Pampered Like The Queen I Am

WeIl, this looks like a party now, doesn't it?

Yesterday I mentioned to Becky that I was going to run into Bellingham and have a pedicure.
She had a better idea. She would come with Chelsea, a friend that loves to give pedicures and her sis, Shanda and I would get my pedicure and they would relax and have a drink.
Sounded pretty groovy to me.

Cute sisters with even cuter giggles.

Becky is admiring her toes and new shoes for a mini photo shoot. Did you know that if you lift your feet up and wiggle, the veins are minimized for a great looking photo. True story.

Fun times.

Praying For Our Kids

Sam, Braden, Dan and Max at Christmas.


I like scripture based prayer and loved this guide for when I pray for my guys and nieces, nephews and friends. It pretty much covers everything I've ever wanted for them.

The Christian Reformed Church's publication, The Banner, has an article written by Bob Hostetler in this month's issue. He gives permission to share.

Here is the list I have developed, complete with brief suggestions for prayers from Scripture. Feel free to duplicate it—or improve upon it—to help you pray specifically and purposefully for the children in your life, that they may experience and evidence the following:

Salvation. “Lord, let salvation spring up within them, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory” (Isa. 45:8, 2 Tim. 2:10).

Growth in grace. “I pray that they may ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’” (2 Pet. 3:18).

Love. “Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to ‘live a life of love,’ through the Spirit who dwells in them” (Eph. 5:2, Gal. 5:22).

Honesty and integrity. “May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection” (Ps. 25:21, NLT).

Self-control. “Father, help them to be ‘alert and self-controlled’ in all they do” (1 Thess. 5:6).

A love for God’s Word. “May they grow to find your Word ‘more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb’” (Ps. 19:10).

Justice. “God, help them to love justice as you do and to ‘act justly’ in all they do” (Ps. 11:7, Micah 6:8).

Mercy. “May they always ‘be merciful, as [their] Father is merciful’” (Luke 6:36).

Respect (for self, others, authority). “Father, grant that they may ‘show proper respect to everyone,’ as your Word commands” (1 Pet. 2:17a).

Strong, biblical self-esteem. “Help them to develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are ‘God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus’” (Eph. 2:10).

Faithfulness. “‘Let love and faithfulness never leave [them],’ but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts” (Prov. 3:3).

Courage. “May they always ‘be strong and courageous’ in their character and in their actions” (Deut. 31:6).

Purity. “‘Create in [them] a pure heart, O God,’ and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions” (Ps. 51:10).

Kindness. “Lord, may they ‘always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else’”
(1 Thess. 5:15).

Generosity. “Grant that they may ‘be generous and willing to share [and so] lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age’” (1 Tim. 6:18-19).

Peace, peaceability. “Father, may they ‘make every effort to do what leads to peace’” (Rom. 14:19).

Joy. “May they be filled ‘with the joy given by the Holy Spirit’”
(1 Thess. 1:6).

Perseverance. “Lord, teach them perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to ‘run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]’” (Heb. 12:1).

Humility. “God, please cultivate in my children the ability to ‘show true humility toward all’” (Titus 3:2).

Compassion. “Lord, please clothe them with the virtue of compassion” (Col. 3:12).

Responsibility. “Grant that they may learn responsibility, ‘for each of you should carry your own load’” (Gal. 6:5, TNIV).

Contentment. “Father, teach them ‘the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . . through him who gives [them] strength’” (Phil. 4:12-13).

Faith. “I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them” (Luke 17:5-6, Heb. 11:1-40).

A servant heart. “God, please help them develop servant hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, ‘as if [they] were serving the Lord, not people’” (Eph. 6:7, TNIV).

Hope. “May the God of hope grant that they may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).

The willingness and ability to work hard. “Teach them, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, ‘as working for the Lord, not for human masters’” (Col. 3:23, TNIV).

A passion for God. “Instill in them, Lord, a soul that ‘followeth hard after thee,’ a heart that clings passionately to you (Ps. 63:8, KJV).

Self-discipline. “Father, may they develop self-discipline, that they may acquire ‘a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair’” (Prov. 1:3).

