AM & PM ... storms

incredibly unusual!! AM storms were fog and cloudy skies! PM storm of downpours of rain, excessive rain ... and then a rainbow!

a NEW decade ....

the final week of 20 ten...   I can't believe that Christmas is over... darlin' D mentioned it was the END of a decade which made me think it's the beginning of a NEW decade!! ... i was going to blog... went to the eye doctor with darlin' D and out to breakfast (my favO'rite) and then noticed that Hobby Lobby was OPEN today!!! This is totally exciting because it is the FIRST ONE IN CALIFORNIA ~  got some goodies!! O' course ... decided to drop off my recycleables!! and began thinking about 20 eleven (2011) ... to live by a word ~ just one word.  What WORD would you choose for 2011?  I'm still thinking, but will have MY WORD before Jan. 1!! and upon that day I will eat ham, cornbread and beans as I have done since I was knee-hi to a grasshopper!! Christmas was relaxing, reflective and totally enjoyable!!
celebrating my Savior's birth  (Isaiah 9:6) ... it was a lovely weekend... i hope you spent your holiday with the ones you love... because certainly that's what LIFE is all about ~ relationships ~ Jesus came for relationship with YOU!!  Our life group volunteered and served with JOY to the Warehouse Community in Visalia ... Today i am getting back on track ever sooooooo slowly ~ what about YOU?  ...
I have decided on a few G O A L S for 20 eleven = get healthy!! re-do all my recipes!! and organize 3 states worth of addresses in my rolodex!! more to come ..... and of course, to scrapbook as much as I can (anyone wanna get together and scrap????) ...caught up on some e-mail... still have to return 2 items ... began packing away the decorations until next year ... and today i am thinking about 20 eleven...  WoW really?  YES, really ... because I will turn 50 years old in March .... i have been
contemplating
pondering
wondering
questioning what will be my "one little word" ????   i thought i had it... but now i waiver...  hmmm this week i am going to put some time & a LOT more effort into it...some thought...in 20 ten it was HOME...  the word has served me well... as darlin' D & me moved into our new HOME in Visalia CA!!  i have used it and thought of it and have been inspired by it a million times... it will be a hard word to let go of ... however, I always teach and say "go & grow" ~ and I have!!

i hope you have a great New Year's ... and reflect upon the newness of this year to be ...
enjoy your day!! xoxo, m

UPS ~ United Parcel Service

The man in brown .... forget sleet, snow, ice and even the down-pouring rain ~ this is my UPS man!! gotta love this ... he's delivering on a bike!! This just made my day ... look for the extraordinary in your world today. LQQK what I found!!

toasted Marshmellow ....

sing with me .... It's a Marshmellow World in the City!! today I sipped and chatted with a darlin' soul sister and I sipped a Toasted Marshmellow from Moxie Java ~ it was excellent ... but the praying, laughing, unpacking Gods word ~ was exactly what I needed. Thank you dear friend and all of you for your prayers ~ YOU will never know the power of your prayers!!! xoxox, m

H O P E ....

'Tis the season of Advent ~ LOVE & JOY & PEACE & HOPE! I've totally enjoyed participating in the 'action' list that Neighborhood Church has given out for the weeks of advent. It's made me think (no jokes please!!) and do (and yes! my heart grew bigger!!) and focus on my Jesus!! Romans 5:5 "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit ..." Put your hope ~ all of it, not half heartedly ... in God and know that you know that you know (KWIM?) He ever so loves you, desires goodness for you and wants to guide, protect and give you His all. It's not worldly stuff that matters ... what matters most = LOVE & JOY & PEACE & HOPE!
Merry Christmas blogworld, m

We Need a Little Christmas ....

last Friday night .... we went to the Vintage Press in Visalia. What a wonderful time!! Doug presented the poinsettias to Mark, Tom and Jeff and their wives! dramatic I say ... and dramatic it WAS. Then we dined royally ... tried some new foods and enjoyed the company and festivities!!

SOLED out for Christmas!!

wOw!! 2 weeks ago many went to Houston Elementary School and traced each students feet ... to fit the size of shoe he or she would need! & TODAY ... K-DUV 88.9 FM and Fresno Pacific and Neighborhood Church (this is where I hang ~ KWIM?) got to be elves (helping hands & hearts) ... and each student received a BRAND NEW PAIR of shoes!!! awesome!! God is sooooo good! and these precious children were sooooooooooo happy! do you get that happy? ever?? why not! if yes, share your glory story!! I am blessed to serve!! thank you all for the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ on this day!!

