A fun analogy about taxes

If you care to read it just click here.

IGNORE Read more!

Drill Here Drill Now

I heard a new song recently released on Fox News today. Here is the first set of the lyrics:

Hello…..Is anybody out there listenin’ in Washington D.C.
This is the suffering voice of America crying out for relief
Now I don’t know what a gallon of gas costs up on Capitol Hill
But we sure know what it costs down here in Realityville

To read the rest of the lyrics - click here. This is a very catchy song and I went ahead and downloaded it for 99 cents. It was dead easy - I simply paid through our Pay Pal account. I can down load it up to five times or up to 120 days, whichever comes first. On the lyrics page I have linked to - you can listen to a snippet of it as well as read all of the lyrics. Enjoy!






IGNORE Read more!

what bread recipe...

... did I use over the weekend when I made all that bread that disappeared all too quickly, a reader wants to know.

Well - here it is! And here is what I am pining for so that I can more easily make bread on a regular basis.




IGNORE Read more!

Still Hungry!

Ever tried to eat a leisurely snack whilst in competition with a ravenous 3 year old? Trust me the 3 year always wins and you are left sitting in the dust with the crumbs trying to ignore all of the back swilling that went on with your bottle of mineral water. And what the heck is a three year old doing with a taste for mineral water anyway?



IGNORE
Read more!

Feast Day of our Lady of the Rosary

To read more about this feast day click here.

IGNORE
Read more!

Emma's birthday tea party

This was a very exclusive tea party - it was for family members only and was a lot of fun.

Waiting for the guest of honour....

She has arrived!

And she puts her party hat on and the party begins.

IGNORE

Read more!

Should Abstinence-only Sex Ed be continued?

I have posted a link on My Political Corner Blog to a poll about Abstinence Only Sex Ed and whether people think it should be continued. Click here to get to my post and then to the poll. Read more!

Isaiah 5:1-7

Let me now sing of my friend,
my friend's song concerning his vineyard.
My friend had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside;
he spaded it, cleared it of stones,
and planted the choicest vines;
within it he built a watchtower,
and hewed out a wine press.
Then he looked for the crop of grapes,
but what it yielded was wild grapes.

Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard:
What more was there to do for my vineyard
that I had not done?
Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes,
did it bring forth wild grapes?
Now, I will let you know
what I mean to do with my vineyard:
take away its hedge, give it to grazing,
break through its wall, let it be trampled!
Yes, I will make it a ruin:
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
but overgrown with thorns and briers;
I will command the clouds
not to send rain upon it.
The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah are his cherished plant;
he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed!
for justice, but hark, the outcry!

--------------------------------------

When we as a people, or as individuals, do not give God his due place of honour in our lives, can we blame anyone, but ourselves, for the woe that befalls us?

When we place God last, and everything else first, should we surprised at the harvest we reap?

Should we be astonished when, eventually, God turns away and lets us go in our own direction, complete with all its consequences?
I think we are duly warned in this passage just what exactly to expect.

IGNORE
Read more!

Oh oh

It's only 6:30 am and I have been awake since- I don't know when, but up for an hour. After tossing and turning for quite some time and thinking about the laundry in the dryer, washer and basket beside the washer, the lovely seven loaves of home made bread on the dining room table and a dish washer full of clean dishes... I gave up on sleep and got up.

I padded quietly down the stairs, managed to ignore my computer in the dining room and immediately tackled the laundry after putting water on for tea. After all, what is a slice of homemade bread slathered, errr, I mean slightly covered with butter without a good hot cuppa tea to wash it down with.

I puttered around the kitchen bagging to loaves of bread to take to church for their intended recipients and did a few more chores. Finally my tea was ready and piping hot, my bread neatly sliced and sitting on a pretty china plate beside my monitor and just as I slid into my chair - the washer and drying began to chime that they needed me.

I LOVE my new washer and dryer, but I have threatened them almost on a daily basis with instant death for their insistence that I come immediately to unload and reload or at least turn them off. If I don't answer their call immediately - they continue to chime and whine and needle at me. I knew I would not be able to enjoy my tea and bread with this constant nagging so I answered their call immediately.

