Currently

Currently....



Listening … our grandson say "Nana" and "oh-oh"

Watching ... our grandson walk around and around the kitchen island, the dining room table, the stairway in between the dining room and living room, around the couch.... basically around anything he can get around

Eating … hummus with roasted peppers, and pretzel thins

Drinking... Diet Coke 

Wanting … to be content in every circumstance

Needing … to get more sleep

Thinking … I am so blessed to be married to my best friend

Wishing ... summer wasn't over; wishing I had the money to help my kids more; wishing I could be home more

Your turn - What are you currently doing?

What I'm Into in May 2014

I'm following the lead of my daughter, Carrie, who wrote in her blog about what she's been into lately.
As I look back at the month of May, here's what I've been into:

1. Camping - this winter we picked up Mary Lou, our little vintage camper. We took her out for the first time to Moose Lake State Park and had a great weekend. I am excited to visit other state parks - what a wonderful state we have, full of beauty. There are 67 state parks - and we want to start exploring them. This spring we were looking for a pickup, and ended up buying one that comae with a Lance truck camper. So now we have two campers - choices for what kind of camping we want to do. We took the truck camper down to visit our kids last weekend, and camped out in their driveways. We brought our bedroom so they didn't have to give us theirs.
   
2. Flowers - I planted purple pansies in my flower box on the deck. I bought several hanging baskets and have them around the yard. I couldn't resist some multi-colored zinnias, so they're in a pot by the back door.
   
3. Fixer Uppers - it's a show on HGTV about Chip and Joanna Gaines, who help couples buy and fix up homes in Texas. Chip and Joanna are also in the process of fixing up their own home - a farmhouse on their own ranch - Magnolia Farms. I love how Chip and Joanna love their kids and involve them in the show. I also love Joanna's style of decorating - and wish they could come to MN and help me finish and decorate our home.
   
4. Books - I used to be a big reader, but when we moved up north I stopped reading for some reason. I think it was because my new job was so demanding that when I came home I was too tired to read. And there was so much to do around here: unpacking, sorting, finishing spaces, etc. It feels good to be reading again, even though I'm just reading light fiction.
   
5. Hockey - we have been watching some of the NHL playoff games. At first we were cheering for the MN Wild, but after they lost we found out that it's almost more fun to watch games when it doesn't matter so much to us which team wins. We are looking forward to the Stanley Cup match between LA and New York later this week.

What have you been into lately?

Midweek Musings

It's Wednesday - the day that many call "hump day" and since it's almost 8 PM I can say that I've made it over half way through the week.

Here are just a few thoughts from the week so far:

• Yesterday was my mom's birthday. If she was still alive she'd have turned 85 yesterday. I can't really say that I wish my mom was still here ... not with all the physical health issues and mental health battles that she had for the last 15 or so years before she went home to be with Jesus. I am happy that she is whole again in the arms of Jesus. But there are times I long for a mom to go shopping with, bake cookies with, talk late into the night, etc. There are questions I want to ask mom about how to grow old, when to let my hair go gray, how to trust Jesus in the next season of my life, etc. My mom was a great mom when she was well. She loved life, she loved to make every occasion a special one. She loved her kids (me and my brother) and her grandkids.
  
• I went for my second motorcycle ride tonight. My first ride was years ago, in north Minneapolis when we were at a party and a friend had his bike there. Craig took me for a ride. Now Craig has his own motorcycle, and we went for a short ride. We have to write it on the calendar - "April 9 - first ride of the season." It was a little cold, but it was a celebration of the fact that winter has (finally) lost its grip on northern Minnesota, and spring isn't too far away.
  
• I have been working at my current job for 21 months now. I know a lot more about it than I did when I started, but still often feel in over my head. The biggest problem is not having the time to really learn things - there are so many deadlines, so many interruptions, so many crises that demand my attention. I rarely have time to celebrate finishing a project. I guess I miss that most from my former job as elementary school secretary. There was a beginning and an end each year - tasks that were only done once a year. All the staff celebrated the beginnings and the ends of each year. But maybe I need to learn from my mom and make my own celebrations?
  