LIVE well, LAUGH often! & JUNK much!!

anticipation .... for a year or so ~ I have wanted to go junking (scurrying around) the Visalia antique stores. I don't wanna do this by myself ~ although I could ... but a second, if NOT a third set of eyeballs is of great advantage. Q from U = what am I in search of?  Antique Christmas ornaments ... something Californiay ~ local yocal ... and that thing ~ that ONE thing that screams my name and attention!!! any takers???? call me and let's go!!! soon very soon please!!

a TEA PARTY & a BIRTHDAY for Mary ...

Mary is a neighbor o' mine and her darlin' mother, Evelyn, surprised her with a TEA PARTY. I catered/hosted the event and what fun!! A royal tea too ~ hospilatiTEA, loyalTEA, integriTEA & royalTEA ~ a high tea with a 4 & 2 tiered towers!! Oh what fun I had preparing, cooking and serving. My dear friend ~ Miss Caroline helped me serve! We served with JOY and LOVE ... all because of Christ. See the photos???? fun fun and fun ... wanna have a tea party??? call me!!

Deck the halls ... and hallways too ~

DECORATING ....   decking my halls & hallways. It's always a loved and new adventure for me in a new home. This year was a little more ... in that my Christmas things had been packed away and stored. And then to make the executive decision as to where to place what. Praying all over and over all ... this is what we ended up doing. JOY and LOVE raced through my heart with memories. The 'special' tickle-my-heart memory was opening a box and seeing a Santa mug ~ Fitz & Floyd (he has brown eyes! I so love this santa mug!!) that my MIL had in her Fitch Tavern, Bedford MASS. room that I ever so fondly remember!! First photo is the family room leading into kitchen. Then a favO'rite ... my silver tree! The dining room and Christmas tea pots ~ join me at a quarter til three, for Christmas tea ~ just YOU & me!!!

things NOT seen ...

Ponder this quote:  "the best and most beautiful t h i n g s in the world cannot be seen or even touched they must be felt within the HEART."        Helen Keller   So ... dear ones ~ what do you feel with your heart? what do you see that leaves you speechless? what .... ??? the sunrise this AM was beautiful! Praying for my sons to walk their faith and embrace ALL that God has in store for them! The ringing of the Salvation Army bells and the thoughts of how much help they provide. Serving dinner last night and running thru my wall of exhaustion ~ just to greet & serve!! please share .....

B u B B L e S ...

okay I love blowing bubbles and anytime, any day of the week ... I always have a small bottle of BuBBLes in my purse. BUT ... to have all 4 of us together ('da boys live in Idaho!) in church .... decorated for Christmas AND blowing BuBBLes!! I was speechless and having waaaaaaaay too much fun!! oh and BTW, this will be my Christmas card photo ~ so, act surprise when you get mine! please. Go ahead act surprised NOW!!

Linus explains Christmas ....

... that's what Christmas is all about!! Pssst ~ you don't want to miss a WORD of this, so just pause the music on  my blog and listen.  It'll warm your heart!! I have always LOVED this!! Merry Christmas

Sunday BRUNCH ... with the family!!!

It's NOT often ...we all gather for Sunday Brunch!! But TODAY .. all 4 generations ~ Papa, Mimi, Grandie, darlin' D & me ~ of course, da boys too!! Ryan and Paul eatin' something good!!! Happy Sunday!! love, m

Fruit Patch, Dinuba CA

ta- da ... they did it ... yesterday was the First Day ~ Inaugural ~ line of packing citrus!! I must say eating those mandarins (easy peels!!) was like eating candy!!! HooooooOOooooOoRay for all of you!! 

Ramblings ... these are funny!!!

I was out and about ... and saw this ~ leaving town (CA) because of Jerry Brown! oh, sooooooooooo funny!! and then who doesn't love the holiday flavors?? haven't tried the White Chocolate Raspberry ...yet! And duct tape! who thought of making Christmas stockings using duct tape! I do love the dresses made from duct tape ... but this one steals the show! so, these were my ramblings of the day!!

just a glass ....

I enjoying trying new & different wines! Darlin' D is kinda a wine snob and we love him b/c of it!! just a glass for me please!! what about YOU? do you have a favO'rite wine? maybe a favO'rite brand? maybe a favO'rite wine glass? let me know!!

on my DESK!!

I do have a LOT to do ... don't we all ~ I just took a few minutes to do my cover page for 2011 and these are on my desk! thought I'd share!!