Sister Time

Diane invited me to Winter Haven to spend the day with her.  She has a season pass to Bok Tower, and thought it would be fun to see the Pinewood Estate all decked out for Christmas.  It was a great time.  We even had an added bonus in that her granddaughter, Ashley was able to enjoy the event with us.  I was surprised when they encouraged us to take pictures as we toured the house.  I am so glad I brought my camera with me.



She had more fun doing her acrobats on the lawn of the huge gardens.  This is one of her famous "tah-dah" poses.




I took this picture because it never occured to Diane or I to add twinkle lights under the batting.  It added just the right touch to this display.  I don't want to forget it so I can use this idea in my house next year.



We would have never thought to put lights in tule either.  This would be a great decorating idea for weddings!
    Each room had a theme to it.  At the end, you had to vote for your favorite room.  Mine was Mr. Buck's room.  It was done as a "nature" room.  It had the most darling snow owls in it.  It was very woodsy...just right up my alley.  I can't believe I didn't take a picture of it.  I guess I was too busy trying to figure out where to buy those owls.  I want to add one to my collection.



In the courtyard they had these neat Poinsettia balls hanging from the trees.  They were magnificent.



I ended up staying for dinner before heading home.  I heard fireworks.  Then Diane said, "Oh those are from Legoland.  You can see them out the side window".  Sure enough, I was able to watch the entire fireworks show from her side yard.  She is less than a mile from the theme park.  It took me a while to get a shot because my camera was on the delay mode.  I finally realized to snap it when I saw the red shoot going into the sky, then by the time it photographed, the display came out better than the previous ones.

It was a wonderful day.  Thank you Lord for time to spend with family.  I treasure these special moments.

Long Awaited

Stephen has been anticipating the arrival of his new patrol car for many months now.  I think since this summer there has been word that he would be getting one.

He's a beauty....



                          He's already put 500 miles on it his first week.



          Clif got a call from Stephen this afternoon.  He tells dad, "look in your review mirror".
   Imagine Clif's surprise when he realized Stephen was right behind him!  And no....he didn't have his lights on!  Just a mean looking machine.

Gratitude

Today I have much to be grateful for.  Even though I  awoke still being out of sorts from yesterday, the day made way for  many blessings.  I was fortunate to have received a call from a teacher who I not only enjoy the kids in her classroom, but I always look forward to working with her paraprofessional because we connect on a spiritual level.  I knew when the call came in, God was performing His intervention.  He didn't let me down.

She prayed a powerful prayer with me during lunch.  I could feel God's Spirit and Strength just fill my soul.  It gave me the boost needed to lift me out of the short-lived funk I was in.  The day only continued to get better.  I was able to accomplish the tasks I had on my to-do list, and help other people out along the way.

The day ended with 2 of my friends (twin sisters) coming over to help me wrap all the Christmas presents Clif had purchased.  It took the 3 of us just over 2 hours.  If I had done it by myself, it would have taken 6-8 hours, and I probably would have been grumpy!  I was so moved by this gesture.

 I had shared with them on Sunday that I was disappointed I missed out on their Annual Gift Wrapping party they have.  But it was the same day as the baking day I had with Amber and Valerie.  Without missing a beat, they both said, "just give us a date and time, and we'll help you wrap."

 Clif enjoyed the conversations while we busily did our work.  When they left, he admitted he now understands why I look forward to this event every year.  I told him it is the best idea ever...to be able to chitchat and be productive at the same time during a stressful time of year.  Truth be told, I  usually don't have many gifts to take and wrap because I don't get my shopping done until a week before Christmas.  I help everyone else wrap because they still have kids living at home and in school.  But, being Clif was on the ball this year,  I had plenty to wrap, and it was the first year they scheduled it closer to Christmas!

Anyway, all Glory be to God who knows our needs before we ask.  Thank you Lord. :)

Rejoice

One of the new routines I have established since Lent 2012 is to go to the Creighton University website for daily prayer and pray their reflections each morning.  It is a great way to focus for the day.  I can tell a huge difference in my productivity and attitude when I skip this.  It is to the point, it is worth my sanity to etch time to focus my purpose. Today's closing prayer is perfect to what I have been praying in my heart the past few weeks.  It so hit the nail on the head, I just had to share.


I lift my heart up to you, Lord,
to thank you for the blessings
you shower on me each day.

You are the 'joy of my soul.'
I know that in your great love,
I am held and protected by you.

I pray and listen to the good news you send;
I ask and feel the healing.
I am freed by you
from the things in this world
that let me hide from you.

I rejoice, I rejoice, down to my soul.
Help me to prepare my heart
to be open and able to receive your immense love.

