing.

Quote of the Day

We cannot become the person we long to be by ignoring the persons we have been.

~Richard Hirsch, Mazhor LeYamim Nora'im:  Prayerbook for the Days of Awe

Fiona's awesome hair for school on December 10th.

And then they almost got knocked over by the wind!

Lilly and Fiona -- Reading Pals

Friday 56 and Book Beginnings -- December 17, 2010

Welcome to The Friday 56, now hosted by Freda’s Voice.
Here’s how it works:
Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it
*Link it here...

The healing power of touch cannot be overestimated.
~How to Survive the Loss of a Love by Harold H. Bloomfield, M.D., Melba Colgrave, Ph.D., & Peter McWilliams

My pastor gave me this book -- my husband and I are in the process of divorcing. 










How to participate: All you have to do is share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading (and can go pick up a copy if it sounds good!). Then, if you feel so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line and whether or not you liked the sentence(s).

"Some acts of a powerful nation affect people somewhere in the world very directly, like starting a war.  Sometimes a lack of action has  a deplorable effect, such as not stopping genocide."  ~ 100 Ways America Is Screwing up the World by John Tirman

A very interesting and informative book that takes itself less seriously than one might think. 

A walk at South Valley Park on November 6th.

Tim, Amy, and Lilly

Mark

The dust was "gas" for Mark and Fiona

Friends