Prayerfulness. “Grant, Lord, that their lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to ‘pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests’” (Eph. 6:18).

Gratitude. “Help them to live lives ‘overflowing with thankfulness’; that they may be ‘always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’” (Col. 2:7, Eph. 5:20).

A heart for missions. “Lord, please develop in them a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Ps. 96:3).

Amen!

Big Ol' Pity Party

*Sick with strep throat in August is just wrong. Not a good week for me. Throat and ear pain like never before.

*The turn signals quit in the van last night, car repairs are the pits. We are a vehicle short this Summer as it is...grrrr.

*Hubby has many double shifts this week, I miss him.

*Max is busy getting ready for the Fair. One of his heifers has what is called The Jersey Flop. Trust me this isn't good.

*August is my and Hubby's least favorite month. Every year.

*Where is the sun?

*Okay, I'm done. It's bound to get better.

Strawberry Fig Conserve AND Fig Jam

After Becky and I made raspberry freezer jam we decided we liked jammin' so much that we would continue on with other preserves. Jodi couldn't make it but she will be here for the next jammin' session. Peaches!
So, Becky and I forged ahead, not really knowing what we were doing.
We would not do any canning because that seems like a lot of work and we don't know how to can.
And no pressure cookers as we both agreed that we'd probably blow a hole in my ceiling. Since we don't know how to use a pressure cooker.
My Mom told us to seal with wax, Becky had paraffin wax experience and so we went with the wax seal method of preserving.
I did some research on the internet, some grocery shopping and Becky came over with an open mind and her apron

Our fig tree is loaded this year, so the guys picked figs for us.

Becky is carefully measuring the jam into jars. One of us does kitchen work, i.e. the actual making of the jam and the other reads the instructions aloud. Over and over and over because we are both easily side tracked with other conversation. We trade off frequently because that's just the way we do it and because the reader would lose their voice mid evening if we didn't trade off.
And the stirrer gets cranky slaving over a hot stove.
And it works for us.


Earlier I baked fig bread and we tried it with a little butter and fig jam. Oh my stinkin' figs! It was good! I used whole wheat flour for the bread. It could use less sugar but aside from the flour I tried to stick with the recipe.

We wrote pretty labels with my new Sharpies and called it a night.

Just wait until you see what we have going for next week.

You'll see our competitive streaks come out...

Patio Lanterns

It's Saturday night and Hubby and I know of no better place to be than on our back patio.
He grilled some prawns, I made a guacamole salsa, he opened some wine and we were chillin'.
Hubby loves to go to Pandora radio on the laptop and find music that we both love. We reminisce about concerts and fun times.

He lights the fire to keep it warm and cozy.
It is a moment.
Hubby tells me there is no place and no one he'd rather be with than where he is right now. Ahhhh...

And then... we are invaded.





Love these guys! They were just stopping by to pick up their long boards.


"See ya, be good, be careful, not too late, and good night!"

Random Because I'm Tired

*Threw a lovely Museum Members' BBQ this evening for 100 guests. I have some great interns this Summer and they were a huge help. Even so, a night like tonight reminds me that I am fifty. My feet hurt, the whole thing makes me tense and I'll have cramps in my legs during the night.

* The interns are great, that being said, I must add that sometimes I get enough of supervising guy teens at home. Max and Stevie in one place is almost too much. Enough said.

*I bought my set of Pentel Color Pens in 1979. I was working as a nanny and planned to teach school, which I did for six years. I did projects with my own kids too. My dear pentels had a lot of miles. They were an investment. I still have ten that work out of the original 24 pack.

Tonight I sorted and tossed. The new colored Sharpies had caught my eye and this week I bought a 12 pack.

*I am positively giddy at the thought of my new pens.

*I plan to fill in my new Perpetual Calendar.
*Calendar is available at the museum gift shop, I've restocked and nearly sold out again. I will order more soon, loving Gina B. designs.


*Are we spoiling Hawley when we let him finish the whip cream, straight from the can? Max was the enabler.


*Love this lotion, found it in Palm Springs, it's gone and I must find more. Nice scent and texture.

*I told you this would be a bit random...