• It's so easy to become a couch potato. I have found that by the time I get home from work, help make supper and clean up, that all I want to do is sit on the couch and read until I doze off, or watch TV, or surf the web. And so the evening melts away and too quickly it's time for bed. I had such plans last fall to do crafts in the evenings, to make things that I could sell this spring. This week I decided that I need to get some fresh air and exercise in the evenings. At least the sun stays in the sky longer now, so I can get outside and take a walk ... and so I have.
  
• Our grandchildren are coming up for a visit this weekend, and I'm so excited to see them. We haven't seen them since Christmas. I always wanted to be the grandma who is at all the ball games, the concerts, going to school to have lunch with my grandkids, being there when needed. And here I am, over 4 hours away! So I will try to make this weekend special... savour every moment with them. I hope it doesn't rain!!
  
• Next week is Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Guatemala. It's a super big holiday in Antigua, Guatemala where my daughter and family live. Last year I was there for Semana Santa. My grandson had just been born and I went down there to help my daughter and her husband for a week. Next week I will be remembering the parades, the flower carpets on the streets, the costumed people, and all the festivities. I will remember our Easter Sunday lunch at a restaurant high on a hill. Somehow I think we're missing something here during this holy week. We treat the week as we do every other one instead of stopping to remember, reflect, and celebrate the fact that we have Easter because our Saviour, Jesus Christ willingly gave His life up on a cross to pay the penalty for your sins and mine, and then He rose again, having victory over death, so that some day you and I (if we believe in Him and make Him Lord of our lives) can go to heaven to live with Him eternally. Will you join me in taking time next week to make it a holy time - a celebration - an offering of thanksgiving to Him?
• 
  
  

Currently....

It's been a month since I wrote a blog called "Currently."  Time for an update - although it's also actually a bit of a report of the last month...

Watching ... NFL Play-off games. The wild card games as well as the first round of playoff games were unbelievably great football.

Eating … less. It's time to get back on the diet after all the good food we had while Carrie, Mardo and Micah were here. We tried some new recipes including a chicken and broccoli hotdish that was delicious.

Drinking … Diet Coke - always!

Newest Experience... learning how to use my new Silhouette Portrait cutting machine. My kids blessed me at Christmas by going together to buy it for me.

Current Crafts... crochet, sewing purses and pillows, DIY projects with my daughter and much more. We continued to craft together right until she had to pack to leave. Some projects included modge podging a map onto a tray and decorating some onesies for Micah.

Enjoying... sunshine, blue sky and warmer weather after the historic arctic temperatures of the last two weeks.

Playing... Skipbo, Rummikub, Clue, Chickenfoot, Wizard, Boggle, and Cribbage with family.

Wanting … to be content in every circumstance

Needing … more of God, less of me in my life

Thinking … about how much I love my husband, my kids and my grandkids

Looking forward to... spring. I want to see green grass and a lake that's not frozen, and I don't want to have to bundle up in jacket, hat, mittens, boots... or worry about driving on snow and ice. I am also looking forward to two upcoming scrapbooking weekends.

Praying ... I continue to pray, for our daughter's friends - Seth, Leslie, Andrew and Natalia. Andrew is home from the hospital, but continues to have health concerns.

Currently

I am copying this idea that my beautiful daughter blogged today on her website, Live In Love And Love To Live. Here's a little about me....

Listening … to Christian Radio Station - The Word FM. Every morning on my way to work I listen to the Rise and Shine program, and I listen to Chris Fabry Live and Janet Parshall's shows on my way home.

Watching ... Christmas movies, Wild Hockey and MN Vikings

Eating … the great desserts my daughter has made including these Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel bars.

Drinking … Diet Coke - always!

Newest Experience... playing piano at the Lutheran Church every other Sunday. This Baptist girl who belongs to a Wesleyan Church is having a hard time understanding liturgies, etc.

Current Crafts... crochet, sewing purses, DIY projects with my daughter

Enjoying... time with Carrie, Mardo, and Micah - here for the holidays from Guatemala

Wanting … time to slow down so that I have more time with family

Needing … to finish my Christmas shopping. I'm really behind this year... and I haven't even thought about Christmas cards yet.

Thinking …how much I want to be more Christlike, but how hard it is to die to self

Looking forward to... Christmas Vacation: having the time to really relax and be with my husband, children and grandchildren

Praying ... for our daughter's friends - Seth, Leslie, and their sweet baby Andrew.

How about you? Tell me what's new with you!