Thankfully they were easy loads to deal with - several soft and fluffy blankets that I left as a very colourful tower on my laundry table.

And now - tummy full, vitamins down, three machines purring contentedly away - I am ready... for a nap! See you later with pictures of the birthday tea party celebrated for the newest 6 year old.

IGNORE
Read more!

This just might help me...

...curb my appetite for chocolate.

To read about contaminated chocolate from China FOUND HERE in the US - CLICK HERE

CONTAMINATION NOW FOUND IN CADBURY BARS - PRODUCED IN CHINA.

IGNORE

Read more!

More on the economic crisis

IGNORE Read more!

For the rest of this week all new posts are below

Gracie's final post.

IGNORE
Read more!

Final Update on Baby Gracie

THE LORD JESUS CALLED OUR AMAZING GRACIE HOME THIS MORNING AT 8:08 Am. After a 7 month fight to remain with mom and dad, brother and family, Our Lord said,"Gracie you come home to me now"

Gracie battled mightily throughout the night. At 3:30 A.M the family gathered and began a wonderful time of each one holding Gracie and sharing her sweet kisses and loving her with all that we have.

Grandpa Brown decided to go last as he got to spend three precious hours holding Gracie on Monday before the surgery. Everyone had a glorious time. GrandPa Bill Lockyer had her snuggled sweetly in his arms shortly after 8:00.

Gracie had been unresponsive for the two hours previous and the Doctors and nurses had told us that she may have already passed and was being kept alive by the medicines and machines.

However the wonderful Savior knew different and Gracie opened her eyes wide, turned her head, gave two deep breaths and left with the Lord to heaven. Heaven was in the room.

Thank you all so much! We love you. Arrangements will be posted soon.

Grandpa Brown for Todd and Amanda

From Todd and Amanda:

The last few hours have been a whirlwind!! But, please do not be shocked and saddened--we are rejoicing. Gracie has been given the victory! We were fighting to keep her here and she fought with us each minute of each day without looking back....but when the Lord Jesus called her name, she obeyed and everlasting peace and comfort began for her--to never end!!

IGNORE
Read more!

A story teller is born...

(ACTUAL POST DATE Oct 2nd)

This morning as Elsa and I started our day - it was decorated with a little story. Told by Elsa.

"Once upon a little girl who walked and walked in lots of ponds. There was mud and she forgot her shoes and her socks. Then came three bears and then they went in the house. And when they were there the little one said (add in falsetto voice) 'Some one ate it all up.' The end. "

What a wonderful way to start the day - with a happy little story, told by a happy little girl.




IGNORE
Read more!

WE HAVE....

(Drum roll please.....)

.....HOT WATER.....

Now, thank heavens, I don't need to invest in one of these or look around for an avid camper to borrow one of these. After all - it has only been 35 days since we have been able to enjoy the luxury of simply turning a tap and feel the warmth of hot water running over our finger tips.

Now if you excuse me - I think I will go enjoy one of these......





(photo credit for bath http://www.thecreativecastle.com/index.php?pageid=3)




IGNORE Read more!

PRAY PRAY PRAY

Gracie's surgery was unexpectedly bumped up to this morning and she went into the OR at about 7:40 am.

Here is the most recent update:

Dear praying friends,

The asst to the Dr. just came out and told us that Gracie is off the heart lung bypass machine. Though this is what we were praying for she did say that we are by no means out of the woods yet. Currently they are trying to get her bleeding to stop before closing her chest. Also her oxygen saturations in her body and also in her brain are low and they are trying to get them up to an acceptable stable place. Please pray very heart about the next few hours and the next few day's. Dr. Jaggers will be out to talk to us in about 45 minutes. The nurse made it clear that Gracie is still fighting for her life and has put up a great fight already today. She described it as a plane trying to stay in the air while clipping the treetops. PRAY PRAY PRAY . Will update with new information as soon as possible. Grandpa Jim for Todd and Amanda.

Adding my prayers and begging for yours!

Mum2twelve/Christi

Read more!

More about Envoy

Do you remember my review of Envoy's recent first annual Conference? If you would like to refresh your memory - click here. In the meantime, Envoy has come up with a YouTube video that shows the highlights of this summer's conference while also explaining the purpose of it.