 

For more information on Daily Reflections you can visit their website.

www.onlineministries.creighton.edu

 

Baking Day

I have enjoyed the past two years going to Aunt LaDon's for our Girl's Weekend.  It is always so much more pleasurable to do holiday preparations when you are in good company.  So...I invited Valerie and Amber to come over today for a day of baking.  This way, the girls not only had treats to take home to the boys, but to share with friends and coworkers.  We had a full day, and enjoyed pizza for dinner.  Who wants to cook after baking all day?!



  Valerie, having a knack and schooling for baking, offers tips to Amber to make icing the Pumpkin Cake easier.  It was very tasty. :)



                             High fiving the successes of their baking efforts.



                             A table of treats to share.



               A view from the other end of the table.



                                   Clif enjoying the fruits of our labor.

We were blessed to have a day to share with each other.  I thank God for the opportunity of such fellowship.  Family is so important.  This came to the forefront today after yesterday's news.  We took time to pause and reflect on the families in Connecticut.  Our prayers are with them.

Preparations

Today is the Second Sunday of Advent.  It was an interesting homily given by Fr. Jose.  We in the choir could not contain our laughter because....we were privy to an "inside" story.  Let me explain.  Five of us had a ladies night out this past Friday night to a concert that our choir director was in.  It was called Christmas at the Movies.  We all met here at the house, then I drove.  We had dinner out, then onto the show.  It was a great time.  So what's the inside story you ask?  Well, they wanted to know how come all the Christmas decor was up except for the tree.  I told them that Clif and I have not come to a compromise.  The problem being he got a new glider this past May that is now located in the spot the tree normally goes.  Our living room is much too small for such a big tree.  I gave two options.  Either we get a slim tree, or the glider moves to another room.  It has been since Thanksgiving that we have not been able to reach an agreement.  After today's homily, which by the way was a parable about a husband and wife who were arguing over putting up the tree.  The wife didn't want to because there was not enough room, and wanted a smaller tree.  The husband on the other hand wanted it up, and the furniture could be moved.  The lesson to learn for Advent was "What can you do this Advent to make room for Jesus?"  The message and stories were very good, and I am sure Fr. Jose was wondering what all the laughter in the choir area was about.  Needless to say, the tree is up.  The room is rearranged, yet crowded.  And all is happy in the home. :)



Clif's chair and ottoman are now right by the front door.  He'll have his seat, but it's not in
a good viewing area of the TV.



I have many stuffed animals in the tree.  It makes for good conversation and ice breakers
when guests come to visit.




Thought I'd experiment with the camera I got on vacation and try some close up shots.




I made Amber her stocking this year.  Now that Valerie and Michael are expecting, I am wondering how and where I am going to put the additional stocking.  Good thing I have a year to figure it out.



I had to nestle the Santas next to the kitchen counter this year.  But it works. :)



Yesterday, I was in a creative mood.  I made myself a blanket.  Then feeling successful, I made a couple Christmas presents.  Sshh.  I won't say who they're for or what they are in case you're looking!


My gratitude this week is that I was able to get much accomplished and establish an Advent routine.  Spending quiet time with the Lord is the best way to start the day.  Thank you Lord for Your Love and invitation for a relationship with You.  It is one I truly treasure. :)

Christmas with Aunt LaDon

Last year, Aunt LaDon invited several of her nieces to a Christmas preparation celebration.  We had so much fun last year, that she invited us again this year for the same celebration.  Only this time when we arrived, she had already put up her Christmas decorations.  This left more time for socializing, playing games, and baking.  We had a great time...although we missed you Vicky! :)



We ate so much this weekend.  It seems all we did was eat!  From left to right going counterclockwise around the table:  Diane, Aunt LaDon, Nereida, Sandra, and cousin Michele.  Nereida made oven baked ham and swiss cheese sandwiches on hawaiian bread that were delicious.



Nereida putting finishing touches on her peanut butter/chocolate snowman cookies.



Aunt LaDon stealing a cookie while Nereida is posing for the picture.



Aunt Diane and niece Sandra having their special bonding time.



Michele putting the finishing touches on the table setting.  She fixed a fabulous dinner.



We had grilled shrimp with grilled tomato and mushrooms.  We also had fettucini with a homemade parsley pesto sauce.  As Nereida said after eating all day, "I feel like a busted can of biscuits!"  We all had a good laugh because that is how everyone of us felt. 



Aunt LaDon's friend Joan came to the house to snap a family photo before we sat down to dinner.



We opened presents.



We each received an ornament that is reflective of our personality.  Mine is Queen Nefertiti.



We also received fun serving dishes.


We finished off the weekend by going to Aunt LaDon's Chapel Service.  She sang a solo on one of the verses and did a fabulous job as usual.  Then, she treated us to brunch at the Club.

