Making treats again today.  Hopefully #2 and I will finish before this afternoon.  yesterday we made Pecan Melts, Cashew Butter Brittle, Reindeer cookies...and I still managed to cook dinner!  Today we're making gingerbread pirates, pretzel bark and truffles.  I'll try to post pictures later today

Out my window~ Cold and breezy!

In the kitchen today~ Cashew Chicken with rice.

Around the house~  Vacuum- it's badly needed.

I am praying~ For our two bachelor friends.  That we are a blessing to them and will have wisdom how to best serve them.  For my family, immediate and far away.

From the schoolroom~ Teacher and student taking a break.

I am creating~  Getting ready to make candies and treats to pass out to a few special folks.  Not sure if I want to do that this week or wait until Monday...

 

I am thankful~  See my bible verse above.  I have so much to be thankful for!

For the rest of the day~ Christmas shopping.  A few groceries to purchase that I couldn't find at Aldi's.  Wrapping presents.  Combat shopping here I come!

A homemaking tip~  Craving the Christmas smell?  You can simmer evergreen tips, juniper or cedar  in a saucepan of water on the stove to fill the house with a great smell.  If you  use cuttings from your yard, it's free!  Just make sure to keep the pan filled with water or use your potpourri pot!  Another good smell combination is to simmer spices such as: cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves etc...

For the next few days~  Our tree adventure is tomorrow after hubby returns from work.  It will be an early day for him so we'll have daylight to cut the tree.  I'll be sure to post pictures!  #1 son's car needs a new exhaust pipe... the old one rusted through yesterday.  Car mechanics 101 will be taking place on Saturday.  Saturday is also the last choir practice before our Christmas Cantata, which we will have Sunday morning.  Wish you could be there!

A picture to share~  You've seen my new baby right?  She's so pretty!

Wow...that is my very expressive word for my life in the last 10 days.

Last week was crazy for our family. 

The keys have been changed in the truck.  The house has been rekeyed. 

Dad and #1 son decided it was time for #1 to have some more responsibility and Dad gave permission for #1 son to purchase his own car.


It is nor a fancy car, maybe just a step up from Fred Flintstones' little car.  But it is cute and gets the job done for our son.  He is so proud he has his own car.  He wants to drive us everywhere in it.





I was able to put up a few Christmas decorations the evening of the robbery.  We are going for an adventure this week to cut our own tree from a tree farm just north of here.






We were trying to get the locks changed and new keys made for the van on Thursday.  While the van was in the shop we were given a quote of $1000 for new locks and keys for that car.  Investigating a bit more we decided to skip replacing the locks and just replaced the vehicle with one we saw that morning on the Dodge used car lot.





This is my new baby.  She is a 2003 Dodge Caravan with 84190 miles on her.  She came with a special alarm system and a great cd player.  She is really pretty and drives wonderfully.  Can't wait to use her on some special trips really soon.  I am thinking about personalized plates.  Any ideas friends?  ((Personalized plates gives it distinguishing characteristics if stolen))



Many of you asked about our sweet Banjo.  He was with us in our room the night of the burglary in his crate.  None of us heard a thing.  We were expecting #1 son anyway so any noise we heard, we would have associated it with #1 son returning home from work.  Banjo is now free to come and go out of his crate during the night.  He is being encouraged to bark his little head off at any noise he hears and is rewarded for doing so.  He really isn't a great guard dog.  He is more a companion and loyal friend.




Yesterday my manly man and I stayed home from church.  He woke in the night with a raging case of intestinal flu.  I woke up and got ready for church like normal and then it hit me too just as I was ready to leave for church.  When I went to bed last night I was running a temperature of 101.7.  This morning manly man is feeling just plain run down but not suffering so much from the flu, he went to work today after having all week off last week.  I am feeling better a little chilled.  I woke with a temp of 99.5 not sure if it went away.  We are all just plain wore out and run down...  I have lost 8 pounds in the past week!

It is finals week for #1 son at college this week.  Be praying for clarity of mind for him.  He also doesn't want to catch the flu!



Have a great week friends!

We were the victims of a home invasion in the early hours of Saturday morning.  Using a
house key that the burglar found in our unlocked van, he entered our home through the front door!  He rummaged around from room to room, turning on lights as he went looking for stuff.   The burglar avoided the rooms that had closed doors, where we lay sleeping in our beds!!   He found my purse and my set of keys.  Dumped my purse out and used my purse to haul things out of the house!   #1 son happened to be walking home LATE from work and saw a man coming out the front door to our van parked in the driveway.  #1 son called out "Hey, Dad!"  thinking it was my husband.  Upon hearing and seeing #1 son, the burglar threw what he was carrying in the van, and drove OUR VAN away!  #1 son rushed in the house yelling to his Dad that the car was just stolen and had to bang on our door to wake us up and tell us again that the car had been stolen.  While waiting for the police to arrive, we searched the house to see what else was missing.  Only a few other items not of much value were taken.  He left all our electronics equipment, computers, credit cards, checkbooks and my WALLET!!



We were up all night with the police on Friday night/Saturday morning.  The police are hopeful our van will be recovered, eventually.  Not sure about the computer games and spare change that was taken.  Yesterday we called the insurance company, the landlord, and a locksmith.  ((We are hoping our renters insurance will cover the loss of what was taken, including the van and reimburse us for the locksmith and such.))

We are now praising the Lord that we were spared our lives.  We are praising the Lord that #1 son did not get hurt by the burglar when he surprised him in the driveway.  We are praising the Lord that it was not worse.  Needless to say we are also very human and are shaken  to our core.  We are paranoid and fearful too!  We are still amazed at how bold the burglar was to come in through the front door, turn on lights... and all this at 12:45 in the morning!!

This afternoon, my husband and I walked the block, meeting our neighbors and letting them know what happened at our home and warned them to be diligent and to watch neighborhood activity.  While we were out, we found out about some other things that have gone on in recent weeks that we did not know of (other robberies and of prowlers.)

Tomorrow will also be a busy day as we head over to visit the Mazda dealer to change the locks in our truck and drive around the neighboring communities to see if we spot our van!

So dear friends and family, I ask for prayer...

• For our continued safety
• For the safety of #1 son
• for the swift recovery of our van
• for the apprehension of the burglar
• for our wisdom and grace in handling the situation