If you would like to view the video - click here or scroll down the right side of my blog where I have embedded the video.

Watching the video made me feel so proud that we were able to participate in their very first conference and I am really looking forward to this coming one - to be held again at Belmont Abbey.


IGNORE
Read more!

Ha - I've still got it!

Despite years of being a stay at home mum, with its mandatory uniform of Birkenstocks & maternity clothes, alternated occasionally with a pair jeans and a t-shirt, it seems that I still have some fashion sense left.

So I felt a little intimidated when Scribbit asked for my opinion on fashion wear. In particular she was looking for suggestions as to whether to wear stilettos or pumps and should she go with gold shoes or red?

I carefully studied the dress that is being provided for her to wear to the 2008 Glamour Reel Moments in California. I knew this was a dress I would never wear unless someone paid me a million bucks to sport it off (okay, maybe for a few thousand - I would wear it) because while Scribbit is hoping to stand out in the Hollywood crowd that will be there - all I could hope to accomplish in this dress would be to look like a tarnished metal version of the blimp. Now, maybe I could pull it off in black - but not in gold.

Still, this was not the question facing her loyal readers; whether or not we could carry off the dress, but what would make the best fashion statement - stilettos or pumps? And what colour to choose so as to best set off the dress. Scribbit shared that at 6 foot, she is already towering over the average woman her age. And as she is rather willowy - she will fit in very well with the Hollywood crowd to found at this function. Still, did she want to be towering at 6 foot 4?

Again I fell to reflecting on my own situation which is that I could easily handle the extra 4 inches given that I came in third in my high school graduation class as the third shortest student. In fact even with the extra four inches, it was still not likely that I would yet tower over many of the participants there; but I would surely still draw attention in my stilettos as I careened about the lobby, stumbling about as though I had over imbibed during martini hour. No, stilettos are not for me.

Yet, even assuming that Scribbit has the grace of a gazelle while attired in such footwear, I still did not think floating serenely over the crowd by a few inches was really the statement of fashion that she was looking for. But neither did pumps seem the right answer for this very sophisticated gold dress. Hmmm? What opinion was I to offer?

As I neared the end of the post, I began to assume that we were to be encouraged to leave a comment and instead was pleasantly surprised to find a poll to answer. Better yet, we could tick off as many boxes as we felt applied.

I quickly perused the choices and immediately followed my gut feelings. I choose burgundy medium heels with open toes to show off one's pedicure as the ideal solution to finish off the polished look this dress offered and which I knew Scribbit could easily carry off.

Then I discovered the option to view the poll results and clicked. I nervously reviewed the results and was tickled to discover that I, apparently, still have a fashion sense as ALL Of my choices were in the lead. Ha - I cooed to myself, despite my GoodWill fashion cupboard, I still have it. I can still pick out a winning out fit.

Now I just need to find a few sponsors willing to finance a new fashion look for mum2twelve so that I can prove this to my readers. Any takers?


IGNORE Read more!

This should be on

... my political corner - but I am still working on getting that up to speed. So here is a link to a video clip that I think is very relevant and needs to be shared so that voters can have access to accurate and vital information about the Fannie May and Freddie Mac scandals.

Here is the link.

IGNORE
Read more!

No thank you???

Did I hear correctly? When I tried to bribe Elsa out of my bedroom with a cookie - she declines. Most politely, yet it was still a shock. Elsa say no... to a cookie, freely offered? Possibly that was the problem, a cookie blandly offered is missing the sweet taste of victory of that of a cookie won through wheedling, begging and whining until the parent is finally worn down and passes you a one.

Yet - I was tempted to set up a Dr's appointment as I simply could not fathom a healthy child unwilling to accept a cookie, lacking the sweet taste of victory or not, especially when we are talking about a favourite cookie, one rarely shared from mummy's secret stash.

Alas, I have been proved right by mid afternoon. Elsa was feeling slightly feverish, her voice had a definite rasp to it and her nose had clear mucus dripping from it. By then I too had an ear ache on the left side where my throat later started to ache. Time to reach for the Zicam and maybe engage in a little warm salt water gargling too.

If I dissapear off the radar for a day or two - you will know why, the cold won and the Zicam lost.

IGNORE
Read more!