I was telling Sandra I was disappointed we didn't get to see the otters this year.  Then she looks out the window and says, "Aunt Trish....isn't that an otter on the opposite bank of the pond?"  Sure enough it was.  We went out to try to capture photos.  I was able to get these two before it noticed me, and made cover in the pond.






The otter must be thinking, "oh no....it's this lady again."  Then off to the pond it ran never to be seen again.  But that's okay, because it took me to a happy place. :)

Thank you Lord for a beautiful weekend with food and fellowship with family.  You have supplied us with many Blessing which I truly appreciate.

Thanksgiving 2012

We have much to be thankful for... family, friends, the invitation to be part of God's family, health, etc.  Today we had several family members over to celebrate this great day of thanks for the Blessings God has given us, including the abundance of God's love and freedoms we enjoy in our country.



Barbara and Sandra making the gravy.  Barbara says she made the gravy too dark.  Do you think it could have been because of the sunglasses?!



Michael fried the turkey, and Clif sliced it up when it was cooked.




Michael has that look..."who me?  I didn't sneak any turkey!"  Stephen, "no, he didn't I'll vouch for him."



Sandra and Krista were caught being the real "vultures".



Left clockwise to the right...Sandra, Diane, Barbara, Pete, Jim, Michael, Clif, Stephen, Amber, Grandpa (hiding between Amber and Stephen), Krista.


  
We ate outside in the nippy, windy weather.  I thought the highs were supposed to be in the low 70's.  It felt like the 50's with the wind. 



                        In the background, our winter garden is coming along nicely. 

                                                  Amber with her mom, Lisa.



                          Barbara, Stephen, and Ivan (Amber's stepdad).



Then onto dessert.  We decided to stay inside and close the doors.  We all needed to warm up.
Afterwards, we settled down for an evening of games.  A fun day was had by all. Thank you Lord for a wonderful family. :)

Officer of the Year

The Knights of Columbus in Osceola County honored several public service employees for their dedication/service to the community.  We are proud that Stephen was the recipient of Officer of the Year!  He had already received Trooper of the Month in September for Troop D in Central Florida, as well as several nominations earlier in the year.  The Knights put on a nice Thanksgiving dinner for the nominees and their guests.  The food was delicious, and the celebration was special. 


   
                                    Grandpa,  myself, and Clif



                                            Stephen and Amber



                             Leiutenant Heard giving Stephen his award.



                                   Recipients of various Awards

Fall Campout and then some...

November is a very busy month for us.  I was supposed to fly to Atlanta 2 weekends ago to celebrate my niece's baby shower.  Unfortunately, I caught whatever "bug" was going around in the schools.  I wasn't able to attend, but great pictures were sent to my WiFi picture frame, so I felt I was there.  I was blessed not to have work scheduled for Friday/Monday.  This gave me a full 4 day weekend for recovery which didn't take place until I got an antibiotic on Sunday morning. :(

Then, we celebrated my 50th birthday on Tuesday.  Clif made a delicious steak dinner.  He even baked the cake.  Everything was yummy.

This weekend, we went camping with another couple to Favre Dykes State Park near St. Augustine.  It was overcast most of the time, windy, at times raining, and cool.  But, when you are die hard campers, you deal with the elements, and given a choice, I would rather be cold than hot.  We adventured out on the canoes.  The wind didn't kick up until around 11:00.  So half our time it was really nice, and the other half we had to use our muscles to paddle against the wind.  We were out on the river for 3 hours.  We saw lots of water fowl.  We even saw an osprey with a fish who perched on the branch to eat its lunch.



             Peter and Kim, gliding past us.  We just went under the I-95 overpass near MM298.



If you look closely on the arched branch in front of the brown pine needles, you will see the osprey with its fish.



                                                             An egret. 
We also saw lots of Blue Herons, but they always flew off before I got my camera focused.



We also went hiking to Pellicer Bay (a 2.6 mile roundtrip hike).  In the middle of the trail was a piglet.  We saw 6 wild boar and 8 piglets.  We were grateful they were afraid of us and ran the opposite direction.  Not good for snapping photos, but good that we weren't charged.  Those animals can be MEAN!



 The black shadow between the two tree trunks is an adult boar.  The only shot I could get.  They run way too fast!



We made it to Pellicer Point which overlooks Pellicer Bay. This is a place once inhabited by Native Americans.  As you can see in the background the weather is not to good.  We could hear thunder off in the distance, and you could see rain coming across the bay.  We were 15 minutes from the trail end before it caught up to us and soaked us.  We had fun just the same, and decided it was worth the hike to see the 8 piglets running with their parents.  The way their little ears flopped were just adorable. :)

This week school is out for Thanksgiving break.  I am glad because we are hosting Thanksgiving this year.  It will give me plenty of time to catch up with neglected friendships, and clean the house.  Hopefully, I will have pictures to post of our celebration.  We are expecting around 15 people.